Making the decision to benefit from either mental health or substance use treatment is a monumental step in the right direction. Often, deciding to seek treatment is the most difficult part of the treatment journey. Unfortunately, with so many treatment centers and programs available, you will still have to go through the challenging process of narrowing down a best-fit treatment center.
While finding the right treatment center can seem intimidating, it can also be a breath of fresh air to recognize how many options are available for mental health treatment. Here, we will discuss some ways to help you identify the best-fit treatment center.
Recognizing Your Unique Needs and Goals for Treatment
Before even looking at treatment programs, it is important to identify your personal needs and goals for treatment. If this is your first time seeking mental health treatment, you may have no idea where to start in terms of your needs. If this is the case, you will benefit from reaching out to your primary care doctor or another physician to discuss your concerns and what you hope to gain from treatment.
Still, there is a significant possibility that you already know what you are looking for from treatment. For example, perhaps you have depressive symptoms that cause you to feel numb or hopeless about the future. In turn, your potential goal for treatment may be to work on your emotional regulation and strive to find the motivation to go about your daily routine without feeling numb. Similarly, if you are struggling with intrusive thoughts, you may have a treatment goal of managing or overcoming your debilitating thought patterns.
Here are some questions that you will want to ask yourself to recognize your own unique needs and goals for treatment:
- What are my symptoms?
- Do I have any untreated mental health diagnoses?
- Am I engaging in self-destructive behavior?
- Do I find myself using substances like alcohol or other drugs to cope with my emotional distress?
- Do I have a strong support system I can utilize in my home environment?
- Have I experienced a treatment program before?
Types of Treatment Programs Available
When you have a better idea of your own needs, you will want to understand what types of treatment programs are available. While all of these treatment programs have something unique to offer for your healing journey, you will have to identify the level of care that you are looking to have in treatment. Oftentimes, you will be recommended a specific level of care upon arrival at a treatment facility after a thorough evaluation and assessment.
Level 0.5: Early Intervention Services
Early intervention services are short-term educational programs that can help lead clients in the right direction for treatment. This level of care is recommended for individuals that may be at higher risk of developing an addiction or substance use disorder.
Level 1: Outpatient Services
Outpatient services are programs where an individual can attend treatment while living at home. This type of treatment is best for those with a stable living environment and a reliable support system at home. Clients can tend to their responsibilities and obligations — such as work, school, or childcare — while attending treatment on a flexible schedule.
Level 2: Intensive Outpatient Services
Intensive outpatient services bridge the gap between flexible outpatient programs and highly-structured residential programs. Treatment is much more intensive; however, it empowers clients to function more independently than residential treatment.
Level 3: Residential or Inpatient Services
Residential services offer live-in care for clients. They offer a stable setting for long-term treatment, which is particularly valuable for individuals that may not have a safe or secure home environment to return to after outpatient treatment. Residential treatment is recommended for those who struggle with severe mental health disorders or struggle to stay sober after several attempts.
Level 4: Medically Managed Intensive Inpatient Services
Medically managed services are among the highest level of care. An individual with a severe substance use disorder may use these services to receive medically managed detox or withdrawal. It can include both crisis stabilization and long-term psychiatric hospitalization.
What Else Should I Look For?
Once you have decided on what level of care you require for treatment, there are still other aspects to consider when narrowing down a treatment center. Every treatment center offers unique and specialized treatment interventions to help them stand out among the crowd.
For example, if you are someone that has a deep connection to music, you may benefit from a treatment program that offers music therapy. Similarly, if you do not like the idea of talking with a counselor in a therapist’s office, you may benefit from experiential therapy.
If you are financially able, there are also benefits to receiving treatment from a center outside of the city that you reside in. Traveling for treatment can help you alter your entire mindset and perspective on life, which can help you with your long-term recovery goals.
It can bring about a sigh of relief to make the decision to seek out mental health treatment. However, the real challenge may be in narrowing down a best-fit treatment center. Start by identifying your own mental health needs and goals for treatment. Research different treatment options available based on your unique level of care. Contact your primary care doctor for recommendations and an evaluation that may make your search even easier. SoCal Mental Health is a treatment center that offers a variety of different treatment options for clients. We create individualized treatment plans for all clients, ensuring that we help them meet their goals for treatment. We also offer a variety of specialty therapies and other treatment interventions. To learn more about our treatment program or for more help with identifying your treatment needs, call us today at (949) 502-2041.
