Addiction Recovery Words and Phrases (Edition #2)
Addiction treatment terms to familiarize yourself with

The precipitous moment had arrived — my husband had awoken hazy and hungover, cheeks puffy and overflowing with tears, and told me he needed to go to rehab to keep himself away from alcohol. So began his week trying to mentally prepare to go and mine figuring out where he would go and how we would pay for it.

There’s a lot to weigh: what rehabilitation includes, what insurance will pay for and what it won’t, what kind of services are offered, and what a minimum stay and a maximum stay are. And that’s just the big stuff … there’s also sleeping arraignments, food and meals, visitations, family therapy, access to psychologists or psychiatrists, and more.

You’re expected to make decisions on these factors while you are devastated that your loved one is suffering and also about to leave for this unknown territory. Even if I could get the answers, I didn’t know what he needed, didn’t understand any of the services and programs he’d participate in, and had no clear picture of the financial terms we were agreeing to.

Regaling the tales of these frustrating situations (vague descriptions of treatment, inappropriate pressure to commit, ambiguous details about how billing would work, services and facilities that won’t take your insurance) isn’t all too helpful. So while I don’t have any great advice on how to find the best rehab facility, maybe I can save someone else some of the frustrations by providing some of the terms I came to understand in the process.

They generally fall into a few categories such as Rehabilitation Services, Insurance and Healthcare, and Medications. Here are a few that I came to understand:

• Detox: “The process of clearing toxins from the body of a [person] who is dependent on substances of abuse” (drugrehab.com). It happens during abstinence/cessation from a substance. It can be life-threatening for someone whose body is physically dependent on a substance. It is the first step in the treatment process and addresses physical dependence not mental or behavioral factors.
  
  

• Medically-Assisted Detox: Ridding “the body of toxic addictive substances under the supervision of a team of licensed medical professionals” (therecoveryvillage.com). This team delivers medical care when and as needed during the process. This is important for the patient to remain safe. It is not a treatment but increases the likelihood of successful recovery.
  
  

• Aftercare: Programs available to people who are addicted to substances to participate in services and treatments to assist in recovery after they initially get sober (detox or medically-assisted detox). These can include In-Patient, Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP), Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP), Sober Living, and more.
  
  

• In-Patient Treatment: A full-time, live-in addiction recovery center that includes medical supervision as well as mental and peer support services. In-patient centers vary greatly and have different levels of care, approach to recovery, lengths of stay, and amenities.
  
  

• Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP): Participants remain at a rehab facility and attend programs daily but return home at night. The daily schedule is intensive and similar to that of in-patient treatment.
  
  

• Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP): Participants attend program sessions throughout the week at a facility. Often every other day for a few hours. These sessions include one-on-one and/or group therapy.
  
  

• Sober Living: Places “that provide safe housing and supportive, structured living conditions for people exiting drug rehabilitation programs” (en.wikipedia.org). Sober living is an option often utilized after In-Patient Treatment. It is most often attended in conjunction with either a PHP program or an IOP program. Sometimes, sober living is also an option after a relapse or when in-patient treatment isn’t covered by insurance or financially feasible.
  
  

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP): Provided by an employer it is a “voluntary, work-based program that offers free and confidential assessments, short-term counseling, referrals, and follow-up services to employees who have personal and/or work-related problems” (opm.gov). If this option is available to you, it can often assist in finding services, treatments, and facilities your insurance will cover.
  
  

• Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA): “Entitles eligible employees of covered employers to take unpaid, job-protected leave for specified family and medical reasons with continuation of group health insurance coverage under the same terms and conditions as if the employee had not taken leave” (dol.gov). Depending on the length of time in a current role and medical diagnosis, it could be an option.
  
  

• Deductible: “The amount you pay for covered health care services before your insurance plan starts to pay” (healthcare.gov). It is important to check what yours is as you will need to pay this amount before insurance will start to fully pay for medical expenses.
  
  

• Explanation of Benefits (EOB): “An EOB is a statement from your health insurance plan describing what costs it will cover for medical care or products you’ve received” (cigna.com). This will outline what was charged for a service and will include codes as well as what is paid for by your insurance and what you will need to pay out-of-pocket. Verifying what is being charged can save you from unexpected costs. Check for incorrect codes, descriptions, or items that were covered during the first days or weeks (e.g., during detox) that are no longer covered further along during treatments.
  
  

• Vivitrol (Naltrexone): “Fits into a category of medications called opioid antagonists. This means that naltrexone can block the effects of opioid substances in the brain, and thus helps manage the temptation/craving for drugs or alcohol” (rehabs.com).
  
  

• Antabuse (Disulfiram): “Medication used in the treatment of alcohol use disorders by producing unpleasant side effects and sensitivity to alcohol. [Acts] as an alcohol antagonist drug, blocks the conversion from acetaldehyde to acetic acid, resulting in an upsurge of acetaldehyde, which is toxic and causes the individual to become ill” (americanaddictioncenters.com).
  
  

Please know that these are the explanations as I understand them and as they have been used in the context of my experiences. I am completely open to learning more and adjusting my comprehension of them.

You can find a glossary here (supportserials.com) where I will keep a full list and add as I learn. See below for a link to Edition #1 in this series.

Have questions about these terms and phrases or want to suggest any for the next edition? Please comment on this story and I’ll do my best!