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Does anyone know of a substance abuse treatment program affordable for someone without medical insurance or very much cash? Specifically, one for someone who needs to get off benzodiazepines (Ativan, Xanax, etc.) and needs a medically supervised program to do so. I'm pretty ignorant about the options in this case but you're the Internet and you know more than I do.

No, this isn't for me. And I'm not going to gossip about who it's for, either, so shush. :)

Ideally the location would be Southern California but relocation within the U.S. for treatment is also a possibility.

Current Mood: awake

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From:

eris-devotee.livejournal.com

You might be asking for something that doesn't exist. There is very little supervised medical treatment for the mental health a category in to which (addiction, especially to benzos, certainly falls) needs of the uninsured, unless one is a clear and present danger to society.

I know this because this is my own personal story. Catholic Charities will be your best chance, but... in SoCal... it means group therapy with Meth Heads, or maybe independent sessions with some aging jaded hippie whose education is a 30 year old sociology degree from Arizona State.

My point is that it is going to take determination and desire, because even the process of finding help can be demoralizing.

Kicking klonopin was the scariest most horrible time of my life. I went from episodic schizophrenia to full-blown ranting shrieking paranoia. It took 4 months of shakes, visions, nightmares, a lack of ability to sleep, heightened skin sensitivity.

And the truth is you do it alone, anyway. You kick addiction alone. You could have the best doc in the world, the best family, and it doesn't matter. Only the addict can live through the withdrawal and recovery and very little can help with that. It's about will, and that can't be begged borrowed or stolen.