Trauma-Informed Care: How Rehab Can Support Post-Traumatic Growth 

Trauma can be an isolating experience. When you go through something so painful that it changes you, it’s natural to feel like no one else can understand your new reality. You may have trouble connecting with the people around you, or no longer enjoy activities you once found meaningful. No matter how hard it is at first, remember: this is not the end of your story. You can always create a new beginning.

By going to rehab, you can get help from experts in trauma, PTSD, and CPTSD. The simple fact that these experts exist is proof that trauma is extremely common. You may feel isolated, but you’re certainly not alone. Depending on your program, you can also spend time in rehab building community with people who have life experiences like your own.

Diagnosis After Trauma: PTSD and CPTSD

This process can teach you a great deal about your own perspective. There are countless kinds of trauma, and everyone’s response to it is unique. For the most part, however, people whose mental health has been severely impacted by trauma are diagnosed with PTSD and/or CPTSD. 

PTSD

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder1 (PTSD) normally develops in response to trauma that occurred in a discrete, specific amount of time. It’s often diagnosed in veterans and survivors of sexual assault. This condition is characterized by many symptoms, including but not limited to the following: 

  • recurring, involuntary, and intrusive memories of the traumatic event
  • flashbacks and/or dissociation
  • avoidance of reminders of the traumatic event
  • dissociative amnesia
  • persistent negative beliefs and/or self-blame
  • feelings of alienation

PTSD can be overwhelming. You may have the sense that one moment, or one brief period of time, permanently changed your emotional capacity. And that might even be true. But it doesn’t mean you’ll always be in pain. 

paracelsus confidentiality
Paracelsus Recovery in Zurich, Switzerland takes developmental trauma into account when addressing mental health and addiction issues.

CPTSD

Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder2 (Complex PTSD or CPTSD) is similar but not identical to PTSD. This describes people who have experienced prolonged trauma, such as long-term domestic abuse or long-term childhood trauma. While many veterans who served only one tour have PTSD, those who spent years in active service, and especially those who were detained in Prisoner of War camps, may in fact have CPTSD. The term may also apply to people who grew up in violent neighborhoods or spent time in prison. 

CPTSD is not yet officially classified as a diagnosis by the DSM-V (the American Psychiatric Association’s manual for assessing and diagnosing mental health conditions). However, many clinicians use it as a framework for discussing their clients’ experience. The term has been in use since at least 1988, when Dr. Judith Hartman of Harvard University suggested that the symptoms of long-term trauma may require a different kind of treatment than those of PTSD. She referred to a number of specific symptoms: 

  • self-destructive behavior, such as impulsivity and substance misuse
  • emotional difficulties, including rage, depression, and panic
  • chaotic personal relationships
  • dissociation and personality changes

Although CPTSD is not yet classified as a medical diagnosis, a growing number of healthcare providers use the concept as a therapeutic tool. It may very well be included in a future version of the DSM. Even now, many people in recovery identify with the term. Like any diagnosis, this is not only meant as a way of explaining ineffective or damaging behavior. Instead, it can help you define your experience in order to chart a path away from destructive patterns. 

What Is Trauma-Informed Care?

Trauma-informed care3 refers to a variety of healthcare practices that take into account the unique experiences of people with a history of trauma. Providers may be experts in treating PTSD and CPTSD, and they may offer special accommodations for certain clients. For example, when a survivor of assault sees a massage therapist who offers trauma-informed care, the therapist might make it a point to ask for verbal consent before touching any new area of their body. The provider’s goal is to treat the client with respect, making sure they feel as safe as possible throughout the healing process. 

Trauma-informed care takes the client’s past, present, and future into account. It’s not productive or even possible to ignore the original traumatic event while trying to move forward. Jan Garber, the CEO of Paracelsus Recovery, explains:

“When we’re looking at trauma, we often look at family of origin to understand how people were shaped and how that then informs how they react in life and how they relate to others.”

He adds, “If someone’s coming to us, most of the time they’ve identified a set of symptoms that’s saying, ‘Hey, stuff in life isn’t well, or it’s not working the way it could.’ So that’s the smoke, and where there’s smoke, there’s fire. So we want to really look at where that fire is and how the fire started.”

Looking at the root cause of trauma is not about assigning blame. It’s unlikely that you caused your own trauma, and it’s certainly not true that you’re responsible for other people’s behavior. You did not make this mess; or at least, you didn’t make it alone. Whatever or whomever the source of your pain may be, though, healing is your responsibility. That can feel very daunting, especially for people who experienced childhood trauma. Remember that you are not the first person to feel this way. There is a great deal of research that can guide you through PTSD and CPTSD, and your healthcare providers are there to help you navigate it.

mclean fernside
McLean Fernside in Princeton, Massachusetts recognizes clients’ need for trauma treatment as an essential part of recovery.

Learning From Triggers

Trauma-informed care is sensitive to triggers. This word has been co opted and even denigrated in recent years, so it’s important to define it in this context. 

A trigger is an inciting event that elicits a strong emotional reaction which may be disproportionate to the present moment, but is a reasonable response to the past trauma you’ve experienced.

It is not true that being triggered means you are weak, or fragile, or maladjusted. On the contrary, triggers exist for good reason. The extreme emotional reactions they cause used to serve you well. With time, effort, and therapy, many people can overcome these disproportionate reactions. 

Triggers are unique to everyone. Some are very common; for example, many survivors of physical violence have trouble looking at gorey images. However, they can also be hard to predict. A bouncy pop song might be triggering if it was playing when you got in a terrible car accident. If you struggle with your family of origin, you may be triggered by a funny sitcom about a happy family.

Simply avoiding triggers is both impractical and ineffective. Even if you never play the radio in your home, that same bouncy pop song might come on the speakers while you’re at a grocery store. Isolating yourself from situations in which you might be triggered can prevent you from living the life you want. The long-term goal of trauma-informed care is not to protect you from triggers—although that may be a useful short-term strategy. You will instead learn how to regulate your emotions and tolerate difficult situations.

The first step toward building habits is to acknowledge your current patterns. From there, you can decide which of them are still helpful. The skills that got you to this point served an important purpose, but they may not be the skills you need to build a better life. 

Trauma, Addiction, and Mental Health

When you experience trauma, it’s natural to develop coping mechanisms that are appropriate to use in emergencies. These strategies are very important; they are designed to help you survive and ultimately escape. But life isn’t always an emergency. Some of these habits can become harmful if you keep using them after the danger has passed. For example, a person who grew up in a violent home might have learned to mistrust their family members. That skill was probably a very important defense mechanism during their childhood. In adulthood, however, that same skill has the potential to damage a romantic partnership. 

If you’re living in an unsafe situation, it’s normal to want to escape. If physical escape is not an option, you may turn to other means of escape, such as substance use. Researchers have found “that there is high comorbidity between PTSD with substance abuse disorders4 and other mental disorders.” Because of this well-understood connection, many rehab centers are well-equipped to offer trauma-informed care. 

“Even if the person doesn’t define for themselves that they have trauma history, we assume that they do,” says Dr. Monika Kolodziej, Program Director of McLean Fernside. She describes their trauma-informed approach:

“What that means is being very respectful of space. It means being a clear communicator. It means not overstepping boundaries. And it means introducing the possibility that treatment for trauma might be an important part of their recovery. So in addition to being sensitive and interacting with the person in a way that’s respectful, that doesn’t overstep boundaries or is not aggressive or confrontational, it also means providing treatment and skills.”

PTSD and CPTSD can also co-exist with or even cause other diagnoses, such as anxiety and depression. Scholars have also suggested a link between CPTSD and Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD);5 some even suggest that we stop differentiating between these two conditions.6 If you’re living through ongoing trauma, and develop an additional mental health issue as a result, it can be even harder to get out of danger. And once you do arrive at a safer place, these conditions can complicate the healing process. 

Trauma-informed care takes these many complexities into account. Rehab is a place to not only move past substance use, but also learn to cope with the underlying cause that led you to use substances in the first place.

Camino Recovery exterior pool
Camino Recovery in Vélez-Málaga, Spain uses EMDR to help clients reduce the impact of traumatic memories.

Trauma-Informed Behavioral Health Services

Rehab is designed to be a safe, protected environment in which you can begin healing from trauma. You’ll have access to experts who can help you process your past experiences and learn new skills to use in the future. Without the added responsibilities of work, school, or caring for your family, you’re free to focus on yourself. This dynamic is especially important for people with a history of domestic violence, and anyone whose trauma has caused them to struggle with interpersonal dynamics. 

PTSD and CPTSD can be extremely isolating, both during and after the original trauma. That isolation can even be a key indicator of whether or not you’ll develop one of these conditions in the first place. For instance, if a person gets in a car accident and then has to wait for hours before an ambulance arrives, that waiting period might be just as emotionally damaging as the accident itself. After that traumatic event, it could also be hard for them to explain why they’re triggered by sitting quietly at the side of a road.

Rehab offers clients the opportunity to inhabit a safe and protected environment, without isolating them from care. By connecting with your cohort and your team of providers, you can learn how it feels to simultaneously exist in a private space and benefit from community support. 

Various rehab facilities offer different types of therapy for people with a history of trauma. Behavioral therapy is a particularly effective treatment. This approach provides clients with very specific tactics for navigating difficult situations, coping with triggers and urges, and living in accordance with their personal values. Some common styles of therapy for healing from trauma7 include cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), exposure therapy, and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR). 

Each of these kinds of therapy looks at trauma from a slightly different vantage point, and it’s important to choose the one that’s right for you. EMDR, for example, aims to restructure the way memories are stored in the brain. Meena Lavender, Family Therapist and EMDR Practitioner at Camino Recovery, explains:

“If you had a filing system in your brain, it would house traumas in different sections of your brain. What EMDR does is access it one by one and processes that to eliminate the emotional charge it has.”

EMDR is just one example of trauma-informed care that simultaneously treats the mind and the body. This holistic approach can be helpful for clients who experience physical symptoms as a result of their emotional experience. In some cases, these symptoms can be extreme: panic attacks can be mistaken for heart attacks, and dissociative episodes can put a person at risk of physical harm. Ryan Soave, Director of Program Development at All Points North Lodge, states: 

“We hold trauma in our body, and stress is really the symptom of trauma. we can start working some of that stress out of the body, utilizing things like yoga, breath work, meditation, massage, the sensory deprivation tank, exercise and other types of functional movement, then when that stress is released from the body, it makes it easier to deal with the stressors that are going to come on a daily basis.”

The Ball, the Box, and the Button: A Metaphor for Healing

Imagine that, at the moment you originally experienced trauma, someone handed you a box. Inside it, you find a bouncy ball and a big red button, which is mounted on one of the sides. Whenever the ball hits the button, you’re reminded of your painful experience. That may mean you get triggered, feel anxious, and/or have the urge to engage in destructive behavior. 

At first, the ball and the box are almost the same size. The ball is constantly pressing down on the button, and you spend most of your time feeling the effects of what you’ve been through. This acute phase of healing from trauma can be very overwhelming. Without effective tools to regulate your emotions, it’s unfortunately easy to fall back on unhealthy coping mechanisms.

Over time, though, you learn. You grow. The box gets bigger, and the ball has room to bounce around. It spends less and less time pressing on the button. Your feelings may still be intense every time the button gets pushed, but you’ll have some space to breathe in between those moments. You’ll develop skills to manage your own reactions, and be better prepared for the next time the ball hits. 

This metaphor was originally developed to describe grief. And the process of healing from trauma is not unlike the process of grieving.8 Often, though, what you’re grieving is a version of yourself. As painful as that is, there is a well-charted path forward. 

Trauma-informed care offers people the space they need to get to know themselves again. This is your opportunity to redefine yourself, your life, and your values. Healing is a-linear, and there will always be good days and bad days. This process is intended to help you navigate them both. 

To learn more about your options for care, see our collection of residential rehabs offering trauma treatment here


Frequently Asked Questions About Trauma-Informed Care in Rehab

What is trauma-informed care in rehab?

Trauma-informed care in rehab is an approach to treatment that recognizes the impact of past traumatic experiences on an individual’s mental, physical, and emotional health. It focuses on creating a safe and supportive environment for healing and recovery.

What are the key principles of trauma-informed care in rehab?

The key principles of trauma-informed care in rehab include safety, trustworthiness, choice, collaboration, empowerment, and cultural sensitivity. These principles inform every aspect of treatment, from the initial assessment to ongoing support after leaving rehab.

What are the benefits of trauma-informed care in rehab?

Trauma-informed care in rehab benefits individuals by taking their experiences and trauma into account to provide a safe and supportive environment for recovery. This can foster a sense of empowerment and autonomy, which may lead to improved mental health outcomes.

How to Request Time off Work to Go to Rehab

It’s common to feel uncomfortable about asking your employer for time off to attend rehab. Many people struggle to bring the subject up with their workplace. But this could be harmful to your health and job security if it prevents you from getting any treatment you may need.

One trap people often fall into is imagining worst-case scenarios. This deters many from requesting time off to attend treatment. But remember: catastrophizing doesn’t paint an accurate picture of reality. If you need time off to focus on your mental or physical health, most employers will understand.

If you’re still on the fence, keep these points in mind:

Most workplaces agree that employee wellbeing is essential. Extensive research proves the importance of wellbeing at work.1 So while it’s natural to think the worst, putting your energy towards your recovery and health is beneficial not just for you, but for your workplace.

Public stigma around mental health issues and illnesses is decreasing. While it’s normal to worry about what others will think, the truth is that we talk more openly about mental health than ever before. Furthermore, public opinion around the matter is more positive than it is negative. If discrimination at work is still a concern, we discuss your employee rights in the next section.

You are protected by employment laws. In many cases, there are laws in place that are designed to protect your job and employment status while you seek addiction treatment. By understanding your rights as an employee, you can feel more confident about approaching your employer to discuss taking time off for treatment.

Disclaimer: this post is for general informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice from LuxuryRehabs.com, nor should it be substituted as legal counsel on any subject matters.

Can I Get Fired for Going to Rehab?

If you live in the U.S., you may be entitled to take leave for addiction treatment under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). You’re also eligible for protection from discrimination against mental health conditions under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Let’s further explore how these two federal laws are intended to protect your employment.

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

The Family and Medical Leave Act2 was created to “help employees balance their work and family responsibilities by allowing them to take reasonable unpaid leave for certain family and medical reasons.”

Since it was enacted in 1993, FMLA has helped millions of people in the United States retain their employment while receiving treatment.

How Might FMLA Protect You for Attending Rehab?

FMLA protects people who receive addiction treatment and any family member who takes care of them during treatment.

If you have a serious health condition,3 which includes substance abuse and mental health issues that meet certain requirements, you’re entitled to take 12 weeks of unpaid leave in a one-year period under FMLA. FMLA also guarantees that you’re employed under the same working terms and conditions as before you left.

Additionally, you may take FMLA leave to care for a family member who is receiving addiction treatment.

You’re entitled to take FMLA-protected leave for addiction treatment, provided you use your leave time for treatment. FMLA does not cover missed work due to substance use.

We recommend checking with your employer on their FMLA policy to ensure you’re protected before you take leave. If your workplace includes a substance abuse policy with provisions on attending rehab, you might not be FMLA covered. As always, it’s best to check with HR on company policies.

Who Is Eligible to Take FMLA Leave?

You’re eligible for FMLA leave if you meet the following criteria:

  • your employer is covered
  • you’ve worked for your employer for at least 12 months (it does not have to be a consecutive 12-month period)
  • you’ve worked for a minimum of 1,250 hours over the past 12 months
  • you’re employed at a site where the company employs 50 or more workers within 75 miles

The following employers are covered under FMLA:

  • a private-sector employer with 50 or more employees
  • any private or public schools
  • any government agency

Workplaces that are FMLA-covered are required to give employees notice of this. Notices can typically be found in your new-hire paperwork, employee handbook or other policy and procedures manuals.

How to Use FMLA Leave to Attend Addiction Treatment

It’s important to follow the FMLA process for requesting leave. This helps safeguard your protection under the law. But as always, it’s best to check with a legal counselor (if possible) or your company’s HR department for specific legal information regarding FMLA.

While each employer has its own FMLA policy, the process generally looks like this:

Find out what leave-related information your workplace requires.

Most workplaces will want to know how long you’ll be in treatment. The admissions staff at your addiction treatment center will help you determine your length of stay.

Additionally, your employer might require a fitness-for-duty (FFD) certification (a certification from your health care provider which confirms that you’re able to resume work) after coming back from FMLA leave. Before you leave for treatment, they should notify you that this information will be required and provide you with a list of essential duties.

File an FMLA leave request.

If the need for leave is foreseeable, and you know when you’re going in for treatment, you must give your employer at least 30 days’ notice.

If this is your first time seeking FMLA-protected leave, you aren’t required to specifically assert your rights under FMLA or even mention FMLA, as long as you provide your employer with sufficient information that makes them aware of your need for FMLA leave.

Your employer responds to your request.

Your employer must let you know the status of your FMLA leave within five business days.

These are some other important things to know regarding your medical records and privacy protection:

  • You are not required to give your employer your medical records unless they specifically ask for it.
  • Any contact between your employer and health care provider needs to comply with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)4 privacy regulations. Under this rule, your direct supervisor cannot contact your healthcare provider.

The Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA)

ADA was created to prohibit discrimination against individuals with disabilities5 in all areas of public life, which includes employment.

Alcoholism and addiction that meet certain conditions are considered special-case disabilities under ADA.

How Does ADA Protect You as You Seek Addiction Treatment?

If you meet the criteria for ADA protection,6 your employer is required to make reasonable accommodations for you as you search for addiction treatment. This includes accommodating a schedule that allows you to attend treatment. The United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission outlines further specific information about your employment rights under ADA.7

Once you request time off to attend rehab, your employer is required to keep this information completely confidential. On top of that, you’re protected from discrimination in any future hiring processes.

Your state may provide additional protection against being fired from attending addiction treatment under the ADA law. If you can, it’s a good idea to check up on this with your HR department.

It’s important to note that, just like with FMLA, ADA doesn’t protect you if you’re currently using substances.

How to Approach Your Employer About Attending Addiction Treatment

It’s best to approach your employer about your need for treatment as soon as you can. While this may seem daunting, remember that seeking treatment is far less likely to get you fired compared to the negative impact substance use has on your work.

You might imagine worst-case scenarios about talking to your boss, but don’t let it hold you back from getting any help you may need. This type of scenario-building often prevents people from taking required action. Try to identify these scenarios for what they are: rarely rational and, oftentimes, not grounded in reality.

Many employers are sympathetic and understanding, especially because you’re actively seeking treatment. Public stigma around treatment-seeking has decreased as our knowledge of addiction has progressed. According to a National Comorbidity Survey-Replication, which compared data from the early 2000s to 2009, “stigma associated with mental health treatment decreased,8 and support among the general public for treatment-seeking increased.”

On top of that, many detox and addiction treatment centers advocate for stigma reduction and non-judgment. If you’ve found one that makes you feel comfortable and dignified, they can help empower you to reach out to your employer.

According to Laura Herrmann, Marketing and Outreach Director at Gallus Medical Detox Centers, dignity and healing are key components of their program.

“What ‘dignity and healing’ means to us is we believe everybody here is a patient with an illness who’s here to be treated. We treat everyone with the dignity and respect they should have when they enter any medical facility. We’re not here to judge. Our job is to get people better, and do it in a way that makes them feel loved and want to continue on with treatment after they leave.”

What to Say to Your Employer

Start by preparing all the necessary information for your talk. You’ll want to find out if your company is FMLA-covered and familiarize yourself with their related policies. Your employer may want to know how long you’ll be in treatment, so it’s a good idea to have an estimate in mind. A healthcare professional at your treatment center will help you outline your treatment plan, which includes length of stay. You should also know your employee rights going into your conversation.

When you approach your employer, be upfront and honest. You can speak about your struggles with addiction if you feel comfortable doing so. Highlight the steps you plan to take for recovery. You may want to craft your message in a way that explains your need for treatment. The sooner you bring this up, the better.

Addiction is a mental health issue, so if your employer is discriminatory in any way, you may be protected by the law in many cases. Knowing your rights and having a plan before going into this discussion can help you feel more at ease.

Your Recovery Benefits Everyone Around You

Your recovery is positive for everybody, including your employer. If you’re struggling with addiction, it’s best to seek treatment and notify your employer as soon as possible. Don’t wait for any issues to spiral further.

You can ensure your job security by preparing the necessary information before you speak with your employer, and by having that conversation before you attend rehab. This removes a potential external stressor so you can focus solely on your recovery while in treatment.

Finding a treatment facility you’re comfortable with is one of the most important aspects of the recovery journey. They may be able to provide you with information and resources to help you speak with your employer about attending rehab. Explore our collection of luxury rehabs to find one that best fits your needs .


Frequently Asked Questions About Taking Time off Work for Rehab

What are my rights to take time off work for rehab?

Under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), you’re eligible for up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave per year for certain medical conditions, including substance abuse treatment. Not all employers are covered by the FMLA, so it’s best to check with HR or a legal professional to see if you qualify.

How do I talk to my employer about taking time off for rehab?

Be honest and direct with your employer, and emphasize the importance of your well-being. They may want to know your estimated length of stay in rehab and plans for recovery. You should find out if your company is FMLA-covered and know your employee rights going into the conversation.

What type of documentation do I need to provide to my employer for time off for rehab?

It is best to consult with your employer about required documentation for time off. Generally, they’ll need documentation from a healthcare professional outlining your treatment plan and expected length of stay. You may need to file a Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave request if your company is covered.

Athletes and Addiction: Can You Attend Rehab Without It Becoming a Headline?

Athletes-and-addiction

Professional athletes battle with keeping up with the competition, and performance-enhancing drugs are one such way to do so.

But what about when athletes begin abusing drugs or other destructive behavioral patterns outside of the workplace? When depression and isolation overcome an athlete off the field?

Addiction in sport is quite common. And due to the nature of the work, it can be difficult for athletes to both accept and receive the help they need without it destroying their career. Yet, if you carry on without getting help, you put everything at risk—your career, your health, and even your life.

Michael Phelps lost his sponsorship deal with Kellogg’s1 when he was pictured smoking cannabis. Montee Ball’s NFL career was short-lived due to struggles with alcohol and depression.2 Chris Herren’s professional basketball career ended due to addiction;3 paramedics revived him several years later from a heroin overdose.

If you’re a professional athlete, here’s how you can attend rehab and get help without landing in the headlines.

1. Leave the Country

Some countries thrive on celebrity culture.

Their people soak in celebrity problems like they’re their own. But there are countries where celebrities can walk down the street without hassle (and attend rehab without landing in the tabloids).

Switzerland is renowned for its security, privacy and non-sensationalism. The country has some of the most exclusive rehab centers in the world. They prioritize your privacy and ensure that the tabloids can’t get to you.

Many centers here offer individual therapy and bespoke treatments so that you can get the help you need without fear of getting caught by reporters.

To find out more about rehab in Switzerland, watch our video series on Swiss rehab centers.

2. Get Exclusive Treatment, Tailored to You

If you’re a celebrity athlete struggling with addiction and you want to get help in privacy, consider avoiding group therapy sessions. While other people in therapy might not tell your story to the news, they may sell it at another point in the future.

Keeping out of the tabloids is about risk reduction. The fewer people that see you, the less likely your story will leak.

Attending private individual treatment that is personalized to you is one way to do that. Some centers, such as Tikvah Lake Recovery in Florida or The Dawn Rehab in Chiang Mai, help you stay off the grid.

3. Get the Tabloids to Sign a Super-Injunction

Before you go to rehab, you can take steps with the media to legally inform them that they can’t report on particular issues for the sake of selling a story.

In the U.K., a super-injunction4 is an effective way of minimizing reported stories about your rehab. However, it uses the term “reported stories” because it’s becoming difficult to avoid stories leaking on social sites like Twitter.

Ryan Giggs’ case is a famous example. He sought an injunction to protect his identity over an alleged affair with a reality TV contestant, as well as a super-injunction to protect himself against an affair he had with his brother’s wife for eight years.

While these stories were eventually leaked and brought to light by media sources, a super-injunction can be an effective way of reducing your risk of making the headlines, especially if your story is personal to you and uncontroversial.

4. Tell Your Team You’re on Holiday or Hiatus

In most cases, tabloid news stories are leaked from the inside. It’s not unusual for a member of your team to sell your story to make a quick buck. And while we encourage you to only work with trusted people, that isn’t always the case.

To minimize your risk of getting “caught in rehab,” avoid telling people. It might seem like simple advice, but money buys secrets, and the media has a lot of money.

Your team only needs to know that you’re away on holiday or hiatus; they don’t need to know more details.

5. Be the First to Share About It

This is definitely counterintuitive and not for everyone. If you don’t want to be in the headlines for a drug or alcohol problem or other mental health issues, submitting an honest, transparent statement to media sources or posting an update on your social media accounts is the last thing you would choose to do.

However, this approach may work really well. You may desire, for instance, “to be the change you want to see in the world” and show that it’s okay to seek out treatment for addiction and mental health issues. That it’s actually the best thing you can do and a sign of strength not weakness. You may feel that being straightforward and honest about your situation will actually help mitigate speculation and gossip, especially if you’re concerned about it leaking anyway. Although all were in blackmail situations, consider Alexander Hamilton with the Reynolds Pamphlet, Jeff Bezos’s Medium article,5 and John Skipper’s resignation statement.6 If you do choose this route, be prepared for potential consequences.

Be Sure to Seek the Help You Need

With all this said, the most important factor about attending rehab is to get the right help for you.

Many locations across the globe have unique and tailored solutions that will work for some athletes but not for others.

Be sure to do your homework on the rehab center you’re interested in and choose one based on the treatment available and the expert clinicians who work there. These clinicians, after all, are the ones who will help you get sober and stay sober.

To get the specialized treatment you may need, explore our collection of rehabs across the globe to learn about pricing, their treatment approach, clinical team, and more.


Frequently Asked Questions About Rehab Privacy for Athletes

Where can athletes with drug addiction get help?

Help is available for athletes struggling with addiction:

• Your primary care physician may refer you to treatment.
• A specialized mental health professional can guide your recovery.
• Find an addiction treatment program specifically for athletes. Some have unique therapies like HBOT
• Join a 12-Step or non-12-Step support group in addition to a treatment program.

Can athletes go to rehab without anyone knowing? 

It’s possible. Single-client rehabs offer completely private treatment. Going abroad is another option. Countries like Switzerland have strict privacy laws and some of the world’s most exclusive rehabs.

How can athletes attend rehab in private?

You can attend rehab abroad, or get personalized treatment at a private rehab that offers individualized care, private rooms, and doesn’t require group therapy.

Addicted Attorneys: How to Identify Your Addiction and Get the Help You Need

A 2016 study held by the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation and the American Bar Association found that out of the participating 12,825 licensed attorneys, 21 percent of lawyers qualify as problem drinkers,1 while 28 percent struggle with mild or more serious depression and 19 percent struggle with anxiety.

What’s worse, only 3,419 lawyers responded to the question about drug use. As explained by the study’s lead author, Patrick Krill, in the New York Times:

“It’s left to speculation what motivated 75 percent of attorneys to skip over the section on drug use as if it wasn’t there.”

Substance use disorder among lawyers isn’t just prevalent in the United States. In fact, much of the Western world’s legal profession is built on drink and drugs. But the true problem does not lie in the substance use itself, it lies within the culture surrounding it.

In this blog post, we shed light on some of the common factors of addiction for those in the legal profession, why lawyers need to be vigilant in recognizing them, and how you can seek the help you or a colleague might need to get sober and stay sober.

Death by Drugs: The Story of Peter

In July 2017, the New York Times published an article about the life of Peter, a high-level Silicon Valley attorney who overdosed on drugs.2

According to the article, it was a problem that his ex-wife, children, colleagues and close friends didn’t see coming. Further, it was a problem Peter felt he could fight on his own, but he failed to make the necessary priority adjustments to make time for doing so. His work always came first.

The article is eye-opening for any lawyer experiencing similar issues, and we urge you to read it. In the article, the writer depicts a scene prior to Peter’s death. The line reads:

“Of all the heartbreaking details of [Peter’s] story, the one that continues to haunt me is this: The history on his cell phone shows the last call he ever made was for work. Peter, vomiting, unable to sit up, slipping in and out of consciousness, had managed, somehow, to dial into a conference call.”

In any scenario, it’s difficult to understand why humans put their work before their own lives.

Perhaps it’s because we don’t want to let others down. Perhaps it’s because self-punishment is an all too common illness we’ve yet to talk about. Whatever it is, work is work and will remain so for the rest of time. Your health is precious; and it requires intentional effort to keep it stable.

A Few Addiction Factors to Watch Out For

There are many reasons people turn to drugs to deal with the realities of life. Failed careers, a lack of income, the death of a family member, stress … each person becomes addicted for their own reasons.

In the legal profession, however, there are some specific warning signs to watch out for. For example:

1. Overworking

attorney overworked

We can only work so hard.

We need sleep, food, water and rest to ensure we can sustain a peak level of performance in anything we do. But due to the nature of the legal profession, lawyers tend to work more than most other people.

Sure, they might bill 40 or 50 hours of work in a week, but in truth, lawyers likely work 60 or 70 hours3 just to keep up.

Balancing this level of work with a social life often means staying awake and “on” to get the job done, and some people may turn to artificial substitutes. According to the same study, 5.6 percent of respondents used cocaine, crack and other stimulants, 5.6 percent used opioids, and nearly 16 percent used sedatives to turn themselves off after a long day.

Be sure to recognize the signs of overworking and proactively deal with these problems by speaking up. There’s no shame in admitting you need help.

2. A Lack of Time With Family

In Peter’s story, it was expressed that he didn’t have enough time to spend with his family and that he’d often go out in the evening and not return.

Isolation is an all too common addiction factor, and it makes it difficult for people to identify personality changes. If you begin to notice that you’d rather be alone and taking drugs instead of around the people you love, it’s time to speak up and seek expert help.

3. Stress

Often people use smoking, alcohol and drugs as ways of trying to evade the reality of a situation and “calm down” when life gets overwhelming. In 2015, Bloomberg estimated that workplace stress contributes $190 billion in healthcare expenses4 and more than 120,000 deaths each year.

Given the nature of hard work, stress can be classified as an epidemic in the legal profession.5 Last year, legal website Above The Law wrote an article titled Stressed-Out Lawyers in First 10 Years of Practice More Likely to Have Mental-Health and Wellness Issues and they’re accurate in their statement.

As explained in the article:

“If you know 10 lawyers, three of them are likely depressed, and two of them are suffering from a drinking problem or anxiety.”

Get the Help You Need With Rehab

The stigma behind going to rehab is slowly diminishing, and the acceptance of seeking help is becoming more prevalent.

In the medical profession, which is also a high pressure, high-stress career path, doctors can enter rehab, get the treatment they need, and still continue practicing medicine once they’re sober.

The legal profession is similar. No longer should you or your colleagues fear losing your legal license and getting fired; you’re human. However, continuing down a path of substance use and overworking can be detrimental to any career.

We finish this article by addressing you personally:

If you notice that you’re becoming reliant on drugs, it’s difficult to balance work and life, or if you’re failing to treat yourself with the respect you deserve, help is available.

The United States has several lawyer assistance programs and we urge you to pick up the phone and call them.

If you feel that rehabilitation is your ticket to recovery, we urge you to find a rehab center that fits your needs.

Remember: You are not alone.


Frequently Asked Questions About Addiction Among Lawyers

Are lawyers more prone to addiction?

Certain factors increase the likelihood of addiction among lawyers. These include the normalization of drinking and drug use, overwork, and chronic stress.

How prevalent is drug use among lawyers?

Self-reported figures show 22.6% of lawyers engaged in problematic drug use or drinking at one point in their lives. Actual numbers may be higher. (75% of respondents in the same study skipped over questions about drug use.)

Can lawyers continue practicing after rehab?

If you were disbarred due to drinking or drug use, you can practice again under 3 conditions: 

1. You received appropriate rehabilitation.
2. You’ve abstained from drinking and drug use for one year minimum. 
3. You’ll likely continue to abstain.

Top 5 Benefits to Going Abroad for Mental Health Treatment

“Environmental factors may increase a person’s risk of addiction, including a chaotic home environment and abuse, parent’s drug use and attitude toward drugs, peer influences, community attitudes toward drugs, and poor academic achievement.”1

The National Institute on Drug Abuse

There’s no arguing that environmental factors play a large role in facilitating addiction, substance abuse and depression. From a person’s family life and personal relationships to their economic stature and career, there are many “realities” that factor into why addiction is such a prevalent problem.

And it is a prevalent problem.

In 2017, over 70,200 people died from drug overdoses in the United States, and 19.7 million people across the country battled substance abuse.2 The 2021 UNODC World Drug Report revealed an estimated 36 million people worldwide struggle with drug us disorders3 while the World Health Organization Global Status Report on Alcohol and Health (2018), estimates 283 million people struggle with alcohol use disorders (AUD) worldwide.4

When it comes to recovery, then, our everyday surroundings might not be the best place for it. In fact, a complete disconnect is arguably the healthiest way to recharge and reset.

Here are five reasons why going abroad for mental health treatment is a smart choice.

1. Disconnect from “Normality”

Oprah Winfrey once said:

“Surround yourself with those who only lift you higher.”

Taking yourself out of your normal routine and everyday surroundings can provide a fresh, new beginning for recovery. Chances are, in your current situation, you are surrounded by many “reasons” to drink or use, whether your friends encourage it or the tension with your family makes you feel the need to numb.

Going abroad to a rehab treatment center means you can disconnect from current enablers and negative people in your life, and remove the notion of peer pressure, judgement and snarky comments.

Here, you can begin to regain control over your choices and can consciously choose to improve and get better on your own terms, without fear of what others might think.

2. Get Specific and Expert Treatment

When it comes to rehabilitation, there are a plethora of treatment options available across the globe, and different countries often have their own unique treatment approaches to help heal a variety of addictions.

In Portugal, for example, several rehab centers offer ibogaine treatment to help recovering opioid addicts. But, ibogaine treatment is controversial. Although the U.S. government has declared opioid addiction an epidemic across the country, they’ve banned the use of ibogaine treatment as a viable recovery solution. For opioid addicts, then, ibogaine-assisted treatment only exists abroad.

Further, doctors and clinicians often specialize in particular areas and gain a reputation worth noting. To get the best treatment from these experts, it might require visiting a rehab center somewhere other than at home.

3. Gain a New Perspective

Oftentimes, what’s needed to jumpstart recovery is a new perspective.5 While family and friends often enable us to abuse drug and alcohol, so too can the way we see the world. When it comes to substance abuse, it’s common for our perspective to be negativity skewed, and negativity facilitates more negativity.

Perhaps you’re not earning enough money and you’re frustrated, for example. Perhaps your family takes you for granted. It might even be something as little as someone not saying thank you when you do something nice.

Whatever it is, new experiences, new cultures and observing a new way of living life can help us shift our perspective on everyday activities and experiences, and consequently, it can help us climb out of negativity. In Spain, for example, good weather, delicious food and a slower pace of life can help us breathe, heal and ultimately, overcome our addictions.

4. Save Yourself a Little Money

It’s often the case that rehab centers abroad are less expensive than rehab centers at home (depending on where you call home, of course).

If you’re from Britain, your sterling will get you a lot further if you attend rehab in Thailand, and you won’t be sacrificing on the quality of care. Accessibility to a rehab facility because of one’s economic viability can be a big barrier to attending rehab. It might be more cost-effective to travel abroad for recovery. Plus, you get to see a little of the world, which can only do you good.

5. Gain Privacy

Admitting addiction and seeking help is courageous. Sometimes you may want to participate in drug and alcohol treatment with complete privacy and discretion, perhaps even keeping it from people close to you (and your employer). Although staying local for treatment has its own set of advantages, going to rehab abroad can allow a person more privacy. You don’t have to disclose your reason for travel and you’re less likely to bump into those you know.

Experience Something New

Going abroad for rehab has many personal benefits attached to it. From altering our perspective and removing ourselves from unhealthy environments to getting specialist treatment at an affordable price, there are many reasons why a different country can aid in recovery.

But while these reasons have weight, there’s one overarching reason to attend rehab abroad, and that’s to simply experience something new. A new place, a new culture and a fresh take on life can jump-start the next chapter of life for many, and these personal learnings are arguably as important as the treatment program itself. These new paths we seek can help us heal.

Discover our collection of luxury rehabs around the globe. Filter by price, treatment approach, and more, and view key information about each center, including reviews, to find what you’re looking for.


Frequently Asked Questions About Rehab Abroad

Why do people travel abroad for rehab? 

Going to rehab abroad is appealing for a few reasons:

• Removal from daily triggers 
• Access to specific therapies, such as ibogaine treatment
• An extra layer of privacy 
• Affordable treatment 
• New experiences and perspectives

What are the benefits of a destination rehab?

Affordable luxury programs, greater privacy, exciting cultural experiences, exposure to a different way of life, and unique, specialized treatment draw people to rehab abroad.

Is it cheaper to go to rehab in another country?

Some regions offer more affordable addiction treatment than others. For example, luxury rehabs in Asia cost between $3,000 to $15,000 per month while a 30-day luxury rehab program in the U.S. falls between $25,000 and $50,000.