For many of those seeking treatment, finding a rehab that allows cell phones is a top priority. Having access to a personal cell phone allows you to contact your family and conduct business while in treatment. Some treatment facilities encourage you to do that by implementing no cell phone policies. Limiting your contact with the outside world lets you focus on the healing process. But for some clients, it’s important to stay in touch with friends, family, and colleagues during rehab. If that’s a priority for you, you can compare rehab programs with more flexible technology policies.
Rehab Centers and Cell Phone Policies
Technology use policies differ from rehab to rehab. Here’s a breakdown of some of the most common policies you’ll see at addiction treatment centers:
Device-free centers strictly prohibit the use of technology. Usually, centers that don’t allow cell phones will keep your loved ones updated on your behalf.
Flexible technology-use programs let their clients maintain contact with the outside world, but still maintain some boundaries. For instance, you might need to give up your devices for the first few days of treatment. Or you might only have access to your phone during certain hours, or on certain days of the week.
Technology-friendly treatment allows nearly unrestricted cell phone and laptop use. Typically, you only have to abstain from using your cell phone in clinical settings. For example, you wouldn’t be allowed to take a call during a therapy session.
For some clients, attending rehab without cell phone access isn’t a realistic option. You might have work or family commitments you just can’t step away from. But that doesn’t have to be a barrier to treatment. Many centers address this need with flexible policies.
The Pros of Having a Cell Phone During Rehab
Drug and alcohol addiction treatment is a worthwhile but often challenging process. And data shows that social support is important during recovery.1 If you rely on loved ones for emotional support, staying in touch via phone can make it easier to heal.
You might also need to stay in contact with clients or colleagues. For many high-level executives, rehab is only possible in a center that allows cell phones. Some rehabs, like Capo Canyon, cater to these clients. Private rooms at this center even include a workstation, so you don’t have to take time off work for rehab.
What’s more, having a sense of purpose reduces your risk of future drug use.2 If you find your career fulfilling, technology can have a positive impact on treatment. But if work is mainly a source of stress, you might consider a rehab with a stricter tech policy.
Capo Canyon in California accommodates clients who need to work during treatment.
The Cons of Having a Cell Phone During Rehab
While some clients benefit from having a cell phone during rehab, it can also interfere with treatment. Staying in touch with the outside world doesn’t always help you recover.
For one thing, addiction can damage relationships. By the time you enter treatment, you and your loved ones might need a break from each other. And many people in addiction treatment have close relationships built around substance use.3 If that’s your experience, you might need to end certain friendships in order to prioritize recovery.
Rehab also gives you time to reflect on the idea of community. You can spend early recovery defining what you need your relationships to look like. That process is much more difficult if you’re talking to friends and loved ones regularly. A rehab that limits cell phone use can give you the time and space you need to heal.
Even if your loved ones are a source of support, communicating with them every day can be distracting. Rehab is hard work, and it requires your full focus. It’s hard to stay present while you’re scrolling through social media or checking your email. Taking a step back from technology might help you commit to treatment.
Transcend Recovery Community in New York allows clients “to use both their cell phone and computer unless their previous treatment center’s exit plan recommends that they don’t.”
Kembali Recovery Center in Bali, on the other hand, has some boundaries around technology use. Clients can use their phones from Friday evening until Sunday evening each week. However, they make exceptions to this rule on a case-by-case basis, letting some clients use their phones on weekdays.
While rehabs vary in their views on device use, the goal is for technology to enhance treatment, as long as it doesn’t detract from your recovery.
Kembali Recovery Center in Bali allows clients to use their phones on weekends, but makes exceptions on a case-by-case basis.
Find a Rehab Center That Allows Cell Phones
Luxury treatment centers around the world offer a broad spectrum of tech usage policies. Whether you want to work from rehab, leave your phone at home, or anything in between, you can find a program that meets your needs.
See available treatment options at rehabs that allow cell phones and contact centers directly to learn more about their policies.
During inpatient rehab, clients step away from the hustle and bustle of their daily lives. This can give you much-needed space from issues like complex relationships, work stress, and social pressure. Some facilities enforce this by limiting your access to the outside world. In many programs, clients are not allowed to use their phones or computers during the course of addiction treatment. However, that’s not universally true.
Everyone’s experience of recovery is unique. For some people, stepping away from friends and family is a vital component of healing. In other cases, that level of isolation can be a barrier to treatment. Many high-powered executives, for example, simply can’t take that much time away from their responsibilities.
Fortunately, there are a wide variety of treatment approaches to choose from. You can find a program that prohibits device use entirely, limits it, or allows you to stay connected throughout your stay. However you decide to engage with—or disengage from—technology during rehab, it’s important to understand the pros and cons of each option.
The Psychological Impact of Cell Phone and Computer Use
Whether or not you have a mental health condition, such as a substance use disorder, technology may have an impact on your emotional state. A significant body of research has linked screen use to the brain’s release of dopamine,1 a neurochemical that plays a role in motivation, pleasure, and rewards. This may be of particular interest to current and former substance users, especially those who have used cocaine, who often experience dopamine imbalances.2
Potential Pros of Tech Use
In certain situations, technology—and especially social media—may help people feel connected. When used in an intentional way, this collection of tools may help alleviate loneliness. “Research reveals social media is most effective in tackling loneliness3 when it is used to enhance existing relationships, or forge new meaningful connections.” However, it can be difficult to set clear boundaries around your phone use. And when overused, technology can have a negative impact on mental health.
However, this is a relatively new field of study. Smartphones have only been on the market since 2007. Technology is changing quickly, as is its importance in the larger culture. It may be a long time before experts understand the long-term psychological effects of modern-day connectivity.
As we continue to learn about the impact of cell phones and computers, it’s best to proceed with caution. This is extremely important for people in recovery, and especially those in medical detox, whose brain chemistry may be rapidly changing. When you’re deciding between rehab programs, you can always talk to your admissions team to determine the best option for you.
Reasons to Limit Technology Use During Rehab
Many rehab centers completely prohibit clients’ use of personal devices, including cell phones and computers. Others restrict access to technology, setting clear boundaries to limit clients’ screen time. There are a number of benefits to this approach.
Minimizing Distractions
Using technology can direct your energy away from the healing process. Whether you’re reading the news, scrolling social media, or talking to loved ones, you’re still receiving uncurated information about the outside world. Your innate response to these narratives is an expenditure of your emotional energy, which may be limited in the first stages of recovery.
“One goal of rehab is to take a person out of their normal environment. These days, we have so many distractions at our fingertips: our cell phones, laptop, computers, television.”
For some clients, these distractions make recovery much more difficult. You might be exposed to triggers, confronted with peer pressure, or just overstimulated.
Soberman’s Estate in Cave Creek, Arizona, is located in the breathtaking Sonoran Desert, free from technological distractions.
Rehab is hard work, even when all of your energy is focused on healing. For many clients, it’s better to eliminate these types of distractions, and instead stick to a clearly defined recovery program.
Having access to technology may not only prove distracting during sessions, especially if you have your phone with you; it may also interfere with your limited free time. Your carefully scheduled breaks are intended to help you process the hard work of therapy. Clients often find that time spent thinking about therapy sessions on their own terms can result in important breakthroughs. If you use that time to talk to distant friends, or to provide emotional support to other people in your life, you’re likely to miss out on many of the benefits of your program.
Reexamining Relationships
Substance misuse can have a serious impact on interpersonal relationships.7 For that reason, some clients may benefit from taking space from their families, friends, and colleagues, during rehab. This can give you time to process your recent interactions with loved ones, reevaluating your role in your personal community. If your goal is to heal those relationships, this can also give your loved ones time to step back and process their own emotions.
Many clients also have substance-based relationships. These might include dynamics with people who have enabled or even encouraged you to use substances, or people who have untreated substance use disorders themselves. When you decide to begin healing, it can be very difficult to engage in healthy interactions with these people. By stepping away, you can take time to objectively consider whether it’s healthy for you to continue being in touch with them.
Taking a break from your immediate community can also give you time to reconsider any role you may have played in toxic dynamics. During rehab, you can discuss your past behavior in therapy, and practice building healthier relationships with your cohort. Because these are likely to be new relationships, you’ll be under far less pressure. Accidentally offending a person you’ve known for a month will have a smaller impact on your life than getting into a fight with a sibling, for example.
Spark to Recovery in Los Angeles, California includes dialectical behavior therapy as part of their treatment program.
Some therapies, like dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), have a particular focus on healing interpersonal dynamics. If this is a high priority for you, you can talk to the admissions teams at a few facilities in order to find the right program. Remember, though, that healing your relationships may or may not mean staying in communication with loved ones while you’re at rehab.
Reasons to Use Technology During Rehab
Certain facilities allow or even encourage clients to use their cell phones and computers during rehab. This varies from one program to another, and it can also vary among clients. If you attend a rehab that offers personalized treatment, you can likely work with your team of providers to decide how much screen time is healthy for you.
Dr. Gazda says, “People are complicated individuals. We really want to tailor our program to each individual patient and we live by that…Some of our patients can use their cell phones or have free time at points because they need it.” In these cases, technology use is also intended to achieve a particular goal, or to serve the needs of specific demographics.
Executive Treatment
Many luxury rehabs offer executive treatment programs, which cater to the unique needs of high-achieving professionals. People in these roles may find it difficult to take time off to attend rehab. When faced with the choice between keeping work commitments and going to rehab, many people choose to delay recovery.
However, at some of these facilities, you don’t have to choose. At Gallus Detox Centers, for example, professionals may stay connected to work throughout treatment. Your providers will “allow patients full access to their electronics. So if you’re the CEO of a company, you can set up your office for however long you’re with us,” says Douglass Weiss, President and Chief Customer Officer.
Upscale detox center Gallus Detox allows clients to stay connected to work throughout treatment.
There are many ways to approach treatment. Many luxury rehabs strive to be as accessible as possible to their clients, including those with pressing responsibilities. If the use of electronics is what makes rehab an option for you, you can certainly find a program that supports your needs.
Cultivating a Support Network
Experts agree that social support is a very important part of recovery.8 “To reach or maintain abstinence, it is crucial to maintain positive relationships,” one study claims. By staying connected to their long-term community during treatment, some clients may be able to strengthen relationships and prepare for life after rehab.
With that in mind, some rehabs allow every client to use personal electronics. The team of providers at Monarch Shores, for example, firmly believes that having the ability to stay in close contact with loved ones is a valuable way to “help you make it through the recovery process, and eventually have an easier time reconnecting with society.”
Overlooking the beautiful Pacific Ocean, Monarch Shores serves executives and allows clients to use electronics during treatment.
Programs like this one may be a good fit for those who are interested in healing family dynamics. Certain programs have a special focus on this goal, and even provide in-person family therapy.
Family Therapy in Rehab
While many clients benefit from attending family therapy during rehab, this is certainly not true for everyone. You might not decide whether this modality is right for you until after you begin an inpatient program.
If you and your family do decide to go to therapy together, there are a number of options available. Various programs offer family visits, regular phone calls, and in-person and remote sessions. Bear in mind that, no matter which therapies feel right for you, your family members’ needs must also be taken into consideration.
Technology as a Tool for Recovery
It can be difficult to accept that, in order to live a healthy life, you may have let go of certain relationships. This can include relationships that are very important to you. But your health has to come first.
In order to assess which relationships are most supportive, which need time to heal, and which are no longer serving you, it can be extremely helpful to take space from everyone in your life. And for some clients, physical space with remote contact is sufficient. Others may need to set stricter boundaries, temporarily ceasing all communication with loved ones outside the program.
Ideally, your time in rehab will help you learn how to build and maintain positive relationships. That’s true for everyone, whether or not you use electronics during your time there. However, the primary purpose of treatment is for you to begin recovery. As you begin to define what a healthy lifestyle means for yourself, you’ll develop the tools to build a community that supports your growth.
Frequently Asked Questions About Technology Rules In Rehab
Can you use technology during rehab?
Whether or not you can use technology during rehab depends on the center and treatment program. Some rehabs allow limited technology use for clients to stay connected to work or loved ones. Executive programs may allow internet access, for example. Other rehabs may restrict tech use to create a focused and immersive environment.
What are the benefits of limiting technology use during rehab?
Limiting technology use during rehab has several benefits:
• It promotes a focused, distraction-free environment. • Individuals may fully engage in therapy and reflection. • It encourages social interaction within the rehab community. • It reduces potential triggers associated with excessive technology use.
What are the benefits of using technology during rehab?
Using technology during rehab has several benefits. Professionals may need to keep up with work during treatment. Executive programs often have flexible technology policies to cater to their client’s unique needs. Flexible technology policies also let clients connect with loved ones back home and may facilitate remote family therapy.
Executives face unique stressors. With so many people depending on you, including employees, loved ones, and colleagues, it can be hard to recognize the signs of abuse. You may be so focused on your lengthy to-do list that you simply don’t have time to consider your own well-being. And even if you do recognize that you have a problem, it can be even harder to get help. Many executives feel like they don’t have the time or freedom to step away from work in order to begin recovery.
As difficult as this process may appear, there are options available. Some rehab centers offer treatment plans tailored to meet the unique needs of high achievers, without isolating you from your responsibilities.
Understanding Addiction Among Executives
According to popular perception, high achievers have it easy. That just isn’t true. In order to maintain your lifestyle, you may face extreme pressures coming from many different directions, including the workplace, home, and social situations. In these circles, it’s often important to maintain appearances. Because of this, many executives have no way of knowing how common it is for people like them to struggle with substance use and mental health. Everyone’s experience is unique, but a few concerns in particular are extremely common among this demographic.
Anxiety
With great power comes great responsibility, and with great responsibility comes a great risk of anxiety. If you’ve ever lost sleep over a board meeting, had to stop and catch your breath on your way to a gala, or spent hours replaying a sound bite from your last business lunch, this might be something to consider. According to experts, “Studies indicate that approx. 10–40% of alcoholics have a panic-related anxiety disorder,2 and about 10–20% of anxiety disorder patients abuse alcohol or other drugs.”
Perfectionism
When an entire team of people relies on you, you may feel that you need to be the best of the best. As Louise Stanger, LCSW, writes “People in powerful positions are associated with strength, confidence, and a rock solid moral compass. Unfortunately, our society still views addiction as a weakness or moral failure, which sharply contradicts the key qualities of successful individuals. Add in public visibility and it can be difficult for an influential CEO or celebrity to seek help3 in an honest and open way.”
When you feel like you can’t ask for help, it’s natural to develop coping mechanisms that replace community support. You may even feel like substance abuse is what’s helping you to succeed. In reality, though, addiction is far more likely to hold you back. Research suggests that there may be a connection between perfectionism and substance misuse.4
However, there’s a way to make perfectionism work for you. Positive perfectionism is the attitude of striving to achieve high goals “while maintaining the ability to be satisfied with one’s performance.” Striking this balance may help you recover from substance misuse.
If you’re a high achiever, there are likely aspects of your life and your personality that you don’t want to lose, even temporarily. Going to rehab can help you reintegrate the aspects of life that you find fulfilling, while stepping away from that which doesn’t serve you.
Unique Amenities at Executive Rehab Facilities
When selecting a rehab, high achievers have a very specific set of needs. There are a number of luxury rehab programs that are tailored to meet those needs, helping you heal in a way that won’t undermine your lifestyle.
Discretion
Mercui Recovery offers life and business coaching as part of their personalized treatment program at their centers in Malibu, Aspen, and Costa Palma, Mexico.
Mercui Recovery, a facility with locations in Malibu, Aspen, and Costa Palma, Mexico, is one of these. The program offers each guest treatment from several different schools of thought. You may do yoga and meditate, or participate in specialized therapies such as DBT or CBT. Most notably, Mercui Recovery also offers life and business coaching. Clients are not expected to simply step away from their entire life in order to focus on recovery. Instead, clinicians take a holistic approach, helping you heal every aspect of your life. This highly personalized program ensures that your specific concerns will be addressed during treatment.
Bespoke Treatment
White River Manor in Mpumalanga, South Africa has an on-site business center that makes it easy for executive clients to work remotely during their stay.
Personalized addiction treatment means more than just connecting with the right therapist. Jan Gerber, CEO of Paracelsus Recovery, explains that “every person is very different, and this one-size-fits-all approach to treatment, mental health, and addiction rarely works well. Everybody has a different background: culturally, in terms of their family values, political views, hobbies, what gives meaning to their lives, and their lack of purpose in their lives. We can only help somebody recover from all these factors that have fueled an addiction if you individually attend to all these underlying reasons. And you can only do that when you individually tailor a treatment so that every client gets exactly what they need.”
Paracelsus is just one of many rehab facilities that work with each guest to create a unique treatment program. If you participate in this type of treatment, you’ll be able to choose from a wide variety of options, from art therapy to rock climbing. White River Manor, in South Africa, even takes guests on safari.
Contrary to popular belief, rehab doesn’t need to be an isolating experience. Guests can continue to have adventures, learn about themselves in new contexts, and connect with the wider world.
Stay Connected During Recovery
Orenda at Futures in Tequesta, Florida connects clients with sober companions to support their return to work after rehab.
Rehab is a protected environment. In some programs, this means that guests have no phone or internet access, in order to focus on themselves instead of the people in their lives. However, this isn’t universally true. It can be especially important for executives to stay connected during their time in rehab. This makes rehab much more accessible to people who can’t take time off work.
Giles Fourie, Director and Co-Owner of White River Manor, says “A lot of business executives, business owners and professionals come through our program. And that’s because we offer our clients the ability to be able to use their phones, to work from the luxury of their rooms or the business center, and keep whatever they need to keep going at their office still running.” The healthcare providers at these facilities have a deep understanding of the stressors that may contribute to your emotional experience. As a result, they’re well-positioned to help you navigate the first stages of recovery.
If you continue to work while you’re in rehab, you may be preparing to return to the office as soon as you complete residential treatment. In that case, you may need to plan for social support in addition to therapeutic care. Some rehabs programs, like Orenda at Futures offer you access to a sober companion who can accompany you to business meetings and social engagements. Having someone there to support you in person can help ease the transition back into daily life after rehab. This external reminder of your new goals and healthy habits can remind you to strike a more sustainable balance, even as life returns to a faster pace.
Making Recovery Work for You
High-powered professionals often prioritize work over their own health. As laudable as this is, it can be unsustainable. Remember: you are the only person who can define what success means to you. It’s possible to achieve your goals while still living a healthy life.
Rehab facilities that work with executives understand this delicate balance. These programs won’t ask you to walk away from your responsibilities entirely. Instead, they’ll teach you how to maintain a positive relationship with your personal definition of accomplishment. Recovery is not just a way to set down unhealthy patterns. It’s also a way to find balance in your busy life.
Frequently Asked Questions About Rehab for Executives
What should I expect from a rehab program for executives?
Executive rehab programs offer personalized treatment plans that take your unique needs and work responsibilities into account. They may have flexible technology use policies and offer greater privacy, such as private accommodation and one-on-one therapy if group therapy isn’t an option for you.
How can I maintain my privacy while attending rehab as a CEO?
CEOs can maintain their privacy during rehab by enrolling in an executive program. These tend to prioritize confidentiality, with bespoke treatment plans and luxurious, single accommodation. Some don’t require group therapy for utmost privacy.
How do I manage my work responsibilities during rehab?
Many executive rehab programs let you stay connected to work during treatment. They may have more flexible technology policies, a business center, and even a sober companion who accompanies you to business meetings and social engagements.
When you think of rehab for drug or alcohol addiction, “luxury” might not be the first word that comes to your mind. But there are many paths to healing from addictions and other behavioral or mental health conditions. And for some, a comfortable or even upscale setting can provide the ideal conditions for getting the most out of treatment.
You may already be thinking of seeking treatment at a luxury rehab center. Or perhaps you’re wondering if you can really get the help you need from a luxury rehab that looks, from the outside, like a vacation getaway.
When it comes to getting life-changing (or even life-saving) treatment, it’s important to follow your instincts. If you’re feeling drawn to a particular type of treatment, getting as much unbiased information as possible is essential to making an educated, confident decision about your care.
What Makes a Rehab Center “Luxury?”
The fact of the matter is, any rehab center can call itself “luxury” because there aren’t any internationally standardized requirements for this claim. When a drug or alcohol treatment center identifies as luxury, though, this usually means that it’s an upscale, residential treatment facility.
So, the first step to finding the right luxury rehab center for you is to define what you’re thinking of when you think of luxury. Are you looking for elegant facilities and extra amenities? Or does luxury mean the best medical staff and a wide variety of therapies?
In general, luxury rehabs do include at least some combination of these:
Desirable Location
Oftentimes the setting is remote yet sophisticated, similar to an exotic vacation destination. Luxury rehab centers are available all around the world. Depending on the location, getting there may involve domestic or international travel.
Special High-End Amenities
Facilities might boast swimming pools, hot tubs, saunas, exercise facilities, hyperbaric oxygen chambers, a library or business center, and more. These amenities would most likely be of the same standard, or quite similar to, what you would experience while staying at a 4- or 5-star hotel.
Complementary Therapies
Though many treatment programs today offer complementary therapies, luxury centers might provide even more specialized options like equine therapy, adventure therapy, spa treatments, acupuncture, massage therapy, and more.
On-Site Detox Services
Detox, when required, is often done at a hospital or a specialized detox center before admission to a residential rehab center. Luxury rehabs may have designated detox facilities on their premises with the medical staff and equipment necessary to safely oversee the process.
This discrepancy in the definition of “luxury,” and how it can mean different things at different facilities, is why LuxuryRehabs.com has benchmarks for listing centers on our site. Our searchable collection of rehabs only includes those that, regardless of cost, meet our luxury treatment provider criteria:
Treatment at a luxury rehab center might be a good fit for certain clientele, more so than budget or retreat-style centers. For example, if someone’s used to certain living standards, has specific medical needs, or is looking for exclusive qualities in a treatment program, then luxury rehab might better facilitate the recovery process for such clients.
Some patients seek treatment at a luxury addiction or mental health rehab for other reasons:
Discomfort Could Distract From Treatment
Sometimes a drastic change in environment has the opposite effect of providing a healing space for recovery. If the setting causes discomfort, whether minute or extreme, physical or mental, some people might not be as receptive to implementing the changes necessary for lasting recovery. According to Giles Fourie, Director and Co-Owner at White River Manor,
“The more structure and the more barriers you put in place, sometimes, the more closed off people become. So offering people a place of comfort, a place where there is a great service, I think gives them the better opportunity to immediately open up and engage.”
Personal bedrooms are decorated for privacy and comfort at White River Manor in South Africa.
Residential Rehab Is Intensive
The industry standard for treatment at a residential treatment center is about 30 days. And during that time, you’ll face a lot of draining emotional challenges. While beneficial and necessary, these heightened emotional states tend to take a physical and emotional toll. According to Dr. Frederick Goggans, McLean Hospital‘s Medical Director,
“(Luxury rehabs) create an environment where it’s comfortable to be a resident for the length of time that’s involved to do this kind of work. It’s an environment where you’re sleeping well, you’re paying attention to nutrition, making healthier choices, getting daily exercise and building all that into a lifestyle change.”
The comfortable setting and conveniences most luxury rehabs offer helps your body and mind relax and be more prepared for and open to intensive treatment. Resting in these comforts during downtime can actually speed your recovery between treatments and help you integrate what you learn in your sessions.
Clients Receive One-on-One Care
Most luxury rehab centers have a higher staff-to-client ratio, because their higher admittance fees afford them the additional costs of hiring more staff. And more people on staff means each client is more likely to receive higher levels of one-on-one care.
This individualized care may mean the difference between success or failure for some clients. As one study reports, humans “differ from each other at every discernible level. This implies that it would be a miracle if standardized treatment strategies would work for everyone at every stage1 and that patients with the same diagnosis would respond in the same way.”
With this in mind, it’s possible that extra attention and time spent on individual client’s treatment plans could promote better recovery progress.
Budget Treatment Options May Not Have Previously Worked
It’s not uncommon for people seeking treatment to already have experience with different substance or alcohol use disorder programs and facilities. Many people try a variety of therapies or different styles of centers on their journey to find healing.
For some, luxury rehab might offer the pieces that were missing from getting successful treatment results at budget addiction rehab centers. Features like serene, remote environments and guided recreational activities, may help your treatment have better, longer-lasting impacts.
Restrictive Centers Don’t Accommodate Different Lifestyle Needs
Whether you’re a business owner, a celebrity, or a caregiver, sometimes there are obligations and responsibilities that make putting your life on pause for the duration of inpatient treatment impractical.
“One of the main things that deters people from coming to treatment is that they have full-time jobs or children. So it’s difficult to step away and seek treatment,” says Douglass Weiss, President and Chief Customer Officer at Gallus Detox Centers. Which is exactly why some luxury rehabs allow for computer use, cell phone use and even full family stays.
Now that we’ve explored some of the reasons why people seek luxury addiction treatment, let’s examine some benefits that luxury rehab can provide.
Potential Benefits of Attending Rehab at a Luxury Center
No matter what kind of program you attend, you’ll likely get some positive benefits from receiving treatment. Luxury rehabs simply offer additional, or different kinds of, benefits that may help you take that next step to finding lasting recovery.
1. Comfortable Treatment Experience
Many times people suffering from addiction or mental illnesses are in a constant state of stress. Their bodies are flooded with the stress hormone cortisol, and because of this, their fight-flight-or-freeze mode is constantly triggered. One of the most important aspects of rehab is that it provides a safe space for your body to relax and begin to heal.
Ameet Braich, Clinical Director of Camino Recovery, explains:
“Suffering, in any form, really doesn’t have a place in treatment. If somebody needs to get well, they can do it in nice, comfortable surroundings. It only aids the healing process. Being in a peaceful environment where you really get time to reflect and look inward lends itself to a therapeutic process.”
Comfortable surroundings can go a long way in creating a safe space, which helps reduce the body’s stress levels and may increase the therapeutic value of your time in treatment. When you’re in a relaxed, positive physical and mental state, your brain is more likely to retain new information2 and form healthier habits.
The tranquil grounds of Camino Recovery in Vélez-Málaga, Spain
2. Nutritious, Gourmet Meals
Nutrition is a fundamental part of healing from addiction. Many people in recovery have vitamin deficiencies3 due to the depletion caused by prolonged substance use. Nutrient-dense meals provide your body with physical energy and strength to support you during treatment.
Rowland Tweedie, Health and Fitness Manager at Paracelsus Recovery explains the importance of healthy eating in recovery:
“Nutrition is vitally important for all of us, because every time we eat food, it’s information for the body. Having the right type of nutrition helps us to have vitality and energy, and helps with all the systems in the body.”
There are several studies proving that healthy, individualized changes in nutrition can reduce the symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress.4 Not only that, but some scientists even believe that the gut microbiome is an “important and modifiable mediator of substance-seeking behavior.”
In other words, gut-focused nutrition therapy can reduce some people’s risk of relapse. As Tweedie says, “If we eat the right types of food, we feel and think differently. Nutrition is the foundation of health, really.”
3. Maximum Privacy
Addiction affects people from all walks of life—from celebrities and CEOs to teachers and full-time employees. Clients may not want their personal or professional associates to know they’re receiving treatment. So when a high-profile person, a busy executive, or a wealthy family member needs treatment, privacy concerns may be what prevents them from getting the help they need.
In addition to already being located in remote settings, many luxury rehab centers address these concerns by offering the utmost security and discretion for their guests. Gallus Detox Centers’ Marketing and Outreach Director Laura Herrmann says,
“We’re very discreet. We try to keep ourselves as professional as possible so that when people are coming in, it’s not recognizable as a medical detox.”
Some facilities also offer ultra-exclusive programs for those who can’t mingle with other clients for privacy reasons. Examples include having private accommodations where staff come to you to do sessions, or even attending a completely individualized program where the entire staff serves one client at a time.
4. Wider Variety
At most luxury rehabs, not only are you more likely to receive one-on-one attention, but you’re also more likely to have a wider variety of therapies, counselors, food, and activities to choose from. Although higher costs don’t always equal better quality of care, clients seeking the highest quality of treatment available might be more likely to find what they’re looking for at a luxury rehab.
And, again, if you’ve already tried many different types of treatments or programs, having a wider range of options may make all the difference for you. For example, some studies on addiction have reported that music therapy can reduce substance cravings,5 as it increases your perceived control. So if you’re looking for more personalized treatment options, a luxury rehab might offer more choices.
Sound baths are one of the many complementary therapies offered at Oro House Recovery in Malibu, California.
5. Flexibility With Technology Privileges
You don’t have to necessarily put the rest of your life on hold to get treatment. Maybe you need to stay connected to the “outside world” for work purposes, to maintain your image, or for family emergencies.
“Often in treatment, you have to switch off your phone, or even sometimes give up your phone. You can’t open your laptop whilst you’re in treatment, and that’s why people who can’t do that simply wouldn’t go to treatment.”
If absolutely necessary, many luxury rehabs can “do justice to your reality,” as Gerber puts it, and accommodate your need to have internet access and use of your cell phone or laptop. Some even offer executive rehab programs specifically for clients who need more flexibility to be able to work during treatment.
Of course, it’s important to keep in mind that you might still be able to get some of these benefits at other “levels” or types of addiction rehabs. If you’re still wondering whether luxury rehab is right for you, there’s some evidence that further supports the effectiveness of luxury rehab.
Effectiveness of Treatment at a Luxury Rehab Center
Some people might question the effectiveness of getting treatment for a serious problem at an upscale facility, surrounded by a tranquil environment and high-end amenities. That’s understandable, considering these settings can look a lot like vacation destinations. So, what proof is there that receiving treatment for substance use disorders or mental health conditions in a luxury environment is more effective?
Choosing Your Own Treatment Is an Important Factor
To begin with, some studies show that “clients who were involved in shared decision making, were able to choose a treatment modality, or received their preferred treatment had greater treatment satisfaction, higher retention and completion rates, and better outcomes.” In other words, having a role in choosing where you get treatment can actually increase your chances of success.6
Obviously, this idea is applicable to choosing any type of treatment, whether luxury or not. But, if you’re used to a certain kind of lifestyle and specific types of treatment centers are more desirable to you, there’s a chance you may have better success with recovery in those programs you’re attracted to.
Reducing Stress Helps Your Brain Retain New Information
Even if your initial thinking isn’t to seek treatment at a luxury facility, some experts say that a comfortable setting helps you get the most from treatment. Giles Fourie notes,
“What we’ve experienced having been in the addiction field for over a decade is that a lot of programs are punitive and restrictive. What people do ultimately is conform to the program rather than transform. And we believe that this setting, where we’re offering our clients the comforts they would have at home, really opens them up and ultimately enhances their recovery process and their restoration.”
One reason a comfortable environment, or even a “luxurious” setting, may enhance recovery is because of how it helps our bodies relax, which in turn reduces cortisol levels and improves brain function. Scientific studies have proven that “stress is a potent modulator of brain structure, brain function, and cognition.” So, whether a person experiences short-term, acute stress or long-term, chronic stress, depending on the person,” experiencing excessive stress can be highly detrimental to memory function.”7
If you’re in a stressful environment, there’s a possibility that your memory function will be negatively impaired. This in turn could negatively impact how much of your treatment you retain and are able to access in the future during situations when you need it the most. Again, what’s stressful differs from person to person, so it’s important to know what kind of surroundings will most likely work best for you.
Finding the Best Treatment for You
Ultimately, treatment for addiction and mental health disorders is a highly personal decision. What works for someone else may or may not work for you. That’s why it’s so important to consider all aspects of a treatment program before committing the time, money, and energy required to get help at a residential rehab.
No matter what kind of treatment or facility you’re looking for, remember: despite what a center might claim to be, it’s important to do your own research and make sure the “luxury” you’re signing up for is the type of luxury you’re expecting.
If luxury rehab sounds like an avenue you’d like to explore, you can find treatment centers in nearly every corner of the world. You can also find luxury rehabs within a wide range of costs—many of which take insurance—making this a surprisingly realistic treatment option.
Frequently Asked Questions About Luxury Rehab
What is luxury rehab?
Luxury rehab refers to a treatment program that provides high-end amenities and accommodations in addition to evidence-based therapies for addiction and mental health conditions.
What are the benefits of luxury rehab?
Upscale residential rehabs often provide a comfortable and supportive environment, access to world-class amenities and facilities, individualized treatment plans, and a focus on holistic healing for the mind, body, and spirit.
Who can benefit from luxury rehab?
Anyone struggling with addiction or mental health issues can benefit from luxury rehab, but it may be especially helpful for those who want a more comfortable and private recovery experience, or those who have tried traditional rehab without success.
