By a certain point in one's life, most of us know at least one person who needs to break an addiction. We hear about it most when it happens to a celebrity, such as Grammy-winning singer Whitney Houston, who entered a rehab facility in California this week, but it is a growing concern in the lives of everyday people as well.
Fortunately, whether it's to alcohol, drugs, sex or gambling there are recovery centers out there that can help. As society's awareness and acceptance of addiction increases, so have the range of treatment programs. While some people — and their insurance companies — may opt for a more self-abnegating path to sobriety, others might choose to fight their demons with the help of gourmet meals and daily massages.
That's because today, more and more treatment facilities resemble upscale resorts, complete with beach-side settings, fitness centers, tennis courts, fine dining (sans wine list, of course) and a list of fitness activities which could rival a luxury spa. At some centers, such as the newly-opened Sanctuary in Australia, patients are also provided with personal chefs, physical trainers, and daily yoga and Pilates classes, along with Shiatsu and acupuncture treatments.
Detoxing in style doesn't come cheap. Many of these programs can cost from $14,000 to as much $40,000 a month, and most health insurance companies will only contribute a few hundred dollars, if anything, to defray the costs. No wonder most of the centers are filled with celebrities, Hollywood producers and trustfunders.
Chris Prentiss, a former real estate developer who founded Passages in Malibu, Calif. in 2001, says his $15 million dollar center's beautiful, beachside setting is part of the recovery process, and eliminates some of the shame involved with rehab. "We treat our patients with the utmost respect, and as soon as they walk through our mahogany double doors into our beautiful marble atrium, they feel the healing energy and beauty of Passages," he says.
Prentiss, who has no formal training, became involved in rehabilitation when his son, Pax, who is now a co-director at Passages, was battling heroin addiction. Prentiss feels the more spartan approach, used at older places such as The Betty Ford Clinic and the Hazelden Institute in Minnesota, is demeaning to patients. "Why should we punish someone for being an alcoholic by turning them into a cleaning person?" he asks, referring to some centers that make their patients clean bathrooms and wash dishes as part of their therapy. "You wouldn't do that to someone who checks into a hospital for diabetes." According to Prentiss, Passages boasts a 91 percent success rate, and does not employ the 12-step program favored by the vast majority of centers. Instead, the program relies on one-to-one therapy sessions, and all patients undergo an electroencephalogram, or brain wave analysis
"But nobody ever asks us about our treatment program," he complains. "They only focus on the poshness."
Yet all of the upscale centers unabashedly use their poshness as a key selling point, displaying images of tanned patients playing volleyball and sailing, or showcasing polished hardwood floors and ocean vistas in their brochures. This is in sharp contrast to some lower-priced centers, which are known to use methods such as toilet cleaning and floor scrubbing as part of their treatments.
"The serenity of our environment is very soothing and conducive to healing," says Dr. Debra Bubar, executive director of Harmony Place, also in Malibu. "Since most of our clients are very wealthy, we have tried to mimic the environment of their homes, to make them feel comfortable."
Today many of the most expensive rehab centers are in California, no doubt the result of the passage in 2001 of a state law that allows first- and second-time nonviolent drug offenders to receive substance-abuse treatment instead of jail time. Local residents have become increasingly more vocal in their opposition. According to the Los Angeles Times, in the last three years 12 new rehab facilities have opened in Malibu, a community of only 13,000 residents. That translates to one licensed residential program for every 810 residents; Los Angeles County has one for every 58,100 people. Perhaps Peter Gallagher's portrayal of a Hollywood shark in the Robert Altman film "The Player" summed it up best: His character attended Alcoholics Anonymous meetings not because he had a drinking problem, but because "that's where all the deals are being made these days."
While there's no proof that rehab centers with 300 thread-count sheets and a personal chef is more effective than checking into a barebones facility, there is no evidence that it is not. Many of the luxury facilities employ much the same therapies and counseling services, 12-step programs, physical therapies, detox programs, psychological treatments and follow-on care from highly-trained staff as the more spartan centers do.
Nevertheless, it would be unfair to simply focus on the superficial attributes of these programs. For the patient, there is still a lack of freedom. Time is still regimented, rules are still strictly enforced and patients are still made to attend meetings and therapies. Unlike a true luxury resort, few people want to stay on once their time there is complete. If the recovery has been successful, the patient will want to get on with his life. The goal, after all, of these facilities, is the same as any other: to help the individual break the cycle of dependency that has brought him there in the first place. If that can be done with horseback riding, beach volleyball and gourmet food, then it may be an even more positive and productive experience.