There are many mistakes and pitfalls to be avoided when selecting a rehab for yourself or your loved ones. The first issue that comes up when people are selecting a rehab is that they do not take the time to examine the full breadth of the options available to them. People are over eager to get into a program – any program – that they do not do their due diligence and enter the first one available.

It is incumbent upon the addict seeking treatment or a close family member to seek out all the information possible so as to make the best decision possible. There is a variety of criteria that you want to have in mind when selecting a rehab for yourself or a loved one. There are also a number of misconceptions about what is desirable in a rehab that need to be understood.

One of the first criteria that people evaluate a rehab on is the price. Based on the price people will go on to extrapolate a great many things that do not necessarily correspond to the quality of the treatment. However, this is only a shallow way to look at a rehab program. Quality and prices between rehabs can vary widely and the extra cost of a rehab can be due to location or not-really-necessary amenities that tick the right boxes on a brochure. This creates a superficially appealing program that isn’t necessarily superior to a cheaper one. By that same token, a cheaper program isn’t better or more “back to the basics” than a more expensive one. Using cost as a shortcut when making these evaluations is generally not helpful, although it is an important consideration insofar as your budget is concerned. Not everyone can afford a rehab center for executives.

In addition to not placing too much of an emphasis on price one should also not be too responsive to advertising or brands. By definition advertisements are not balanced. Instead, consider the facility and the treatment offered between facilities and the kind of treatment you or your loved one require. Compare specifications between facilities dispassionately without relying on advertisements as a source of information.

Location is probably the main criteria that people tend to evaluate incorrectly. Conventional wisdom tells us that selecting a near-by facility  is the best choice. After all, it is more convenient and cheaper than flying to a remote facility in another city. However, this is bad advice when it comes to selecting an in-patient rehab facility. Those recovering from substance abuse will need to be separated from the environment and triggers that pertained to their drug abuse. Another item in favor, when one is at a remote facility one cannot simply walk out the door impulsively when things get tough. Because this requires a greater commitment, it will encourage the individual to stick with the program until the end.

Above all, programs should not be looked at in a vacuum but matched against the needs of the recovering addict. All the amenities and program features in the world will not do the recovering individual any good if they do not address their particular needs as they relate to recovering from their substance abuse troubles.  When looking at programs it is important to recognize those things which are relevant and those that aren’t.