What Are Drug Rehab Hotlines?
A drug rehab hotline is a telephone number – usually accessible 24 hours a day – that people struggling with drug addiction can call. The hotlines aren’t just for addicts – family members and loved ones of addicted people can call for advice and support as well. Some hotlines are staffed by medical professionals who specialize in addictions, others by therapists or counselors.
A drug rehab hotline is a bit different than a crisis hotline. Crisis hotlines are to be used in emergency situations, such as during extreme bouts of psychosis or spontaneous withdrawal when calling the hospital may not be ideal.
Drug rehab hotlines, instead, aim to provide information. They support the notion that information is the first step towards preventing a crisis, and offer knowledge and support to people who feel like they need it.
Why Would I Call a Drug Rehab Hotline?
You don’t need to be a drug addict to gain some benefit from calling a drug rehab hotline. You don’t even need to know someone in danger of drug addiction. Drug rehab hotlines are non-emergency lines, and can be called by people who just need information.
- You can call a drug rehab hotline to ask questions about someone you’re worried may be slipping into a drug addiction. They can provide information about the signs of dependency and withdrawal.
- It can be nice to actually be able to communicate with someone when asking questions of this nature. A lot of questions about drugs, alcohol, and addiction, can be very intense and specific. These questions can’t always be answered online.
- Drug rehab hotlines can help you create a schedule for yourself or someone with an addiction problem to taper off their substance of choice.
- Drug rehab hotlines can help you find a rehab close to you that suits your needs, and they can help you find the right contacts to finish an application.
A rehab hotline can be useful in situations that a crisis line aren’t because they can actually take the time to talk with you patiently. They can take time to understand your personal needs and answer specific questions, whereas a crisis line often tries to refer people in critical situations to emergency help.
What Should I Expect from a Drug Rehab Hotline?
Rehab hotlines should be staffed by folk who have immediate access to (or knowledge of) rehab clinics in your area. They are often licensed professionals who work in the healthcare industry and are qualified to give information about rehabilitation. The first person you’ll likely speak to will be a referral specialist, who can direct your call to someone who can cater more specifically to your needs.
- Drug rehab hotlines don’t require that you give your name or personal information, though they may ask for it. They provide information for the safety and usage of anyone who needs it.
- For them to give you the best possible information, you will want to tell them some information. That way, they’ll be able to give you relevant information and help you find clinics or rehab facilities and resources in your town, for people of your age group and gender.
- A drug rehab hotline will not provide counseling on the phone. They may answer some questions about addiction and drugs, but will not provide a full out counseling or telephone therapy session. Instead, they will refer you to local clinics or counseling centers where you can find treatment.
- They may be able to directly connect you with counseling facilities, or fill out applications via phone for you.
When to Call a Drug Rehab Hotline
To call a rehab hotline, you don’t need to be in a crisis situation. In fact, you don’t even need to have a drug problem.
- Rehab hotlines don’t discriminate. People of all ages and genders can call them for help.
- They will listen to your problems. A lot of people don’t seek help for their drug addictions because they feel they have nobody to talk to. A rehab hotline will have someone who will listen to your problems.
- While they won’t be able to give you a full therapy session, they can listen to your problems and find a therapy or counseling clinic suited to you or the person you’re concerned about.
You could be looking out for someone who seems to be slipping towards the edge. If you’re not sure whether or not someone’s in need of rehab counseling, there are some indicative signs that you should be wary of:
- Defensiveness. Have you tried speaking to this person about their drug use? If they get extremely defensive, they may be hiding something – and that something could be the extensiveness of their drug usage.
- Dishonesty. Dishonesty is a huge red flag in regards to drug addiction. This is one of the most obvious signs that casual drug use has developed beyond what is appropriate. If someone’s being dishonest, they might just be trying to protect you – but more likely, they’re trying to keep their problem a secret even to themselves.
- Missed appointments/deadlines. If someone’s missing school, work, family gatherings, or other important scheduled events, and they’ve been using drugs, there’s a good chance that drugs could be the reason.
- Frequent illness. The symptoms of drug withdrawal often manifest in a way that looks like common sickness. Symptoms like a runny nose, persistent cough, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, watery eyes occurring on a regular basis could be indicative of withdrawal.
Finding The Right Rehab Hotline
Finding the right rehab hotline isn’t the easiest thing in the world. If you look online, you’ll certainly find a ton of different hotlines – but you’ll want to find a local one. A local hotline will be able to more reliably provide information than a hotline based on the opposite end of the country that’s using Google Maps to pinpoint rehabs in your locale.
Word of mouth would be a great way to find hotlines if the social group of recovering addicts wasn’t so small. You can look in local support groups, or clinics that may be near your residence. They will likely have numbers to call that can link you up with other rehab facilities more suited to your needs.
- Recovery.org runs one of the larger rehab hotlines in the U.S.A. They can be reached at 1-888-988-0053.
- There’s a drug rehab hotline for Orange County, California that can be reached at 800-501-9330. They require you submit some information on your first call, and afterwards they will call you back.
