Holistic Drug Rehab Centre Defined
The best definition from the Merriam-Webster online dictionary is:
ho·lis·tic – adjective
:relating to or concerned with wholes or with complete systems rather than with the analysis of, treatment of, or dissection into parts
:holistic medicine attempts to treat both the mind and the body
We are talking about the “whole” not just a symptom or part. most holistic drug rehab centers will market that they are interested in the complete person and define holistic as treating the Mind, Body and Soul.
Sounds great right? What does it mean? Absolutely nothing! In todays day and age the word Holistic is used the same a boutique and hypoallergenic. Which again mean absolutely nothing.
Difference Between Holistic and Traditional Rehab Centre
So what is the difference between a traditional drug rehab centre and a holistic drug rehab center? Well the holistic one calls themselves holistic, thats about it.
All proper rehab centres could be called holistic and traditional at the same time. They all deal with “Mind, Body and Spirit” if you will. Almost all decent rehabs try to have healthy choices for meals and exercise programs (Body), all deal with the psychological aspects of addiction (Mind) and many deal with a higher power how you understand it or add meditation to the program. (Spirit).
So what is a holistic drug rehab centre? One that decided to call themselves holistic, thats about it. It’s a marketing term in this case. Lets look at some of the other marketing terms that are used in the industry by some centres.
Boutique
definition from the Merriam-Webster:
boutique – [boo-teek] – noun
: a small company that offers highly specialized services or products
For boutique we can basically consider it small. Could be good, sometimes smaller is better. Larger can also be better since it will probably mean more therapists and a better chance of finding one with the perfect fit for you. I would say counsellor or therapist to client ration would be much more important then the size of the actual facility. ie: a 12 bed facility with 3 counsellors would probably give you more personal attention then a 60 bed facility with 10 counsellors. ie: 4:1, over 6:1. The reverse also happens, 60 bed facility with 15 counsellors and a 12 bed facility with 2 counsellors. ie: 4:1 vs 6:1. Also in the small place if someone gets sick that has a much larger impact on the ratio.
It is just another marketing term, a powerful one at that, I have read research reports that claimed a much higher conversion rate on advertising if the word is employed correctly. The advertising companies over the years have managed to associate the word boutique with quality, doesn’t however mean that because a businesses uses the word they are offering better quality, it just means they are using the word.
Hypoallergenic, this doesn’t really apply to the holistic drug rehab centres or the industry but I have always liked it as an example of marketing. We see the word everywhere, on shampoo, soap, cosmetics you name it, it is there and it is associated with being non-allergic.
From Wiki:
The term lacks a medical definition, but it is in common usage and found in most standard English dictionaries. In some countries, there are allergy interest groups that provide manufacturers with a certification procedure including tests that ensure a product is unlikely to cause an allergic reaction, but such products are usually described and labeled using other but similar terms. So far, public authorities in no country provide an official certification that an item must undergo before being described as hypoallergenic.
So what does that mean? Absolutely nothing. It was first coined in 1953 by the cosmetics industry. It is mainly taken to mean low risk of causing an allergic reaction today, however there is no regulations for using it so when you see it on a label it means nothing.
So what does that have to do with a holistic drug rehab centers? Well not much, but I am trying to get a point across, words in the industry like, “holistic”, “the leading”, “the best”, “the most respected”, “the premiere”, etc. All of these terms are subjective and just something people decided to use and call themselves. There is no research behind any of the terms, it’s just marketing.
What does that mean when you are looking for a holistic drug rehab centre? It means look a little deeper into what the programme offers, who the people are that are treating you, what their qualifications are, etc. When your laying out a considerable amount of money to hopefully get better you need to look at the real qualifications of where you are going and who is going to be treating you.
You don’t go to a car lot and say “I want a blue car.” You go looking for a car that has a good engine, newer tires, perfect breaks, suits your purposes and is also blue. There is no difference in rehabs, regardless of them calling themselves holistic or not, you want to look under the hood, not just at the color of the centre.
Or to put it in other terms, you want to look at the whole programme offered not just the flowery marketing terms used.
Holistic Drug Rehab Centers
I think I would be correct in saying that if you went to a centre that only served meat and potatoes with gravy 3 meals a day and you stopped drinking for a month, you would probably be healthier at the end of the month then if you went to a holistic drug rehab centre that served all whole, healthy, raw food and you kept drinking a liter of scotch each day. I am not saying that holistic drug rehab centres will allow you to drink, I am just making a point.
*Note: I have used all the terms I have spoken about above in different advertising campaigns for different products. Advertising is an important part of marketing any product and there is nothing wrong with that. Products in any industry, including a holistic drug rehab centre or a bottle of shampoo need to distinguish themselves from the competition. You’re not going to buy a plain white bottle of shampoo that says on the label, “ordinary normal shampoo, nothing really special about it but it will clean your hair”, are you? Just like you don’t want to go to a rehab that advertises as, “We are the same as everywhere else but our counsellors are good.”
So in conclusion if it is “The Best Drug Rehab Centre”, “The Leading Drug Rehab Centre”, “Boutique Drug Rehab Centre” or a “Holistic Drug Rehab Centre.” Look under the hood see who is treating you, what their experience and qualifications are and what the whole programme is going to offer you.
If you are looking for help choosing a holistic drug rehab centre or just a normal drug rehab centre, give me a call I can help you choose the best program for your specific needs.
