Sometimes in a drug and alcohol rehab program we develop our own langauge.  Little short phrases that all start to become the culture of that program.  "12 step", "cognitive behavioral therapy", and "holistic program" are just a few of the many out in this field.  The problem is these phrases are intended for use by people who both know what they mean, to save time in conversations about drug and alcohol rehab programs and treatment.  The thing we all forget is that clients and their families seeking help in many instances do not know what these terms fully describe.  We assume that if people don't know the full meaning they will ask.

The truth is most people will not ask.  A lot of people in conversation who hear something they don't understand make the assumption that they are supposed to "know what it means", so they won't ask for fear of looking stupid.  If it is true when people first inquire about drug rehab, it is equaly true for people attending a drug and alcohol rehab center.  If the language of drug rehab is in use in the center, then the staff and clients who have been there a while will all be using it. This makes the transition in a drug rehab center even more difficult.  A new client fresh out of a detox is faced with new surroundings, new rules and a new language.  It keep new clients out of the "club" of drug rehab.

There is another issue with using terminology.  If we stay with simple clear meanings and sentences instead of catch phrases, there is repetition for the client's understanding.  This repetition is vital to learning a new concept.  Simply using a convenient term will not provide the foundation for learning something "like the back of your hand".  So here is a challenge.  Talk in simple language.  Think in simple langauge.  All the parents and friends and newcommers to drug and alcohol addiction will thank you.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 29th, 2007 at 8:59 am and is filed under Drug Rehab. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.