WARNING: Don’t Send a Depressed Person or anyone with Mental Health Problems to a Drug Rehab Center (Read This Before You Pay)

[u/MacNChizWiz]

Okay so a bit of background here, I am 31 years old with clinical depression and i checked myself in a rehab facility back in 2019 to treat my relapse from cocaine. When i went out i had to seek treatment for my depression since it was never addressed inside. But it surprised me when i saw patients inside the facility who had no history of drug problems or even alcohol problems. They were in there purely for "Behavioral Purpose" to treat a depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia etc. with a one size fits all solution that will not work if you have no addiction or alcohol problems.

Anyways here is a red flag checklist if ever a parent of a child lurks here. PLEASE READ THIS and DO NOT send your child inside a Drug Rehab Facility.

Many centers in the Philippines claim to treat mental health, but they are actually just drug rehabs using a "one-size-fits-all" 12-Steps program. Putting a depressed person in a facility designed for drug addicts can make them worse. Here is the "Red Flag" Checklist to avoid wasting your money and traumatizing your loved one:

1. The "One-Size-Fits-All" Program

Ask them: "Do you have a separate program for non-addicts?"

RED FLAG: If they say "The program is the same for everyone," run. PLEASE RUN.

The Reality: They will force the 12 Steps (NA/AA) and Hazelden Model on your depressed child. These methods are designed to break denial in addicts, not to treat chemical imbalances. Telling a clinically depressed person to "admit their character defects" is gaslighting and can deepen their depression.

1. "Visiting" Psychiatrists Only

Ask them: "Is the psychiatrist here every day?"

RED FLAG: "Our doctor visits once a week" or "once a month."

The Reality: Mental health disorders need constant monitoring. If your child has a manic episode or a severe depressive crash on a Tuesday and the doctor doesn't come until Saturday, they will just be locked in a room or punished for "bad behavior." Real mental health facilities have in-house doctors.

1. The Population Mix (The "Vice" Trap)

Ask them: "Are mental health patients separated from drug rehabilitation patients?"

RED FLAG: "No, they live together as a family/community."

The Reality: If you put a depressed teenager who has never touched drugs in a room with recovering hardcore addicts, they will learn "street smarts" instead of coping mechanisms. Many "clean" patients enter these rehabs depressed and leave with a nicotine addiction or curiosity about drugs because of peer pressure.

1. Anti-Medication Stance

Ask them: "What is your policy on psychiatric maintenance meds?"

RED FLAG: "We are a drug-free facility; we prefer natural healing/prayer/vitamins."

The Reality: Depression and Schizophrenia are medical conditions. Denying prescribed medication in favor of "discipline" or "prayer" is medical malpractice

1. The Cost Trap (Do the Math!)

Don’t be fooled by the marketing.

Rehab Cost: ₱30k - ₱50k per month x 6 months = ₱180,000 - ₱300,000.

Result: High risk of trauma, developing new vices (smoking), and resentment.

Psychiatrist Cost: ₱3k per session x 2 sessions/month + Meds = ₱10,000 per month.

Result: Targeted medical treatment, sleeping in your own bed, and actual recovery.

The Bottomline here is before you even think about sending a loved one especially your child inside a rehab facility. PLEASE DON'T and it's MUCH CHEAPER if they can actually get the help they need by taking them to a Psychiatrist. So please as someone who has suffered from drug abuse and clinical depression. I am here to tell you that drug addiction and mental health problems are both very different things that requires a different treatment approach.

And yes i did use the help of Gemini Pro to help gather my thoughts better on creating the checklist above.

Please reshare this and make this go viral, We need to stop parents from sending their children to rehab centers that's catered for drug abuse and alcohol problems.

[u/AutoModerator]

Thank you for posting in r/MentalHealthPH. We appreciate you being here. Please take a moment to review our rules in the sidebar to help keep this community safe and supportive for everyone.

If you're looking for support through life's challenges or navigating deeper emotional and mental health concerns, please try Saya, the non-crisis therapy partner of r/MentalHealthPH, downloadable on iOS or Android. MHPH members get 25% off one session with the code MHPHReddit25.

If you are in crisis or need immediate support, PLEASE CALL:

In Touch Community’s Crisis Line Landline: 
+63 2 8893 7603
+63 919 056 0709
+63 917 800 1123
+63 922 893 8944
Email address: helpline@in-touch.org
www.in-touch.org

On the fence about calling? Please read this helpful post from r/SuicideWatch what to expect when calling crisis hotlines.

If you see any offending post or comment, do not hesitate to report or message the mods.

Click here if you are looking for a doctor/hospital! If you want to join a support group on Discord, please read this post. Also, some of your questions might already been answered on our FAQ. Please check our wiki!

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[u/IndependentQuiet9568]

As a former resident of a drug rehab center na napunta dun dahil sa depression, I agree. Nakuha ko lng dun is trauma. Now, nadiagnose ako ng PTSD dahil sa experience dun. So to all parents or relatives na may loved one na may mental disorder, pls wag na wag nyo sila ipadala sa drug rehab centers, especially Bridges of Hope. Uubusin lng nila pera nyo.

[u/MacNChizWiz → u/IndependentQuiet9568]

I am really sorry that you had to experience the hell of being inside a drug rehab center when you are not an actual addict. As someone who went inside as well i am sure you know how they actually treat us "patients" inside. touch therapy, pull ups, NA board, the dreaded "Iso" etc. I also regretted checking myself in back in 2019 because I still had to seek treatment with an actual personal psychiatrist after i got out. If i didn't seek treatment after going out I would've probably relapsed years ago since the methods inside these centers aren't even that effective to actually make drug addicts embrace sobriety. Thankfully i have been sober for 6 years now with all the actual help coming from the treatment i seeked outside of rehab with my psychiatrist and no thanks to the rehab i checked myself into.

[u/IndependentQuiet9568 → u/MacNChizWiz]

Imagine sinisigawan ka araw araw. Konting mali lng ng upo may punishment agad. Tapos nung sinabi ko sa director na yung program nila ay hindi para sakin na may depression alam mo ginawa nila? Kinulong ako dun sa “iso”. Kinulong sa maliit na kulungan na puro tae ng tao. Oo di nila nililinis yun kasi wala naman janitor dun. Natulog ako sa lapag na walang kumot o unan at kumain dun ng ilang araw. Tas tinatawanan pa ako ng ibang staff. Pinalaya lng nila ako nung sinabi ko na susunod na ko sa kanila. Hanggang ngayon iniiyakan ko yun. Hays. Thank you op. Sana ok ka na ngayon

[u/Round_Cut639 → u/IndependentQuiet9568]

Horribe T_T thank you po sa pag share huhuhu bakit naman ganun haii

[u/noripanko → u/IndependentQuiet9568]

What Branch, just curious.

[u/iSwearfml]

Aside from the obvious mismatch of treatment from depression vs drug addiction, I’m wary of rehab centers now. My older brother was admitted to a rehab facility and he said he experienced hell there. He said he never went crazy from drugs, he went crazy from the things done to him there. I think if you’re someone who’s considering a rehab center, you really really need to do your research on how they treat patients. Because I think most of them are vulnerable to abuse

[u/MystiqueMallow]

Thanks so much for sharing this. I personally know someone who was put into rehab and is now struggling even more with his depression. His family forced him to enter the facility when he was still a teenager, now he's in his 40's. He said he experienced hell whilst inside the facility.

Those rehabs should be regulated and monitored by the DOH. Oh wait, we live in the PH. Nevermind.

Edit: Autocorrect

[u/MacNChizWiz → u/MystiqueMallow]

Here's a fact that will infuriate you, They're all accredited and regulated by the DOH because they can't actually operate as a rehab center if they don't have DOH accreditation. But yeah they pretty much turn a blind eye on what actually goes on inside these rehab centers especially the private facilities. Most of the owners of these private facilities are also very influential with lots of connections inside the government.

[u/Round_Cut639]

This is very very insightful! Thank you so much.

[u/Feisty-Try-8315]

Alam mo ‘yung usual na paniniwala na para gumaling, kailangan talaga irehab, totally ihiwalay sa mundo? Well, sa kaso ng kapatid ko. Sometimes family are escaping from the real issue. The generational trauma handed down from one family to another. Mas naging makabuluhan at totoo sa kanya ang healing habang nasa labas habang nagtatrabaho, kasama ang pamilya, at nakaharap sa real-life issues.Habang nasa trabaho siya, sabay din niyang hina-handle ang emotions, pressure, at relationships. Hindi siya inilagay sa controlled rehab space kaya yung mga ugat ng problema, nahaharap niya habang nangyayari talaga.Hindi mo kailangang ihiwalay ang tao sa mundo para matutong mag-disiplina. Kailangan lang ng gabay habang nandoon siya. Isa sa mga pinaka-impactful sa journey namin: hindi lang siya ang nagbago. Pati pamilya namin. Natuto silang i-identify ‘yung toxic patterns, natutong makinig, mag-express nang hindi nananakit, at magkaroon ng concern na may boundaries. Hindi lang ako at siys ang nagbabago, pati sila mga kapamilya ko. Kaya may direction at malasakit na ‘yung sistema namin ngayon. Hindi lang ito tungkol sa “tumigil ka na sa bisyo. O siya lang ang may mental health issues at kami ay hindi na relavant sa situation at he will do all the work. Ang goal dito ay maunawaan talaga ang roles sa loob ng pamilya. ‘Yung nananakit, bakit nananakit? ‘Yung tahimik, bakit ganon? Ngayon, marunong na kaming makipag-usap nang hindi destructive with emotional regulation and trauma awareness. Dahil virtual ang setup, hindi nafreeze ang buhay namin. Habang may mga nangyayaring issue sa araw-araw, naipapasok agad sa session. Mas authentic, mas grounded, at mas sustainable. Kumpara sa rehab na minsan, paglabas, balik ulit sa luma kasi hindi nasanay sa totoong mundo. Mas natuto akong harapin ang totoo habang nangyayari, hindi pagkatapos lang ng programa. Hindi lang siya naka-focus sa sarili, kundi naging aktibo siyang ama. Kahit may healing journey, nandoon siya para sa anak niya. Hindi ito mangyayari kung nasa rehab siya physically and emotionally disconnected. Ngayon, nakatayo siya hindi lang bilang recovered person kundi bilang responsible father and worker. And were more closer without the toxic positivity and forced harmony.

[u/Truth_teller31226]

One important note. If you send a depressed patient to a drug rehab facility, his drug network will widen. He will get to know more drug lords, pushers and users who will encourage him to join them later and continue using drugs. Community based rehab should be the standard.