FAQS
What follows is a list of the most common questions asked of us by potential clients, loved ones and referring clinicians. Please remember that we are always available should you require more specific information.
TREATMENT APPROACHES
The main benefit of residential treatment is the level of care and supervision it provides. With professional support available 24/7, it creates a safe environment for you to step away from the distractions of everyday life and take time to focus on yourself. The intensive therapy and structured schedule hugely reduce the risk of swapping one addiction for another.
The 12-step recovery programme is a practical programme of recovery designed to take you away from a life of addiction, compulsion or other behavioural problems. There are many self-support groups worldwide that can be used as a maintenance tool once treatment is completed.
No, the 12-steps are merely a useful set of principles on which to base your recovery plan. They help you move on from the sense of emptiness and hopelessness in your addiction to find happiness and meaning in your life. 12-step programmes do encourage you to consider and develop your own spiritual beliefs, but spirituality is different from religion: it is concerned with how you think and feel about yourself, other people and the world around you. Because this is individual to each person, the programme works just as well for those who have no religious beliefs as for those who do follow a particular faith.
Addiction is a family illness. People often want to believe that it only affects the ‘addict’ but it affects the entire family. As a result all the most successful treatment centres around the world offer a family component to their recovery programmes.
The three most common dual-diagnoses are anxiety, depression and trauma. Obsessive-compulsive behaviour and personality disorders are also common, while anger is often experienced alongside shame and bipolar disorder.
Detoxification is the process by which you are helped to overcome the feelings of withdrawal after you begin your recovery from addiction. The duration of your detox will depend on how severe your level of use has been and what you have been using, but it normally takes between three and ten days. Each type of detoxification process is unique – a detox from alcohol is very different to a detox from opiates, for example. In any case, a warm, sunny climate helps you to feel better.
Eye Movement and Desensitisation Reprocessing Therapy is a highly effective and rapid way of unlocking negative memories (trauma) and processing them through the use of sight, sound and vision.
For more information on EMDR.
A detailed care plan is developed during your stay, including ongoing support and recommendations for when you return home including:
- Free access to one morning a week outpatient services for up to a year
- Comprehensive planning and support
- Ongoing availability of our renowned family programme
- Weekly relapse prevention workshops
Staff are always on hand to assist by phone as and when required.
Yes we specialise in depression and trauma treatment. Addressing underlying trauma is the key to successful recovery.
GENERAL QUERIES
There are many benefits to receiving treatment for addiction away from home – not least of which is the fact that you can get the same quality of care at a lower price. But more than that, a new environment, away from the things you are familiar with, can help you to make a break from old mental patterns and prepare yourself for a better future after a fresh start. We also know that a warm, sunny climate can help people with depression. It also makes an opiate-detox more comfortable.
Saying no to addiction treatment is understandable because of two very clear pressures. One is the internal pressure of denial, which can be very strong in people who suffer from addiction. The other is an external pressure which comes from the social stigma of addiction that stops you seeking the help you need. This is very counter-productive because professional help is crucial to recovery and the stigma only reinforces the unimaginable sense of shame you already feel.
Usually a relapse is from a lack of support. This is one of the reasons why Camino Recovery places such a high value on group therapy as part of the 12-step programme. Working in a group helps you to develop a support network which can help you to sustain your abstinence and reduce the chances of relapsing.
A professional addiction treatment centre should first and foremost have an excellent clinical team with each member of staff bringing the right training, education and experience to the role they fulfil. They should each have a minimum of a Masters degree in addiction treatment or a related field and a licence to operate in the country in which they provide care. Another good indicator is to see what previous clients have said about the care that has been provided by the treatment centre.
Addiction is a common and progressive illness. In every culture in every country worldwide it is estimated that one in ten people suffer from addiction. This may be to a substance (such as drugs or alcohol), a behaviour (such as sex, gambling, shopping, relationships or self-harm) or to food (including anorexia, bulimia and over-eating). The latest research indicates that addictive behaviour is often rooted in trauma: the experience of a situation, event, or series of events of a terrifying and overwhelming nature. As a result of this experience an individual may repeatedly turn to a substance or type of behaviour in an attempt to comfort themselves. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work and as addiction takes hold, a complete loss of self-worth, a breakdown in trust, and inevitable social isolation follow as both the addict and his or her family are drawn into the vortex. In this sense addiction can be seen as an illness that affects the whole family.
DURING MY STAY
Family members play an important role in an individual’s recovery and are usually involved in the process from the very beginning. They receive regular updates from the clinical team and are encouraged to call at any time.
Our family programme runs once a month where family members are invited to come in and gain some insight, education and therapy.
Yes, however for the first week we insist upon no contact. Following that phone time is at set intervals throughout the week and Sunday afternoon is for family visits. There are exceptions to this for individuals with young children or pressing job requirements. Your therapist will work with you to determine appropriate parameters. One of the things we pride ourselves upon is meeting individual needs and being flexible enough to accommodate while maintaining excellent clinical standards.
We advise that you bring comfortable, casual clothes and flat footwear for therapy session. For equine therapy you will need to make sure you have closed-toe shoes. Gym wear is recommended for fitness activities and swim wear for use of the pool. We provide all towels and bed linen. We can also provide sun cream and toiletries; however, if there are specific brands you like, please bring them with you.
Camino Recovery is a non-smoking facility. We are able to assist in a detox programme should it be necessary or desired.
Monday to Friday you will be participating in different types of therapy, yoga, meditation, acupuncture, fellowship meetings and more. The weekends are reserved for family visits, excursions, independent work and general down time.
Here is what a typical day at Camino Recovery might look like:
| TIME | ACTIVITY |
|---|---|
| 8:00 | Yoga and Meditation |
| 9:00 | Breakfast |
| 10:00 | Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) |
| 13:00 | Lunch |
| 14:00 | Individual Therapy |
| 15:00 | Education Lecture |
| 16:00 | Process Group |
| 18:00 | Massage |
| 19:00 | Dinner |
| 20:00 | Assignment Work |
FEES & PAYMENT
The cost is all inclusive, meaning anything that is part of our programme is covered, from accomodation and food through to gym, massage and yoga. You will also receive a full medical on arrival.
If you wish to participate in activities outside of our programme for example getting a haircut or visiting the dentist you will need to cover that cost.
Full payment is required either before or on arrival. Payment can be made over the phone or via bank transfer. We also accept credit or debit card.
Yes. We are confident about the quality of our treatment programmes therefore if you leave before the end of your programme we keep an administration fee and refund the rest pro rata (subject to our refund policy).
Yes, a deposit of 1000 euros is required to reserve your space when booking in advance. This will be held as a security deposit and returned after your stay if no damage is reported.