OUR ONLY HOPE: Is Not “Recovery Advocate Marketers”
RECOVERY ADVOCATE MARKETERS
There are people in the drug and alcohol treatment industry, Recovery Advocate Marketers with massive followings and immense popularity. Some with hundreds of thousands following their every move.
Digital marketing (Facebook advertising,”influencer” model, etc…) makes it easy for a well capitalized “treatment center” to turn someone into a “Recovery Rockstar”.
Pay for attention. Pay for followers is common as well. It’s advertising.
The rehab pays for the person to become popular and uses the popularity to drive admissions.
I guess it works. Otherwise, why would so many facilities use this model?
WOULD YOU TRUST YOU LIFE TO THEM
It’s absolutely horrible. Many of these people do more damage than good.
These people feed into the stereotype of the “addict”.
The general public is amused and watches from a distance as the latest superstar tells another addiction and redemption story.
Just like the last 100 stories. Slogans. Everywhere, another one dimensional piece of advice. – “Come to my rehab”
SAVING LIVES???
More and more scare tactics. “Get him to rehab before he dies”….
- They tell parents: “you are enablers. You are loving your child TO DEATH. Send him to our rehab”.
- And they tell people with SUD: “you are liar, cheater and a thief. Surrender to win…come to my rehab”.
- They tell wives: “you are a codependent, kick his ass out unless he agrees to come to my rehab”.
They tell themselves: “I’m saving lives….”. ( All the way to the bank!)
BY THE WAY. A FAIR NUMBER OF OUTPATIENT PROVIDERS ALSO USE THESE TACTICS. They are not as aggressive because they are not “filling beds”.
CONSIDER THESE FACTS
You are not saving lives and your rehab is not the answer.
- Rarely do these prophets share anything original.
- Rarely do these prophets say anything thoughtful.
- Rarely do they share anything other than slogans and war stories.
It’s awful. Truly awful. You are not reducing stigma. You are promoting stigma.
OUR ONLY HOPE:
SUD services must be fully integrated into healthcare. That is not a perfect solution. However, it’s our only hope.
No more “carved out” SUD services.
No more automatic referrals to the “drug and alcohol clinic” or “state of the art rehab”….
The healthcare provider handles SUD. They own the specialty SUD practices as well.
There will still be a need for acute specialty stabilization.
Clinics and rehabs. But all treatment should be local. Major reduction in destination rehab.
If you eliminate the market you will eliminate these horrible “recovery advocate marketers”.
Otherwise, they will keep coming. It’s not illegal. You will never stop this practice via “investigations” etc…. In most cases these court jesters are not engaging in illegal practices.
EXPLOITED AND USED
And when one marketer goes away 10 new ones pop up. There are thousands of people with 6 months of recovery willing to be exploited by this industry.
SUD treatment and recovery services are destined for a complete rebuild.
It’s early right now. Very early. But the public is waking up.
No one knows exactly what it will look like. But it won’t be “run ‘em off to rehab”….
I think everyone knows this. Even the pop up rehab owners.
Y’all should sell that facility as soon as possible. Get out while the getting is good.
God bless America….
God save the Queen….
Let them eat cake ….
