Bordered by eight other states, Tennessee truly is a crossroads. But its network of highways brings in a flood of illicit drugs to go with the marijuana grown throughout the state. Crack cocaine is the number one drug problem in Tennessee but parents of college and high school age children should be wary of the parties and clubs their children attend. Club drugs are a growing threat in Tennessee, as are prescription drugs found in medicine cabinets statewide. Any family may find itself in sudden need of a drug and alcohol rehabilitation and treatment center, but most don’t even know where to start when evaluating which one might offer real relief.

Fortunately, it is not difficult to find drug and alcohol treatment centers in Tennessee. Rehab facilities are located in every city and larger town, while smaller communities may have some combination of hospitals and clinics. Families should seek out a drug and alcohol rehab program or recovery center that specializes in their particular problem, as modern drugs have a variety of effects, and experience in treating them is crucial to a good outcome.

Likewise, end-to-end managed care is the best option when evaluating rehab programs. In Tennessee the number of treatment facilities is large, but they vary in the type and scope of services offered. Choose one that offers all three of the essential parts of effective addiction treatment: detoxification and management of withdrawal, counseling, and long-term behavior modification. If a rehab center focuses only on one of these elements, keep looking. If it does not offer inpatient care, experienced personnel, adequate funding, and a staff large enough to offer individual attention to all patients, keep looking. And if it offers a guaranteed cure—keep looking.

Drug and alcohol rehabilitation is a complex process with no guarantees, but a holistic approach with a long-term goal of living sober for life offers the best chance of a positive outcome. Many families will want to seek treatment from a drug and alcohol center in Tennessee. Rehabilitation centers located outside the local area may be a better option, however. At the least, a rehab facility that offers inpatient care should be seriously considered. Many addicts simply cannot juggle the stress of family, work, and passing the neighborhood bar or drug corner every day without succumbing to temptation, no matter how much they want to quit. It is often most beneficial to the recovery process to remove the addict to a rehab center in Tennessee or possibly somewhere else where the distractions are gone and the focus is totally on recovery.

Make sure that the facility you choose is equipped to handle the physical as well as emotional needs of its patients. For long-term addicts with serious health issues related to substance abuse, inpatient care is often required. Emotional dependency lingers long after the physical traces of the drug have been removed from the addict’s body, so counseling is an absolute must.

In Tennessee, drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers are easy to find. There really is no excuse not to start looking.