My experience dates to about 1 1/2 years ago. I will
briefly summarize some of the lowlights
-
Complete strip search upon
arrival ---one on one in a closed room with no second person
present and your Id/ wallet are removed.
-
No doctor on site --- appointments are made with a cooperating
doctor in town. You actually have to wait in a regular waiting
area like in a normal Doctor's office. (Good luck with that if
you are someone in withdrawal)
-
I
was denied medical attention and was not even evaluated by a
nurse when I was experiencing serious withdrawal. Yes, they
didn't even check my blood pressure.
-
The most terrifying withdrawals I experienced, were experienced
prior to the visit to the doctor and without any medical
supervision. I begged for some medication to help but was told
that none would be given until I saw the doctor.
-
No vital signs monitoring until after I saw the doctor(other
than when my vital signs were checked when I first arrived)
-
No telephone access if you are in the "withdrawal unit" (usually
the first 4-7 days)
-
Family is lied to about how one is doing--- this is a fact.
-
I
was denied medical attention again on about the second or third
day. I was experiencing what I believe was sleep apnea --- I
would fall asleep and would wake up gasping for air: this
happened repeatedly. I told the "monitoring" staff member(who was
not a nurse, by the ways) what I was experiencing and that I
felt it was serious having been formerly a certified EMT. I
demanded to see the nurse but was told I wasn't the only person
there and to go back to sleep and try sleeping on my side.
-
The "detox facility" was nothing more than a rundown bunk shack.
The room that I was in was about 10 ft X 12ft and had three set
of bunks and yes the room was full. You could barely walk on the
floor because of all the luggage. There was one small bathroom
on the second floor for twelve guys--- one toilet one shower.
The toilet was so close to the shower that you had to sit
sideways on it. There was no air conditioning in it and it was
summer time. The building and furnishings were in run down
condition. I remember the sofa down stairs having sharp metal
objects protruding where the foot rest used to be.
-
A
day after my arrival I realized that it was a mistake for me to
be there. I demanded to be put in contact with my wife. I had to
exert a lot of pressure on the staff and make threats like "it
is illegal for you to try to keep me here" before I was finally
put in contact with her. I told my wife that this place was not
what we had been let to believe, That my experience in the last
day had left me with no confidence in the place. Unknown to
me was the fact that they had "coached" her, prior to our
conversation, to be firm with me. Not having the energy to
contend with my wife, I agreed to stay thru "detox" which lasted
about 6 days.
-
Detox being nearly over I told the staff that I would be leaving
the following day. I was put under great pressure again by the
staff to stay and was even told by a staff member that he had
heard that my wife would leave me if I didn't stay in the
program --- I pressed the staff member on the issue and
discovered that this was a complete lie.
-
This place is advertised as being "holistic" in their approach.
Their definition of " holistic" is definitely not what is
usually characterized as that, not to mention that most of
their staff smoke.
-
I
feel fortunate to have survived AFR(a forever recovery). It was
one of the worst if not the worst experience in my life.
-
Their "intake counselors" are just slick salesmen that once they
have you and your money are unreachable by your loved ones.
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They promise a lot but deliver very little.
-
Their contracts are slick. If you are there between 1 and 7 day,
you owe them about 10k. If over 7 days, it is about 23k. This is
not calculated on a day being 24 hrs, but rather on the calender
day. For instance if you arrived at 11pm on thursday, it would
be considered that you were there all day thursday as far as
payment is concerned.
-
If you refuse to pay, they will litigate. Which in my case they
did without even sending a bill first.
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Whenever I hear the word " Michigan", it leaves a pit in my
stomach because I am reminded of them.
-
I
would hope to fight them in court some day, but as of now, I am
still not able to cope sufficiently with the rememberance of my
experience there.