Scientology affiliated Narconon drug and alcohol rehabs offer “alternative” treatment for people struggling with any type of chemical dependency.
Narconon rehab programs boast a 75% – 85% success rates, and success is defined a s sobriety for life. When patients finish a Narconon drug or alcohol rehab, they are said to be cured, and have no need for any continuing participation in aftercare or other therapies that so often endeavor to help recovering addicts maintain sobriety.
Narconon offers fairly inexpensive treatment, and some facilities will offer 3 to 6 months of drug and alcohol rehabilitation for as little as $10 000 and even the more expensive Narconon rehabs will unlikely charge more than $ 30 000 for the same duration, which when compared to the treatment costs of competitive and conventional private rehabs, is quite a bargain.
But there are a number of serious issues with the Narconon methodology of care, and so grave are these reservations that even very low cost treatment may be overpriced.
Problems with Narconon
1) They operate all therapies and care based on science that has since been proven wrong, yet they do not change their methods.
All therapy is based on the philosophies and work of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard, and although he was a man of very limited Scientific understanding and background, his work is Scientology Gospel, and remains the internally unchallenged work on which Narconon programs are based.
2) They won’t give you needed medications.
Narconon faithful advocate a complete break from drugs of all kind. The mentality is that since drugs have created the addiction and the accompanying problems, the use of more drugs in treatment only worsens the ultimate problems.
While seemingly rational, this philosophy actually makes little sense, and there are certain drugs very unrelated to drugs of abuse. Their no drug policy actually endangers people in withdrawal from certain drugs, and needing medications for safety.
3) They operate as a recruitment ground for Scientology.
There have been numerous and persistent complaints from Narconon graduates of the indoctrination efforts of Narconon staff upon participants in drug and alcohol rehabs. People at their most vulnerable, while recovering from addiction, are targeted as the next converts to swell the ranks of the Church of Scientology.
Ask your doctor what he or she thinks of Narconon
No reputable medical organization endorses the Narconon program of treatment, and some in fact (the AMA) condemn it as unsafe (Dangers of Narconon). If you need drug or alcohol treatment, you deserve access to a drug or alcohol rehab that offers you a legitimate chance at sobriety, and one that uses proven and scientific therapies in your care.
