I hear too many people complaining that they can’t afford rehab, that their insurance provider won't cover their treatment, or that they can't take the time away from their jobs to get the rehab they need.

All a bunch of baloney!

• Firstly, about the money; if you have any health insurance at all, at least a portion of your rehab bill will likely be covered and many employers offer programs designed to assist employees that need to get addiction help.
• Secondly, most rehab programs I've investigated are more than willing to offer financial assistance to those in true need, and many will work with the addict to make a repayment plan that is both possible, and satisfactory to everyone.
• Lastly, when you factor in the cost of all the drugs or alcohol that are being abused, rehab starts to seem like a bargain! What cocaine addict won't save the cost of rehab in a couple of months of abstinence, and that goes for most any drug you can think of. Even alcohol, which as a legal drug is relatively cheaper, can get very expensive when being consumed in the kind of quantities a hard drinker needs each and every day.

Getting sober shouldn't be looked at as a balance sheet decision, but even if it is, and even if you pick the best rehab programs in the country for your comparison, sobriety with rehab always comes out cheaper than even a few months of continuing abuse!

I've met a lot of addicts that have done their jobs for years while using and abusing drugs or alcohol, but I've never met a single one who wouldn’t admit that they would do a better job at work if they weren't also using and abusing.

The overwhelming majority of employers will give time off as required to get an employee drug and alcohol free. It's a win-win situation for both the employer and the employee. Yet even if entering a rehab means losing a job; when you are sober and once again working, with your newfound dedication and clarity it's very likely that you will excel professionally, and one month away will leave you in a much better position professionally for years to come.

An addiction to drugs and alcohol is first and foremost destructive to your health and to your family relationships, and for these two reasons you should get sober. Entering a rehab should never be about professional advancement, or moneysaving, but the fact is that recovering alcoholics drive nicer cars than using alcoholics, and recovering and sober cocaine addicts live in nicer homes than using cocaine addicts. Get sober for and you'll do better. You'll be happier, you'll be healthier, you will have a better relationship with your family and friends, and you are very likely to excel professionally.

Avoiding rehab for the financial costs is very shortsighted, and continuing to use will always cost more in the long run.