Greg Deal

Review of The Carolina Center for Behavi...

I self-admitted in an attempt to hit a "reset butt...

I self-admitted in an attempt to hit a "reset button" on my life, which has been 40-plus years of fighting treatment-resistant depression, paranoia, and anxiety attacks. This "break" at the Center provided me hope that I could find relief for my issues and a treatment plan. At first, it felt like I was in jail. You are stringently monitored on just about everything. Don't expect some cozy, resort-style situation. You also will be busy all day with groups. Those are very good because you are in a place where other people understand what you are experiencing, whereas many in everyday life do not. I didn't leave with a cure, but I left with information and tools that helped me work with my doctors on the outside to find a solution. That solution, after years of trying all types of medicines, ended up being Symbyax (a combination of Prozac and Zyprexa). I am happier now than I've ever been in my life. I doubt that, without this reset (being at the Center) that I would have garnered the hope and passion to seek the right treatment. Again, don't expect it to be a hotel experience. You will have a roommate. The beds aren't great. The food is OK. You have a single shower with a curtain. You have to keep your toiletries in a box at the nurses' station. You can only make calls at certain times (no cell phones), there are no TVs in your room -- and the community TV is on just a couple of hours a day. You have to accept that all this is about helping you focus on you, and to avoid giving you opportunities to skip group therapy. You need the groups, and you need to be engaged in them. The staff is caring but strict, and that's OK. The doctors see you daily, which is a major plus. You are monitored nearly 24/7 and fill out morning assessments, which your doctor sees. You fill out group assessments, and the group leader later fills out a portion dealing with your engagement in the group. The doctor also sees this. I didn't fully appreciate the experience until I left the Center and began to use the tools I got while at the Center. The only issue I personally had was that, because there was not enough immediate room in Unit 2 (depression/anxiety), I had to spend a night in Unit 1 (substance abuse), which didn't apply to me; however, the staff worked hard to get me into Unit 2. This life reset serves as a new starting point for a new life of health and happiness.