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My Last Rehab Kicked Me Out. I Thought I Was Hopeless Until I Found THC
The director didn’t even look at me when she said it.
“We’re going to have to ask you to leave the program. You’re not a good fit for our community.”
I’d been there 3 weeks. I was following the rules, showing up to group, and doing the work.
My only mistake?
Being honest during a one-on-one session about using medical marijuana for my anxiety.
I thought honesty was supposed to be part of recovery. Turns out, it depends on what you’re being honest about.
That was my third rehab in two years.
And standing in that parking lot with my duffel bag, I genuinely believed I was broken beyond repair.
I thought maybe I just wasn’t cut out for sobriety.
Then a counselor I’d worked with before told me about The Healthier Choice Recovery.
When I called, the intake coordinator said something I’d never heard before: “Tell me more about why you use it. What does it help with? How does it affect your other substance use?”
Nobody had ever asked me that before. They’d just told me to stop.
For the first time in years, I felt like someone was actually listening.
Here’s why THC Recovery turned out to be completely different from every other program I tried.
They Didn't Make Me Choose Between My Medicine and My Recovery
Most rehab programs operate on an “all or nothing” policy. Zero substances. Period.
I get the reasoning behind it. But in practice, it meant that people like me who were using cannabis legally and legitimately for anxiety management… were being turned away from programs because we didn’t follow their rules.
I wasn’t in rehab because of cannabis. I was there because I’d been abusing cocaine and alcohol to the point where I’d lost my job, my apartment, and nearly my relationship with my family.
The Healthier Choice Recovery doesn’t force you to choose between managing your symptoms and getting treatment.
They look at your whole situation, like what you’re using, why you’re using it, and what is/isn’t working.
Then they build a plan around YOUR reality.
They asked detailed questions during intake like:
- Why was I prescribed cannabis?
- What dose?
- Was I using more than prescribed?
- How did it affect my other substance use?
Nobody had ever asked those questions. Everyone else just said “no cannabis” and hung up.
They Focused on What Was Actually Killing Me
Instead of wasting energy trying to quit the one medication that was helping, I could focus all my effort on the substances that were destroying my life.
In the eight months I’ve been at THC Recovery, I’ve:
- Been completely clean from cocaine
- Stopped drinking entirely
- Started seeing a psychiatrist for my anxiety instead of self-medicating
- Rebuilt my relationship with my sister
- Got a new job and kept it for six months straight
I’m still using medical cannabis under a doctor’s supervision. But now everything’s out in the open.
If I’d gone to a traditional abstinence-only program again, they would’ve forced me to quit cannabis first. My anxiety would’ve spiraled. And based on my track record, I would’ve relapsed on cocaine within weeks.
The Healthier Choice Recovery helped me prioritize what actually needed to change. And that made all the difference.
Personalized Treatment Plans (Not One-Size-Fits-All)
Every other program I’d been to had basically the same schedule, groups, and expectations for everyone.
But my situation was nothing like the person next to me. I was dealing with severe anxiety and a history of trauma.
My triggers were different, and my goals were different.
At The Healthier Choice Recovery, they built my treatment plan around what I actually needed:
- Individual therapy twice a week focused on trauma and triggers
- CBT techniques for managing anxiety without substances
- Group sessions on building life skills and healthy coping mechanisms
- Coordination with my prescribing doctor for cannabis use
- Peer support groups with people who understood harm reduction
I could also attend outpatient sessions around my work hours, which meant I didn’t have to quit my job to get help.
Flexible Programs That Don't Require You to Lose Everything
Both times I tried to get into inpatient rehab before, I would’ve had to quit my job and lose my income.
After losing my apartment, I was already financially struggling, and I just couldn’t afford to lose everything for a conversation.
But The Healthier Choice Recovery offers outpatient programs, which means I’ve been able to keep working while getting treatment. I’m there several hours a week, but only when it works for me.
It work because they have different levels based on where you’re at:
- PHP (Partial Hospitalization) – More intensive support while maintaining some independence
- IOP (Intensive Outpatient) – Structured treatment around your work schedule
- OP (Outpatient) – Ongoing support as you build sustainable habits
For someone like me who couldn’t afford to walk away from their job, this flexibility was the only reason treatment was even possible.
They Understand It’s Not Just About The Substances
What I realized after joining THC was that I wasn’t just abusing cocaine and alcohol because I liked getting high. I was self-medicating anxiety that I didn’t know how to manage.
Traditional programs told me to “just stay clean” and maybe see a therapist later. But The Healthier Choice Recovery treats both substance use and mental health issues at the same time.
I’m working with a psychiatrist on medication that actually helps my anxiety, I’m doing trauma therapy, and I’m learning coping skills that don’t involve substances.
THC understands that addiction doesn’t exist in a vacuum There are usually underlying reasons people turn to substances in the first place.
And if you don’t address those reasons, you’re setting yourself up to relapse.
Why This Approach Actually Works
Look, I’m not saying recovery is easy. I still have hard days.
But for the first time in years, I don’t feel hopeless.
I feel like I’m working with a program that sees me as a complex person with real needs, not just a substance use disorder to eliminate.
When traditional abstinence-based programs have failure rates over 90%, maybe the problem isn’t that patients aren’t trying hard enough. Maybe the approach itself needs to change.
For me, that meant keeping the medication that was helping me manage anxiety while addressing the cocaine and alcohol that were destroying my life.
And eight months in, I’m healthier and more stable than I’ve been in years.
If you’re using medical cannabis and being turned away from programs that could help with other substances, THC Recovery might be worth looking into.
They accept most major insurance, and insurance may cover up to 100% of the cost.
THC is also accredited and licensed by The Joint Commission and DHCS.
You shouldn’t have to choose between your medicine and your recovery. And with the right program, you don’t have to.
Look, I’m not going to pretend The Healthier Choice Recovery is perfect or that recovery is easy. I still have hard days. I still struggle sometimes.