Before leaving for Wellington Retreat my loved one was desperate and willing to try anything to help their Mental Health situation. They went to two places before but was searching to address Mental Health and not drug rehab. The staff at Wellington explained that they do not focus on drug rehab and focus primarily on Mental Health. They were told they would have access to telephone, Internet, and that it was a luxurious retreat that they would love. They were also promised couples and family counseling. The initial stay was set for 30 days. After not hearing from our loved one for a few days after they arrived we began to get worried. All of our family being involved in the medical and nursing field we began to be worried and could immediately tell that something was not as it should be. We called pretending we were looking for a place to send a loved one away who was nothing but trouble and the staff explained to us that their main goal is to cut off all communication to family and friends from back home and explained to us that their main goal is to have them move to Florida and stay there forever, as part of their "recovery". We were shocked and appalled at the manner of which we could just "throw away" a person and when asked exactly how they get everyone to stay down there forever the response was "well we have everyone from the doctors, nurses, counselors, trainers, even the people that prepare their food tell them that the only way to recover is to stay down here". After our loved one came home we could immediately see a complete change in every aspect of our loved one. They changed the medicines they were on after the first doctor visit, and the medicine was changed again, and again. They had them on many off-label medications that have not shown any benifit over placebo. Our loved one also explained that upon arrival every patient, even voluntary patients, are strip searched, asked to turn around, and spread their buttocks. We were appalled and outraged! We were also informed that this was also used as some sort of punishment. We found out that there are not "men only, women only" houses but that women are allowed to stay at the men's house, and men allowed at the women's houses, it's all about money and how many people they can fit into a house. These houses also have never been inspected although Florida law requires it. Our loved one can not even order a meal at the drive through, pick out an outfit to wear, or make any basic decisions. Every single person that has known our loved one before going to Wellington Retreat has asked what happened to them there because they show every sign of extreme mental abuse. I wish I had a time machine to make sure they never went to this unprofessional, and UNLICENSED facility. We found out that they make you stay there and move into one of their half way houses where you in turn pay them to live there. It is a complete sham and anyone considering going or sending someone there would be better off sending them to a pre-1980s state school for the mentally ill. All the "help" my loved one received was over medication, constant switching and off-label prescribing of medication, drug counseling (which they were told they were not going to receive considering they originally went for mental health) mental abuse and torment. Someone Said that they wouldn't treat a pet like people are treated at this facility and I completely agree. We took our loved one for PROFESIONAL counseling (regular counseling, no fancy specialist) and after a 45 min session they told us that they got more out of that one session than they did over 40 days & nights living at Wellington Retreat. Do not send yourself or anyone you care about there!
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