Will This Pregnant Teen Go To Rehab? Making The Decision To Change

Dr. Phil: Will She Go To Rehab?

Dr. Phil has been talking all hour with a pregnant teenager named Sara who has been abusing drugs. He gave her the chance to go to rehab and she declined. After Dr. Phil told her he was going to have to turn her over to the police then, he turned to her older sister Sadie, a self-described drug addict who has enabled Sara’s drug use, to offer her the chance to go to rehab.

Dr. Phil introduced Velvet Mangan, owner of Safe Harbor Treatment Center for Women in Orange County, California, who said a few words to Sadie about her treatment center. Velvet said that she was born addicted to drugs, so this whole story really affected her personally. After Sadie said she wanted to quit drugs and she wanted her life back, Velvet said that it was great to hear that and that she’d like to support her in that transformation.

Dr. Phil: How Long Is Rehab?

Sadie wanted to know how long the treatment was and Velvet said that it could take 90 days to a year. Sadie said that she couldn’t be away from her life for that long and she didn’t know why it had to be so drastic. Velvet said that Sadie had a drastic addiction.

Dr. Phil said that this isn’t an incarceration. It’s up to her and the treatment center. “You can leave after two days if you want to. I’m not going to chase you. I’m offering you a gift. You’ll take it or you won’t. This is a wonderful place and I have every belief that you’re an intelligent young women and I think you and these folks once you get there will come to a mutual decision about what you need to do and what you don’t need to do,” Dr. Phil said.

Dr. Phil also assured her that she’d get a round trip ticket, so that if she wants to leave, she can go home. He also said he’d fly her home if she wanted to go home right now.

Dr. Phil: Making The Decision To Change

She wondered if this whole experience was enough for her to stop. Dr. Phil said he’s been doing this for 35 years and he knows for a fact this experience is not enough. He also said he wasn’t going to to talk her into it. Ultimately, Sadie said yes.

Actually, what she said was, “I’ll do it. I don’t care.”

Sara wondered if her stay at a medical treatment facility would be for the rest of her pregnancy. Ben Levenson, who represented Hannah’s House, the treatment center Dr. Phil offered her. He said he had a nurse to escort her to Texas where the center is located and that they have appointments for OB-GYNs for her back in Texas set up. At Hannah’s House, there’s a whole team of physicians to take care of her. She’d be surrounded by women like her in recovery.

Sara said her answer was yes, but she wanted to know more. Dr. Phil said that she’d know more once she gets there. He also said if she doesn’t like it, she can leave. But if she leaves, he’s going to call the police.

“I would, too, if I were you,” Sara said.