

Residential Rehab

Why Go To Rehab?

One of the reasons for why people can feel a bit reluctant about choosing rehab as an answer to their addiction problems is that they are unsure about what goes on there. In fact, the individual may have even picked up some misleading information that persuades them that this is not going to be a solution that will work for them. Learning what really happens inside of a drug or alcohol rehab can help the individual overcome their resistance and remove some of the misunderstandings they might have.

What Happens Inside of a Rehab?

The different drug and alcohol rehabilitation centres will differ in how they go about things, but they will tend to share certain similarities.  All of these addiction treatment centres will share some common goals, which will include:

  • One of the most important aims of this type of programme is to provide the individual with a strong foundation on which to build the rest of their life. It can be helpful to think as this type of treatment as “basic training” that the person will then put to use in the rest of their life.
  • Many alcohol or drug rehabs will offer detox beds, and this means that they will help the individual through the process of withdrawals. This is important because it is at this stage that many people will fail. By helping the individual make it through withdrawals, it increases the likelihood of achieving long-term recovery.
  • These facilities all offer a therapeutic and nurturing environment. This is important because humans are highly influenced by their surroundings. The therapeutic environment of rehab can magnify the person’s own determination to stay sober.
  • The individual will be supported through the early part of recovery when they will be most at risk of relapse.
  • The person will have been using alcohol or drugs to help them cope with life. This means that they will no longer have any means for dealing with the ups and downs of life. One of the main goals of rehab is to provide the individual with effective coping mechanisms so that they will be able handle things without the need for alcohol or drugs.
  • The core aim or rehab is to provide the individual with a programme for living, and the rehabs will differ in the type of programme they offer. The aim of these programmes is not just to get the person sober, but also to allow them to create a life that is worth staying sober for.
  • The individual will have the opportunity to learn more about addiction and recovery. This knowledge will help to keep them committed to recovery and working a good programme.
  • There will have been reasons for why the person fell into addiction in the first place, and these reasons are likely to be still there when they become sober. If this is the case, it will mean that these reasons can cause the person to relapse or choose new maladaptive behaviours. The goal of therapy in rehab is to allow the individual to dig down to these roots of addiction and remove them.

What to Expect in Rehab

Here are just some of the things that people can expect when they go to rehab:

  • There can be a misconception that entering these programmes is like going into an institution such as a large public hospital or even a prison. The reality is that these facilities tend to offer a high level of comfort. This is because the rehab management understand that if the person is not happy in their surroundings they will not get the most out of the programme. Some rehabs are more like top class hotels or resorts, while others offer a more homely atmosphere.
  • The individual will usually be expected to adhere to rules and regulations during their stay, but these are there for the comfort of other residents, and to ensure that the person is able to get the most out of the programme.
  • It is always going to be up to the individual to make the most out of their time in a residential treatment programme. If they want to enter the programme and just coast alone there will be nobody to stop them doing this.
  • Rehab can involve a good deal of mental hard work, but there is also plenty of time for fun and relaxation. In fact, these lighter parts of the programme are considered vital because the individual will not be able to get the most out of the rest of the programme otherwise.
  • There can be a great deal of healthy laughter in rehab. There will be times when things will be tough, but most people find that their sense of humour returns when they start to sober up.
  • Some rehabs will provide the individual with their own room while others will expect them to share. This has a lot to do with the philosophy of the programme. Some of these facilities worry that if the person has their own room they will isolate, and thus fail to get the most out of the programme. Some rehabs will expect the individual to share a room during the detox stage, but then provide them with their own room after this.

You may also like to learn about how admission to rehab works and the Steps of Rehabilitation

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