If you’re thinking about rehab for you or your loved one, this is surely a difficult time and making such a decision is first done with the awareness and willingness to commit to a path of recovery. This is one of the most important choices you will ever make. Most people reach rehab centers when they, or the alcoholic in their family has hit rock bottom. Others may arrive before this moment, searching for an alternative their daily suffering. Whatever the case may be, an intensive therapeutic experience is the right choice for anyone suffering from substance abuse.
Rehabilitation centers are designed to make you feel as comfortable as you work through your addiction, and reclaim your life. The general structure of rehab can be broken down into a few phases: intake, detox, rehabilitation and post-rehab recovery. The first phases of in-patient rehabilitation are carefully monitored with professional assistance around the clock, so you have constant support to help through each stage of your recovery.
What is rehab really like for you or your loved one?
Structure is very important to a healthy and lasting recovery. A typical day in a rehab center focuses on building healthy habits and routine, meditation and talk therapy – all in a comfortable and safe space. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served at the same time to create a healthy daily routine. Nourishing meals are a must and the social aspect of eating with fellow members in recovery is vital to promote a sense of togetherness, creating a familiar and predictable atmosphere. Most centers include a morning routine of yoga or meditation, another very important aspect to recovery.
Mindfulness is key to dealing with the struggle of abstinence, even long after you leave the center and is an essential component to take away from rehab in order to maintain your recovery for a lifetime. It is important for anyone dealing with addiction to understand that they are not alone. Group activities such as meal times, exercise, meditation, art or music therapy are all designed to help you or your loved one understand that the problem of alcohol or substance abuse is not unique to them. There are millions who suffer from these same afflictions and it is through shared experiences that the healing process can truly begin. Rehab centers also give you free time throughout the day to do as you like. Some people decide to use this time for journaling or reading, others choose to do some physical activity such as swimming or a walk, and others simply use this time to relax and reflect on the day.
Individual & Group Therapy in Rehab
Individual therapy is extremely important in order for you to tell your story, be heard, and be helped by a professional dedicated entirely to you. CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) is an effective form of therapy which identifies the specific triggers of the individual, and how to diffuse these triggers with a solid set of tools. These sessions serve as a foundation for building trust, allowing you to feel comfortable enough to talk about the core wounds which have caused profound shame, oftentimes leading to or contributing to the addiction. Progress is usually made when there is complete honesty with your therapist, as well as with yourself.
Group therapy is another vital daily activity, and is usually done at least once throughout the day but often multiple times. The dynamic of hearing and telling your own story creates a healthy bond of connectedness with people who are suffering from the same afflictions and who are on the same path of recovery. Skills such as identification, listening, openly sharing, being vulnerable and asking for help or feedback are fostered to form a lasting fellowship. These tools and support network last beyond the rehab center, and well into your new life of recovery and sobriety.
If you or your loved one are ready to take the journey into a life of sobriety, there are numerous options to get you started. No one needs to do this alone. Our counselors are available 24 hours a day and are ready to answer any of your questions, day or night. Please call 833-364-0736. Help is just a phone call away.