What is drug rehab?
If you are considering addiction treatment for yourself or a loved one, you might have wondered about drug rehab.
Drug rehab is most often a residential treatment facility that aims to help people overcome their addiction to drugs. People can seek treatment for addictions to illegal substances such as heroin or cocaine, but also to legal drugs, like prescription medication.
If you have become psychologically or physically addicted to drugs, you may require a medical detox programme which often takes place within a residential treatment facility.
However, you can also enter these facilities before it gets to that stage as they also aim to change your thoughts and behaviours towards substance abuse, and some are able to stop addiction in its tracks before it starts to take over their lives.
What happens in a typical day in drug rehab?
Drug rehab generally centres around wellness and developing healthy habits and routines that you can continue long after you leave.
For this reason, most rehab centres have an early start. You will likely begin your day with a healthy breakfast followed by a yoga or meditation session to get you in a good state of mind for the rest of the day.
A group therapy session usually follows, where, in a controlled environment and led by a counsellor, you will learn what led to your addiction. You will begin to recognise certain triggers, issues and even people in your life that might be a cause of your problematic habits.
After lunch, there will be another therapy session. This could be more group therapy, individual therapy or even family therapy where a counsellor will help you and your family overcome your addiction together, heal relationships, and learn how to move past the addiction in the future.
These afternoon sessions are most often tailored to each individual’s needs and so they vary from person to person. Other forms of therapy that are available are Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), anger management or even art or dance classes.
You normally get some free time before dinner and can choose to partake in whatever activities the facility offers, such as swimming, playing tennis or ping-pong. However, you may also choose to spend this time reading, writing in a journal, or meditating.
After dinner, most drug rehab facilities offer another group therapy session in the shape of a 12 step programme. This gives patients a safe environment in which they can discuss their addiction, triggers, and reasons for seeking sobriety.
Early bedtime is encouraged to make sure patients are well-rested for the early mornings and activities of the following day. This is also to encourage healthy habits.
Other types of drug rehab
Drug rehab does not always have to be a prolonged inpatient experienced. The NHS offers drug rehab services which anyone can avail of if they feel they need the help.
The NHS drug rehab service is most often not an inpatient service and the patient is usually allocated a counsellor who will work out a personalised rehabilitation programme for them. The patient then has to detox at home. This takes an incredible amount of strength and willpower from the patient.
In extreme circumstances, a person seeking drug rehabilitation through the NHS may be placed on a specialised ward. This is usually because they need to be medicated to overcome their addiction and will need round the clock care in order to achieve sobriety.
How much does drug rehab cost?
Unfortunately, there is no one correct answer to this question. The price is wholly dependent on the facility you wish to attend, the duration for which you wish to attend, and the amount of aftercare that the facility deems necessary in your case.
You should seek out several clinics in your area and ask them for brochures and price lists. This way you can see what options are available to you within your price range.
If you feel that you would prefer an inpatient experience but cannot afford it, you might want to look at drug rehab programmes overseas. These programmes often offer the same support and therapies at a fraction of the cost.
How do I know if drug rehab is right for me?
Some people recognise that they have developed an addiction to drugs and are seeking help to overcome their addiction. If you feel that you have developed a dependency on drugs, you should look into getting into drug rehab.
This is also true if you feel that you may be slipping towards developing a dependency. Entering a drug rehab clinic can stop the addiction before it fully has you in its grips and can be life-saving for many people.
If you fear for the health and safety of a loved one that you believe is addicted to drugs, there are warning signs that you can look out for.
If they have become secretive or distant, are having financial problems or have frequent mood swings, you may want to approach them about the idea of a drug rehab facility.
How to prepare for rehab
If you have decided that drug rehab is right for you, you might be stressed or anxious about what is going to happen. That is completely normal.
There are a few steps you can take to make your stay in rehab less stressful:
- Organise your finances: If you are going to be away over a period of time, make sure you assign someone to pay any bills that are due to come in while you are away. Knowing that you won’t have a stack of overdue to bills to come home to will take some pressure off
- Plan what you’re packing in advance: Make a list of things you want to pack to take with you to rehab. This should include only essential items, such as soap and toothpaste. Most rehab clinics suggest that the fewer personal items a patient have the better. This is because your focus should be on you and only you while you are in rehab
- Arrange time off work: It may be daunting to let your employer know that you are entering a rehab facility, however, being honest about your addiction is a part of the process of recovery. You should be able to arrange the appropriate leave required, and your employer will want you to return to work happy and healthy
- Keep a journal: It is totally normal to feel anxious in the run-up to attending rehab, and keeping a journal is a great way of expressing your emotions in a healthy way. You can bring the journal with you and write in it every day or any time you’re feeling stressed or anxious
Deciding to enter rehab is a big step and takes a lot of strength and courage.
Reminding yourself why you are making this decision will help to keep you on track throughout the rehab programme and applying the techniques you learn in rehab throughout the rest of your life will help you on your path to sobriety.
