Most of us picture a celeb rehab when we envision what happens there. We’re here to set the record straight.
What do you think of when you think of a rehab clinic? Do you picture a hospital setting or do you think of a grand old hotel? In fact, the average rehab clinic is somewhere between the two. It is one part medical facility and one part health club. It seeks to give you all the resources and tools you need to effectively quit drink or drugs.
We’re here today to talk about what happens in rehab clinics. Let’s dispel some of the myths and legends about Drug and Alcohol Rehab, to try and combat the stigma surrounding addiction.
The Detox Period
The first thing you will go through when you go to rehab for a drug or alcohol addiction, is the detox period. You may not need detoxification if your addiction is not substance abuse related. For example, if you are addicted to gambling or the internet. Detox is the process of clearing your body of all the chemicals it has been dependant on for so long.
There is no real special technique to detoxing. All that happens is that you abstain from the substance for long enough that the withdrawal symptoms start to ease and become manageable. Some drugs are dangerous to detox from on your own. Others are particularly intense and will take a long time to get over. Heroin addiction is a particularly nasty one to get off. This is where medically assisted detox comes in.
Medically assisted detox is the process of a medical professional prescribing you drugs that make withdrawal easier.
The Rehab Process
Typically rehab takes place over two stages. The first stage (after detox) is the rehab process itself. After that, you have the aftercare process.
The rehab process involves giving you the tools you need to fight against addiction. It begins the moment your detox is complete. It features a combination of group and one-on-one therapy sessions. These will explore the psychological reasons behind your drinking or drug problem. Next, you will be prescribed a dietary plan for healthy nourishment and invited to attend exercise sessions. You will attend holistic therapies and treatments, doing yoga and reiki or art therapy, for example.
You will go through several workshops and learning courses aimed at getting you back to the real world. These might include CV building, interview techniques, or just lessons on how to manage a home. The aim of all of this is to keep you so busy that you don’t have time to use drink or drugs.
The final stage of the rehab process lies in the aftercare segment of recovery treatment. This stage involves a supervised return to your own home. You may get phone support or internet sessions. You may have ongoing group therapy sessions, or another means of ongoing support from the rehab clinic. Opt for a rehab centre with good aftercare from the outset as this transitional period is the most difficult of all.
