Receiving therapy through drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers can be intimidating—many go into the process without knowing what to expect or how to handle it. The fear of the unknown will make others try to avoid therapy entirely. Approaching the situation can be daunting, but necessary to make the right improvements.
There are a number of steps that must be made during the recovery process from an addiction, all of which can have a number of physical and mental effects on you. Before enrolling yourself or someone you love into rehabilitation, it is important to review what to expect in the recovery process.
Checking In
Much like when you visit a hotel, a theme park, or a museum, you need to check in to your rehabilitation center. This includes performing a number of physical and psychological tests to assess your addiction, how severely it affects you, and what needs to be done about it.
What often comes first is a drug test to analyze what drugs are in your system and develop a detox plan—a process to remove them from your body—based on said drugs.
After mapping out a detox plan, you must work out a therapy plan for the psychological side of healing. Counseling can be handled in a variety of ways: through group meetings, one-on-one conversations with a therapist, or even virtual reality scenarios.
Once you are able to work out these plans and move through the detox process, you can move on to actually execute these plans.
Nursing the Body and Mind
After a plan has been established, you must be willing to be patient with yourself and the process to properly nurture your body. Addressing the health of not just the body, but also the mind and the spirit is crucial.
Exercise routines are often introduced not only for their physical health benefits but also for how they trigger endorphins in the brain, which help a person feel good. By developing habits that create positive feelings without drugs or alcohol, you can avoid falling into habits that cause a relapse.
You might also be encouraged to develop a proper nutritional diet to nurture your body as well as help handle cravings that avoid drugs or alcohol. In order to further monitor this, you will be continuously drug tested to ensure you maintain sobriety.
In addition, you will be trained to work on proper emotional coping habits through whatever therapy sessions you have been assigned to. Mentally and emotionally healing may take the most time of all in the process, but it requires your perseverance to reach recovery.
Leaving Rehab Behind
After weeks or even months of rehabilitation, the thought of leaving can be frightening. Rehabilitation can feel like a safety bubble, but it is not a permanent escape from real life.
Many rehabilitation centers offer alumni programs that allow you to return for continued support and therapy in order to prevent relapse. This way, if you find yourself beginning to struggle, you can always return for even minor assistance.
By finally leaving rehab however, you can practice incorporating your new habits and exercises out of rehab—without the constant surveillance—and practice your ability to maintain sobriety. There are also care plans to continue therapy to a certain extent outside of rehab, known as “outpatient services,” if you are still concerned. It helps to be wary of relapse rather than assume you have cleared all roadblocks.
If you or a loved one is considering rehabilitation for drug or alcohol addiction, contact a local Treatment & Rehab program in Tennessee. You might also investigate Discovery Place’s own recovery programs such as our 30 Day Residential Addiction Recovery Program or our Long Term Recovery Program in Burns, Tennessee. Call us for a free consultation at 1-800-725-0922.
