Finding recovery from addiction
The way to get well from a drinking, drugging, food, gambling, sex or other behavioural or substance problem begins with asking for help.
No-one cracks this particular problem alone.
Whilst there are different approaches to this return-to-wellness journey (and it is a journey, not a process with an end-point), many people start with a trip to a rehab.
What is a rehab?
So, what is a rehab, what goes on there and does everyone have to go?
The answer to the last part of that question is no, not everyone requires a stay in rehab. If you’re not sure whether it’s right for you, then it’s worth taking advice on this from your therapist, GP, psychiatrist or psychologist. But many people do need it, so let’s start with an understanding of what a rehab is.
A rehab (or rehabilitation facility) is a specialist provider of in-patient treatment for addictions of all kinds, and sometimes eating disorders. (Eating disorder treatment is often separated out because of the particular and high-intensity care it requires).
Why choose rehab?
The reason many people choose to go to a rehab is that they are finding it impossible to focus on getting well whilst still situated in their everyday lives. Perhaps their substance abuse has become so debilitating that they are unable to engage meaningfully in therapy, reliably attend appointments, or even stay sober long enough to do much at all. Maybe, an intractable focus on meeting the demands of work or the needs of family members means that a person cannot prioritise their own well-being sufficiently to make headway with their addiction treatment.
So, many people find that taking a break from their life is the only way they will be able to start getting well. In which case, the holding a rehab can provide is a gift worth taking.
What goes on in a rehab?
A rehab will conduct an assessment with potential clients as a first step. This usually takes place over the phone and is then consolidated with referrals, blood tests and ECGs, intake forms and gathering the standard administrative information an in-patient stay requires. Every facility will be slightly different in what they ask for, some will accept payment through health funds and some will not. You are also free to shop around and go to a facility in another country if you choose. The USA, South Africa and Thailand are popular destinations.
When you turn up at a rehab, their priority will be to ensure you are safe. This means making sure you are safe physically, emotionally and spiritually. To this end, a good rehab will take care of your every need in the pursuit of your holistic well-being, from excellent nutrition, physical exercise, medication if necessary, comfortable surroundings, kind personal interactions and more.
Then the work will begin.
A good rehab will offer as many different treatment approaches as possible. These will include talking therapies, physical activities and experiential therapies aimed at educating, building resilience, resourcing, and soothing the nervous system. These will be presented within a daily timetable that provides structure and scaffolding to aid you in healing.
Along the way, you will generally be with other people facing similar challenges, with whom you can chat, identify, support and even have fun.
Will it help?
Most people find a stay in rehab to be a positive experience that provides an invaluable starting point to the recovery journey; one which supercharges the initial changes required to get well and stay well.
Rehabs provide a unique environment geared specifically towards people just like you, (and there are oh-so-many out there), who want to recover from an addiction, but have found themselves helpless to do so alone. Some people go once, others go multiple times, everyone is different. But the single aim is to give you a second chance to build a great life for yourself.
So, if you’re struggling with an addiction, you’ve tried your best to kick the habit, but it’s not working, just know that there are specialist facilities that can hold and heal you until you are ready to re-enter your world, motivated to keep moving forward in recovery.