Getting the Most out of Drug Rehab
Drug rehab can give you the resources you need to a successful recovery!
Drug rehab is a great opportunity for you–if you take it for what it’s worth and work with it! If you simply walk into drug rehab with the intention of not doing your part, then there’s a good chance that the treatment won’t do a whole lot for you. It’s an investment in your future, an investment in your life and if you don’t carefully plan your recovery and plan your involvement in drug rehab–there’s a good chance that your recovery will be intercepted.
Even someone with all of the resources offered at drug rehab can have difficulty getting on the right track. Even if you choose the best drug rehab center in the country, backed by the highest credentials of any treatment center around and you get counseled by a therapist or counselor who is at the top in the industry–if you aren’t will to do the work that it takes to recover then you probably won’t recover! Fortunately, there are some steps (baby steps) that you can take to get the most out of drug rehab while you are there–after all, if you’ve taken the time out of your life to get help, you might as well make the best of it and make it worth your effort!
Begin by staying positive about treatment. You’ll have many challenges throughout each day as you take steps toward recovery. There will be detox, there will be stress and there will be desires to begin using again along the way but as time goes on, these desires will gradually fade and the recovery process will become easier (or at least a bit less challenging). Don’t allow yourself to feel like you’ve been defeated if you relapse–simply do what you can to pick up where you left off on the recovery bandwagon–that’s all you can really do!
Be realistic about your goals both in recovery and in your day to day life. Many people, addicts in recovery especially, are reluctant to set realistic goals. Some because they do not know how to and others because they just want to skip so many steps and be well. Unfortunately, by setting unrealistic goals, you are also setting yourself up for failure. Let’s be realistic about our expectations about ourselves and our expectations of others and then take a look at how many more achievements are made along the way. The entire process will be more fulfilling and positive all around. You might want 30 days of treatment to be enough, but for most, this is an unrealistic expectation that comes with great travesty when the addiction is not 100% gone after 30 days. Be realistic! You probably didn’t become an addict in under a month and it’s not likely that you will recover that fast either!
Pay close attention to the rules of the drug rehab center and the recovery process and stay on track. Most rehab centers will provide you with around-the-clock supervision if they are considered a residential or inpatient facility. You will have very clear expectations and you will be expected to follow the rules as they are set forth for you. Keep in mind, that although the rules may seem tough, they are in place not only to keep you safe but also to respect the safety and recovery efforts of others in the facility. Drug rehab is not about living the life you are accustomed to or having freedom–it’s about focusing on getting well so that you can get back to a normal life.
Be open to what others have to say, especially when they are trying to help you. There are great strengths in those who accept the wisdom of others. You’re not the only person who has ever struggled with addiction to drugs and you’re also not the first person to attempt recovery–take what others have into consideration and allow them to guide you when you are feeling lonely or as if you can’t do this – you’ll find the strength to get through each day and as each day passes, the process of recovering will become easier.
Become more involved with the opportunities that are made available to you in drug rehab. You may have the ability to sit in on educational lectures, you may be able to take part in multiple group therapy sessions each day and you’ll likely have the opportunity to receive family counseling. All of these opportunities are provided to assist you in recovering from addiction and in re-integrating back into society, back into the home with your loved ones and back into the workforce. You can learn a lot by taking part in the various opportunities that are made available to you in drug rehab and it is in your best interest to participate whenever you can.
