Residential drug rehab is a place that offers long-term treatment to help someone kick a drug or alcohol habit. There are centers for men and women as well as teenaged boys and girls. The addict has to decide: Does he want to change his life? Because the rehab can last thirty days, or it can last a year, but if the person doesn’t really want to stop, it’s a waste of time.
Well, let’s back up a minute: Most people walk very reluctantly into a residential drug rehab on the day they are admitted. One rehab case manager confided that in over six years spent working at the same place, there was just one time when a client drove himself up to the place, parked his car outside, and walked in with a smile. And, in truth, that person did not stay in the rehab for the entire length of the program.
So the truth is that nobody wants to need rehab. But if you recognize that you do need it, you’ve already taken a giant first step. And you can make the choice to go into it willingly.
A residential drug rehab is scary, no matter how old you are, because when you walk through that door you are giving up control over how you live your life. You’ve passed the point where you pretend you can quit using alcohol or drugs any time you want. When you walk into a residential facility, you are admitting that you’ve tried and failed to quit. You’ve ended up in a place where the faces are strange and the rules are frustrating. So let’s look at some of the positives:
The residential drug rehabilitation facility is going to be a place that tries to be home for you. This is true to the extent that the facility’s budget permits, anyway! You’ll have a bed to call your own. You might not have a room of your own. But most places will let you bring your own blankets and pillow plus a few photos from home.
You will have a counselor assigned to you who will help you face the realities of your addiction. Substance abuse counselors are trained to help you understand that addiction is not a crime, it is a medical diagnosis. Even if you never gain an understanding of your own brain chemistry, you will learn to address your triggers-the things that make you want to use.
As you focus on your treatment, you’ll learn that nothing is harder than the first couple weeks. Once you get past that, the rest of your time there will fly by! You’ll find a peace and a purpose in your days there, whether you are addressing the underlying problems in your life, or learning how to do things that you never tried before.
And in a residential facility, there will be continuity in the fabric of your life. If you find that you’re interested in cooking, the people there will let you help with that. If you always wanted to write poetry or learn to play chess, you can do that. You won’t have the freedom to visit a library or movie on your own, but the center will organize some activities you can participate in.
Ultimately, a residential drug rehab center lets the individual participate in his own treatment and help set his own goals. The people there who conduct individual, family, and group counseling sessions will help you regain dignity and focus. They’ll teach you, before you leave, how to enter a room of recovery-a 12-step meeting-and say your name, plus learn to ask for a sponsor. Because you are worth it!
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