Checking into a rehabilitation centre takes courage, as you’re signing yourself up for a month of intense, structured suffering in order to overcome your addiction. However, there are various approaches you can take to rehab, some of which will make it easier and some that will make it harder. Here’s what not to do in rehab if you want to make it as easy as possible for yourself.
Fighting Routine
Your time in most rehab centers, like this Orange County rehab, will be highly structured and your daily routine will follow a tight schedule. This is designed to bring some organization and control back into your life, but it can be difficult to adhere to when you’re used to life on the outside. Don’t fight against this routine as it will help you to get to where you need to be.
Your routine will include regular meals, which you need to eat rather than refuse. What you eat has a big impact on your mental health and energy levels and can therefore play an important role in your recovery. You will also be asked to partake in exercise classes which you also need to join in with.
These will help you to develop a healthy lifestyle, and exercise releases endorphins so it will help you to organise your thoughts and maintain a positive outlook, which could act as an alternative solution to substance abuse. Eminem famously replaced prescription medication with exercise post rehabilitation and has now overcome his addiction.
Not Attending Therapy
Your daily routine in rehab will also include therapy, both group and individual sessions. Therapy can be frightening for those who have been trying to mask their difficulties with intoxicants for a long time, but they are a crucial part of your recovery. Individual therapy sessions will be tailored to your specific experiences and will help you to understand why you might have turned to addiction, and how else you could manage these issues in a different way, so it’s important to open up and not run away from them.
Group therapy sessions can be even more intimidating, but they will help you to deal with symptoms of withdrawal. They also give you the opportunity to speak with other addicts, bond over your shared experiences, and create a support network for your post rehab life. Make sure you attend and contribute to these sessions as you will benefit hugely from them.
Keeping A Closed Mind
Part of the initial struggle of attending rehab is accepting that you are an addict, that you may have underlying issues that have contributed towards that, and that you can do what it takes to recover. A big part of a successful rehabilitation experience is opening your mind to these possibilities in order to learn and grow from them, as well as taking on board advice and recommendations from the professionals.
It would be fruitless to take the leap and check into rehab if you are not prepared to approach it with an open mind. Their aim is to break down and rebuild the negative thought cycles that have resulted in addiction, so you need to have faith in their approach and that you will succeed. This includes accepting a routine, attending therapy sessions, and attending alternative therapy classes such as exercise class. For more advice on addiction, for example how to help a loved one who is suffering from it, visit mumstheword.me.
When you reduce or quit using drugs your body goes through a detoxification process (detox) or withdrawal. Cravings for the drug will sometimes be weak and at other times very strong. Learning how to manage them is important for staying drug-free.
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