Do I Really Need Rehab?

Acknowledging a problematic use disorder and admitting to ourselves that we need help can be one of the hardest steps in finding help. The pop culture presentation of addiction in media can make it seem like your whole life has to collapse around you before you seek out rehab, but that doesn’t have to be the case. Addiction is a disease, and like other diseases, catching it early can reduce the damage it does to you and those close to you.

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If you’re unsure whether or not you should seek out rehab, here are some questions that could point you in the right direction. If you answer yes to several of these, it’s worth looking into getting help.

  • Do you feel the need to hide or lie about your substance use?
  • Has pursuing your substance cut off personal relationships?
  • Has your employment been endangered by your substance use? (Job loss, loss of license, etc.)
  • Do you feel like you need to engage in your substance use to function normally?
  • Have you encountered legal trouble as a result of your substance use?
  • Have you tried and failed multiple times to give up your substance on your own?

Can I Fix My Addiction Alone?

The shame associated with addiction in the modern day is a huge roadblock for many people in need of help. Feeling like you’ve let down loved ones or wanting to avoid similar feelings can make people hide their use disorder until it causes real damage. When addiction is viewed as a moral failing rather than a disease, it can seem like the only way to fix it is through isolated willpower and hard personal work, but it doesn’t have to be that way.

If you’re struggling with a substance use disorder, trying to quit alone, especially all at once, can put your life in danger. When abandoning a drug, it’s not just the high you’re missing, your body has rebalanced itself to expect the chemicals within the substance. Without the regular intake of your substance of choice, your body will destabilize, which leads to withdrawal.

When quitting cold turkey from long-term alcoholism, you have a small chance to develop delirium tremens (DT), a serious condition that will cause severe tremors and possibly send you into seizures. Without proper treatment, DT carries a 37% fatality rate. So, while recovery may be possible on your own, it will most likely go much smoother in the care of a treatment provider.

What’s The Cost Of Treatment?

The largest consideration for most people when seeking treatment is the cost. The cost fluctuates depending on what rehab you choose, what type of treatment you require, and how long you’ll be spending in their care. Given all those variables, there’s no one number that represents the cost of rehab.

Insurance is another key part in your choice of treatment. Centers will list what insurance they take, and it’s up to you to determine how that will impact your choice of treatment. If you don’t have private insurance, there are centers who will work with you using government provided options. Information more specific to your needs would be better found in calling a treatment center directly.

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Who Will Be Working With Me In Rehab?

The staff involved with your treatment will vary depending on the kind of care you require and the facility you choose. Below is a list of professionals that can be involved in addiction recovery, but this is not to say every facility will have all of them.

  • Case Managers to help plan your recovery.
  • Psychiatrists for any mental health care requiring medication.
  • Psychologists for non-medicine based mental health treatment.
  • Medical staff to implement detoxes and other medically assisted procedures.
  • Dietitians who will organize a healthy meal plan for you.
  • Occupational therapists if you need help recovering physically from your use disorder.

How Long Does Treatment Take?

Like the cost of treatment, the length of time you spend will depend on your needs and which kind of treatment you choose. The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports increased levels of treatment success when people spend 90 days or more getting help.

Inpatient programs typically break up into month-long increments, so you’ll most likely be choosing between program lengths of 30, 60, and 90 days. Treatment can extend longer than these periods depending on what kind of support you need, and the type of treatment can change. A plan may be constructed to give you 60 days of inpatient treatment and if you’re improved enough by the end of that period, you could shift into outpatient treatment to adjust back into the world.

Will I Have Support After Treatment?

Within the addiction and treatment world, it’s common knowledge that recovery is a lifelong process. Unfortunately, there’s no magic cure for addiction and you won’t be effortlessly sober after 30 days in rehab. What you can do is strengthen your support system.

Many treatment centers have an established network of alumni. This is a group of people who have made it through a rehab program and are available to give new people support and advice on their recovery journey. You can also reach out to support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous or SMART recovery, which provide local meetings organized outside of alumni networks. These programs work to bolster the support you feel when transitioning back into your life after recovery, and work to support you alongside your day-to-day support system of friends and family.

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Should I Consider Traveling For Rehab?

There are a few big reasons why you should give distant treatment center options some thought.

  • Mentally distance yourself from some of the stress of your addiction and its effects.
  • Physically distance yourself from the parts of your life that trigger your use disorder.

If you can already commit the time away from your life to attend inpatient rehab, then traveling for rehab may not be as crazy as it sounds. Spending time away from the environments where you engaged in your addiction could reduce the risk of outside influence disturbing your recovery.

Do I Need to Prepare Anything Before Rehab?

If you’ve decided you’re starting rehab, there are things you need to arrange to make the transition smooth. Inpatient rehab requires your attendance full-time, which means any work-related obligations need to be handled before entering treatment. Outside of some luxury treatment centers, inpatient rehab doesn’t allow work during your stay. Even if your job would let you work remotely, your days are going to be spent in various kinds of therapy, treatment, and other non-work-related activities.

You may also want to set aside more time than usual in your schedule to spend time with friends and family because you could be away for a month or more. Requirements change from center to center, but you’ll also need to prepare the things you’ll bring with you into rehab.

  • Casual clothing
  • Approved toiletries
  • Assistive devices (braces, wheelchairs, or walkers)
  • Medical records with important information for your treatment professionals
  • Medications and your primary care provider information
  • A notebook

What Can’t I Bring to Rehab?

There are some common sense rules in place to minimize drug seeking behavior and trigger exposure.

  • Any kind of recreational drug
  • Computers
  • Cell phones
  • Weapona
  • Clothing depicting drug use or drugs
  • Anything that could be misused to cause a high (aerosol products, toiletries containing alcohol)

Online Counseling
for Alcohol Addiction

Paid Advertising. We receive advertising fees from purchases through the promoted links below.

BetterHelp - Professional Therapy, 100% Online

Get professional help from an addiction and mental health counselor from BetterHelp. Start getting support via phone, video, or live-chat.

Take the Quiz. Get Matched. Begin Therapy.

START THE QUIZ

Talkspace - Online Therapy & Recovery Support

Online therapy can help you with long term addiction support. Connect with a Talkspace therapist anytime, anywhere.

Match with a therapist to get started.

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How Do I Reach Out?

Reaching out to a treatment center is an important step in your recovery journey. Speaking to a treatment provider is the fastest way to explore all of your treatment options. Reach out today to speak to a treatment provider and make progress towards recovery.