If you don’t change, nothing changes. So, of course it’s fair to expect that entering drug or alcohol addiction treatment means making big adjustments to your daily life. But is drug and alcohol rehab necessary? Take a look at what happens in rehab and why you can't do it on your own.
Drug & Alcohol Rehab: Detox
Most people entering drug or alcohol treatment start with detox — the process of clearing drugs and alcohol from your body. Depending on your drug of choice, this can be a dangerous and uncomfortable process. For that reason, when you arrive at rehab your treatment team will ask you about your drinking and using habits. From there, they will be able to create a safe and effective detox for you, including the prescription of medications that may make the whole process much more comfortable.
Even after detox, you may start your day with a visit to the on-site nurse for any daily medication you may need. This can include medications to help you continue detoxing as well as any medications that may have been prescribed to you prior to your arrival. At that time, the nurse may also check your vitals to ensure that you are transitioning to clean and sober life well.
All of this is crucial to keeping you safe. When you have been consuming drugs and alcohol for years, it's a shock to your body to stop taking them. In some cases, that jolt can cause heart attack, coma, or even death. Going through detox and early recovery with 24/7 professional support sets you up for success further on down the road.
Drug & Alcohol Rehab: Meals
Growing a new life in recovery requires proper nutrition. At Sunflower Recovery, you’ll enjoy three meals a day (and snacks!) prepared on site. Every day, the menu for the day’s meals will be posted in the communal eating area, so you can look forward to tasty breaks in your schedule. After picking up your breakfast, you’ll sit with other patients for a casual and relaxing breakfast to fuel you for the day. (And yes: There is coffee.) Think about a typical day at home; Are you up to cooking three meals a day for yourself, and doing the shopping that it takes to create healthy, nutritious meals? That's not to mention the cost of buying groceries. In drug and alcohol treatment, you don't have to worry about any of that.
Drug & Alcohol Rehab: Trauma & Mental Health Treatment
Addiction is only the symptom of deeper problems. That’s why drug or alcohol addiction treatment is focused on healing buried trauma and mental health disorders — instead of just teaching you about how to live sober. It’s the work you do on your inner wounds that will allow you to stay clean and sober for the long term.
Your treatment plan will be customized for you upon arrival based on your needs and goals. But, a typical day may include any of the following addiction treatment modalities: cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), motivational interviewing, trauma-informed care, holistic therapies, and more. Our Masters-level clinicians will develop an innovative and effective treatment plan that works for you, and will walk you through it with empathy and care. There's simply no way to do that kind of healing and exploration without outside help.
Drug & Alcohol Rehab: Addiction Education
You’ll also learn a lot more about your disease, so you can learn how to keep it in remission in the future. In drug and alcohol addiction treatment, you’ll be introduced to the disease model of addiction and what that means for your experience. You’ll also learn tips and tricks for relapse prevention, and how to manage triggers that may arise in daily life. Everything that you learn will help you stay clean and sober in the future. Of course, you can research these topics on your own, but learning about them in addiction treatment allows you to ask questions and to hear the questions of your peers, giving you more of an immersive experience.
Drug & Alcohol Rehab: Experiential Activities
When it's time to go to drug and alcohol rehab, you're probably used to spending all of your free time using. A free day can be intimidating because of all the empty hours you need to fill while staying sober. In rehab, you learn how to relax and have fun again. Even something as simple as playing a game of pickup basketball out back can be considered part of your treatment, and there is plenty of time built into the day for such activities. In drug and alcohol addiction treatment, you will learn how to enjoy life again, so the seed of new hopes and dreams can blossom.
Starting Drug & Alcohol Addiction Treatment
If you have more questions about what happens in rehab, or if you’re asking yourself, “Do I need rehab?” contact our staff. Many of them have been in your shoes and they can answer your questions with no pressure — simply giving you the information you need to make the best decision for yourself.
The shame and fear of addiction can make you feel like a different life isn’t possible for you. But no matter how dark things may seem, everyone deserves and can achieve a life in recovery. If you want it, you'll find it at Sunflower Recovery Center — where new life blooms.