If you have never been to a rehab center before it can be scary to consider. Not knowing what to expect makes the decision to book into recovery environments difficult to commit to, and the temptation may be to put it off. This is a mistake. The sooner that you address your issues with addiction, the faster you may reach a resolution.
Recovery is not easy and will require a lot of work, and rehab centers are aware of the challenges. They work with you rather than fighting against you, and that’s the key to taking the first step towards booking yourself in for treatment. If you’re worried about booking into a rehab center, then knowing what to expect might help to alleviate those concerns.
It will not be easy
You can expect your time in rehab to be rife with discomfort. This is totally normal and should not be feared. The longer that you spend in recovery, the less you’ll feel that lack of comfort. Confronting your behavior is one of the main priorities of recovery, and this can be challenging for people to face. Knowing in advance that you will be in uncomfortable conversations can help you to alleviate them, and tackle those feelings in a productive and healthy way.
You will doubt your addiction
When you hear the stories of other addicts, you may end up wondering if you were ever an addict in the first place. This is common, and increasingly so the closer you get to recovery. Comparing your addiction to others is one of the ways that rehab works in order to get you to confront your own issues. This inevitably leads to that feeling that your addiction was not as bad as someone else’s. Slowly, you will learn to realize that addictions cannot be compared and that your own experiences are as valid as anyone else’s.
Embarrassment and shame
There is no way to get around the fact that you will often feel ashamed. As you talk about your experiences with other addicts and counselors, you will be addressing the mistakes that you have made. Addiction causes people to act in many destructive ways and relationships that you cherish can take second place to your addiction. Exploring and accepting your shame is a difficult area to navigate, but it’s important that you learn to realize that your addiction is not a weakness and that there is no blame attached. Through therapy and counseling, you will instead feel pride that you overcame your addictions and moved on.
You will be challenged
Addicts are very good at justifying their behavior, and this will continue into your recovery. Those around you will either have experienced the same or have been around addicts long enough to recognize lies and dishonest justifications. You will get called out on those lies, and that can lead to feeling more shame. It’s important that you don’t close down during these reflective periods. Facing up to your negative actions is one of the key stages of recovery, and your process will be more transitional if you recognize the worth of receiving an assessment from others in the same situation as you.
Paying for rehab
Recovery isn’t always going to be cheap, but health insurance can lessen the financial costs. The actual price will vary depending on the type of treatment that you get and the facility where you are receiving your treatment. Different health care insurance policies will cover drug addiction recovery in different ways. Make sure that your health insurance will cover the costs of your rehab, as not being able to meet your financial obligations may well mean interrupting your rehabilitation. Use an Aetna rehab provider network to ensure that you are covered for the duration of your recovery process.
The temptation to quit
There will be many times during your rehabilitation that the temptation to just walk out and return to your life is overwhelming. Sobriety is very daunting when you’re used to drug or alcohol use, and it can seem too distant a lot of the time. The notion of recovery can often feel like a distant milestone that will never be reached, and the urge to quit and go back to your old routine can be all-consuming. You will get help to push through those feelings, and your recovery will be much more satisfying when you have tackled the urge to give up.
Meeting fellow addicts
There is no set demographic for addicts, and as a result, you will meet a wide variety of people in a rehab center. You will become friends with some, and others will just be passing through your life. However, everyone in the center will be going through similar experiences as you, and like you, they have found the strength to address their problems. Peer support is going to be vital for your recovery, and those around you will be invaluable sources of inspiration.
It’s important to remember as well that many people leave rehab and then relapse. You will be taught how to deal with the emotions that this can bring up. The temptation will be to help or to feel guilty that you don’t help enough. However, your focus should always be on your own recovery
You will change
The point of recovery is to change, and you will be a different person when you leave your rehab center. That change will not be limited to the stopping of drug or alcohol use. You will instead view the world very differently. Partly this is due to being able to take the time to address your previous attitudes and behavior. You will learn throughout the recovery process to view the world very differently, and the coping mechanisms that you develop to prevent relapse can have a very positive effect on the rest of your life. Finding self-worth is often the hardest part of rehabilitation, but the right support can get you there.
Make no mistake, recoveryis not easy. It will take hard work and commitment. If you’re concerned about what to expect fromrehab, then there is a reason that you are considering it. Learn about what happens in a rehab facility andyou will be taking the first steps on the road to recovery.
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