There may be quite a bit about going to drug or alcohol rehab that makes you nervous. If you’re just starting the path to recovery and have never received structured addiction treatment before, fear of the unknown is perfectly understandable.
With inpatient rehab, you’ll be spending one to three months of your life on a closed, secure campus. You’ll have to abide by the rules of the facility, and your coming and going will be restricted. However, it’s important to note that the rules and requirements that you’ll be subject to during rehab are actually meant to protect you. All rehab facilities have a series of rules that are designed to keep everyone safe, on-track, and capable of prioritizing their recoveries.
Fortunately, the prospect of spending time in an inpatient treatment center becomes far less daunting when you know exactly what lies ahead. To help allay your fears, following are several rules that you can expect as soon as you arrive.
No Drugs or Alcohol
If there’s one rule that’s guaranteed to be in place at every rehab facility throughout the nation, it’s this one: no drugs or alcohol at any time. If you attempt to sneak substances onto campus, you’ll likely be asked to leave. Maintaining your abstinence throughout the duration of your treatment is key for protecting your health and the health of everyone around you. As on-campus professionals administer medications and other medical interventions, reverting back to substance abuse poses a serious risk of overdose and dangerous contraindications.
Maintaining your abstinence is also respectful to other people in the facility. After all, if you’re committed to recovering and working hard to keep yourself on track, you definitely don’t want to contend with the stress and overwhelming temptation of having fellow patients actively using drugs or alcohol on site.
Laptops, tablets, and cellphones are forbidden as well. Connected, personal devices open the door to temptation. In some instances, these devices open the door to security issues as well. They’re also major distractions in recovery. Although you might want to do little more than phone a family member or play your favorite mobile game, your time in recovery should be spent in group and private counseling sessions, building your relapse prevention plan, and working on you.
Some rehab centers also disallow or severely restrict access to movies and TV. Imagine watching a movie with fellow patients only to encounter a scene in which people are using drugs or alcohol. Many popular programs glamorize drug and alcohol use, and the effects of doing so. Just like laptops, tablets, and mobile phones, television programs and movies can trigger temptation. They can also serve as an unnecessary source of both distraction and stress.
In rehab, sharing personal experiences is a vital part of the recovery process. Group counseling sessions are designed to help people develop their communication skills, learn how to support one another, and grow from the knowledge of others. To protect everyone in these meetings, patients aren’t allowed to make fun of or verbally attack each other. People are encouraged to be respectful and supportive at all times.
Establishing romantic relationships in rehab is also against the rules. During the initial stages of recovery, people are encouraged to focus on themselves and their own wellness. Although making new friends is a major and potentially lifelong benefit of going to rehab, romantic relationships are both distracting and entirely unrealistic at this time. However, there are couples rehabs for spouses and long-term partners who wish to start this path together. If you and your significant other want to complete your rehab in the same place and at the same time, you can look for inpatient and outpatient programs that make this possible.
Another incredibly important rule that many treatment centers maintain is the requirement to take part in all therapies, skill-building workshops, and training programs. Your success in rehab is largely dependent upon your willingness to do the necessary work. Some people spend months in rehab and exit treatment still lacking the skills and tools that they need to stay on course. By making both attendance and active participation mandatory, rehab centers give their clients the nudge they need to do well.
If you’re ready to start rehab but want to learn more about the different rules that you’ll be subject to, our counselors can help. We can also help you find the perfect rehab type for your needs, comfort level, and goals. Give us a call today at 855-334-6120 to get started.
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