What To Expect

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What To Expect

Posted on May 01 , 2010 in Blog

Alcohol and Drug Treatment

When entering into an alcohol and drug treatment facility most people are filled with fear and anxiety.  This stems from uncertainty about their need for alcohol and drug treatment, the strange environment at the alcohol and drug treatment facility, and the fact that they will be giving up the coping mechanism they have been relying on during years of substance abuse.  When searching for the appropriate alcohol and drug treatment center, it is important to ask the counselor you speak with what the daily regimen will be like.  This will help allay your fears of the environment at the alcohol and drug treatment facility and let you know what to expect.

If part of your alcohol and drug treatment includes a detox from drugs or alcohol then a good portion of this time will be spent resting and allowing your body to recover from years of drug or alcohol abuse.  If you’re entering into a 28 day (or longer) alcohol and drug treatment program then much of your day will be consumed by group meetings, drug and alcohol education, stress management, and other seminars focused on rebuilding life skills without the crutch of chemicals.

The effects that various drugs and alcohol have on a person’s body depend on the substance of abuse, the years of abuse, and the physical well being of the person entering the alcohol and drug treatment program.  Older opiate addicts (including heroin, oxycontin, and others) can expect their detox to last anywhere from 10 days to 2 weeks or more before their body begins to feel normal again.  Detox symptoms for opiate addicts usually include body aches and other issues like stomach cramps and intestinal issues.  Youlife 150x150 What To Expectnger alcoholics, however, can get through their detox in as little as 5 days and move quickly into an effective and meaningful program of alcohol and drug treatment.

After you have had the chance to detox from your substance of abuse (either drugs, alcohol, or both), your alcohol and drug treatment should focus on behavioral therapy.  This can be done in either an inpatient alcohol and drug treatment setting or an outpatient alcohol and drug treatment program.  Behavioral therapy like counseling (one-on-one or group), cognitive therapy, or psychotherapy provides people in alcohol and drug treatment with tools and strategies for dealing with issues like stress and cravings.

Addiction treatment also teaches addicts how to avoid relapse and how to deal with a relapse should one occur.  Occasionally the alcohol and drug treatment professionals at the rehab facility may prescribe medications to the addict that will help reduce cravings and even stabilize their moods without the use of drugs or alcohol. Before departing the alcohol and drug treatment center, the counselors should help you develop a structured plan of recovery for your life after rehab.  While a thorough alcohol and drug treatment program will get to the root causes of your disease (and addiction is a disease), it is vital that you have an ongoing plan for your recovery when you are back to the real world.  This continuum of care should be written out and can be provided by attending 12 steps meetings like NA or AA, participating in an outpatient rehab program, and building relationships with other addicts in recovery.

While no one expects perfection from the addict in recovery after they leave the alcohol and drug treatment program, the best chances of success are achieved by working with others that understand your disease either from a professional perspective or from personal experience.  Don’t wait any longer to get the alcohol and drug treatment you need.

Call (916)235-9259 to speak to a counselor schedule your alcohol and drug treatment.

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