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What to expect at rehab?

ArrestdDevelopment

ArrestdDevelopment

Greenlighter
Joined
Mar 18, 2016
Messages
27
Location
Wisconsin
Well after some mix up, tomorrow is finally my intake day at rehab. I've never done an inpatient before and was kind of wondering what kind of things to expect/be prepared for. It's only 30 days and the rooms are either to yourself or you have one roommate (they house about 22). It is non-profit if that matters much but is still somehow costing me more than several grand. Any info would be greatly appreciated.
 
I've been to rehab twice, and would t be clean today without it. Rehab saved my life. My rehab was structured. Went to bed early, woke up at the same time every day, three meals a day, same time every day. We had group therapy daily, gender based therapy (sexes are segregated) a couple of times s week, meetings a few times a week, and some other activities. In theory, we were supposed to receive counseling but I saw the psychiatrist once for five minutes and the counselor twice for about ten minutes each time because he facility as so overbooked. The food as gross, the facility dirty, and many of the other patients belonged in an asylum, not rehab...but, being there for thirty days kept me away from the stress of my life and kept me away from substances. I also learned a lot about addiction and recovery, and learned valid tools to live as a sober person.

I now live sober, my marriage is no longer stressed by my using, I work full time, and I have hobbies and friends, and live a nice quiet normal safe life. As unpleasant as rehab was, it was necessary to get healthy. Of course, this is only my experience. I can't tell you what rehab will be like for you, or if it will work for you. Your attitude going into rehab will determine what you get from it, and how you apply that knowledge to better your life. Essentially, you get what you put in, so I recommend you work hard while you are there, regardless of how ridiculous the task may be, and try to learn everything you can about addiction, recovery, and yourself. Feel free to hit me up with questions. Good luck! You have a great opportunity in front of you - take advantage!
 
Thanks xbg, this is that place I was talking about that does the cognitive behavioural therapy. It seems pretty structured there (ended up finding their weekly schedule online). Up at 7am, room time at 11pm. Seems like most days are filled with group therapy all day with breaks in between for meals, yoga class, and rec room has a pool table, tv etc. If you don't mind me asking, how long clean do you have?
 
Rehab helps, fact. Not everybody, but it helps people. Overall a very positive experience, and it was also a non profit hospital.

Try art therapy and everything they give you the opportunity to do. Read books, do sports. The food wasn't grand but it was eatable.
 
Expect lots of group therapy. Expect to be bored. Expect to be angry. Expect to want to leave. Expect bullshit. Expect AA/NA/CA meetings everyday. Expect it to be what you make it to be.
 
Not at the moment. But I was just back for a few years. Grew up young years in the UP and then youg adult in GB. Sitting right now in the shadow of longs peak.. colorado front range.

Many aspects of current rehab can be pretty hard to swallow. But there is a ton of great stuff it has to offer. If there are aspects that turn you totally off.. just make sure you don't throw the baby out with the bathwater (being a wisco cat we just talk like this:D). Take what you need from wherever you find it.

The very best of luck to you.. try everything hard.. and keep what you need.
 
I think the key thing to take from the experience is the therapy. So put your all in the therapy, be honest, and be open. Sometimes you might not feel like participating, try and push yourself too, or just be honest about it and explain why. It's all to help you, to better understand YOU. CBT starts off with a schedule and usually assigns homework, like little things to do to change your behaviors. DO THE HOMEWORK. Some of it may seem stupid, etc, but do it anyways, it'll help you in the end. :] Have faith in the experts and the experience. Have faith in yourself. :) Goodluck!
 
6 hours till I ship off. Trying to sleep but pretty nervous. Thank you again for the advice everyone, definitely going to go the extra mile on applying myself when I'm there. See you back here in a month!
 
Yeah there will be times where you'll be bored, try to exercise a bit of meditation if you can. Concentrate on your left or right toe, and go up from here till the hair, limb by limb. Take your time with each limb, visualising it. Very relaxing.

Good luck AD.
 
ArrestdDevelopment said:
Thanks xbg, this is that place I was talking about that does the cognitive behavioural therapy. It seems pretty structured there (ended up finding their weekly schedule online). Up at 7am, room time at 11pm. Seems like most days are filled with group therapy all day with breaks in between for meals, yoga class, and rec room has a pool table, tv etc. If you don't mind me asking, how long clean do you have?
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The first time I was clean for a year, but relapsed. After going back to rehab the second time, I now have 2 years and no desire to use. The second time I went to rehab I was selfish, and spoke about my problems whenever possible, so I spent a lot of time talking in group lol.
 
x_benzo_girl said:
The first time I was clean for a year, but relapsed. After going back to rehab the second time, I now have 2 years and no desire to use. The second time I went to rehab I was selfish, and spoke about my problems whenever possible, so I spent a lot of time talking in group lol.
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I think you make a good point about being selfish. The next 30 days are about you and no one else. Once you leave treatment you will likely never see any of those people again so why worry about there problems or even worse wtf they think about you or your life.
 
What's selfish about focusing on your problems in rehab? It's what you are there for.
 
yeah the two people who I managed to stay in contact with after my treatment were relapsing just days after we got out...so..probably not the best idea :\ nonetheless the are really cool and interesting people!
 
Tinker55 said:
What's selfish about focusing on your problems in rehab? It's what you are there for.
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I just think its easy to get caught up in the drama going on there. At least it was for me. After the drugs wore off I was looking for anything I could find too occupy my mind from thinking about my life. Other peoples drama was an easy place to focus.
 
cj said:
I think you make a good point about being selfish. The next 30 days are about you and no one else. Once you leave treatment you will likely never see any of those people again so why worry about there problems or even worse wtf they think about you or your life.
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Exactly- you have to maximize the experience. Many of the people in my group didn't want to be there, so I brought discussions back to my problems whenever possible. I know I slighted other people who were just as sick as me out of thier time, but I wanted sobriety and had to get to the root of why I used, and having a group audience helped facilitate that. It also helped that most other people are very uncomfortable to discuss their problems in great detail, so as long as I discussed mine in detail, other people were interested and kept providing feedback. It helped, they helped, and because of this I am sober today and can recognize when I'm getting to emotional danger points and not let it continue. Do not be afraid to dominate the discussion or having other patients judge you. They will not be your friends or your support when you leave treatment. You may stay in touch for a few months, but eventually most of them will relapse or die, and they don't matter in the grand scheme of you getting healthy. I know this sounds cold, but the statistics substantiate what I am saying. You have to fight for your sobriety. It really is a matter of life and death. Everyone I was close to in rehab is either dead or using. I cried for the ones who died and can't associate with the ones who are using. It's sad, but their outcomes are not within your control.
 
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