Off To Rehab

[shoolameet]

So a little background:

I had a nice year long opiate addiction that included oxy, dilly, morphine, vikes,and heroin. After my love for opiates turned to hate I decided to get on subs this past December and did so with success. After this, I moved back to my moms, went into outpatient and planned to start over with a clean slate.

Well, basically outpatient was bullshit because like a good little addict I traded one big addiction for another; the new one is benzos, mostly xanax and klonopin. I thought I was doing a great job at keeping my little secret but everyone around me could tell I was always benzoed up (I just refused to admit it to anyone - you guys all know how addicts like to keep their secrets.) My cover go blown yesterday morning when I woke up in terrible withdrawal and my mom didn't know what was wrong or what to do, so I had to come clean about the benzos. My mom now has all of my pills and by the advice of my doctor has been giving me 3 1mg kpin a day until tomorrow when I go into detox for five days and then to rehab after that.

Also, throughout both addictions I have also been (and still currently am) addicted to weed (I don't care what you say, it is addictive) and nitrous oxide.


I have never done detox or inpatient rehab before so I have no idea what to expect. My only idea of rehab is Celeb Rehab with Dr Drew, and I am gonna go ahead and assume this will be nothing like that lol.

So for you bluelighters out there that have done the detox/rehab thing can you tell me what I am in for? I am really afraid to go away and I don't know why I am so scared - I guess just because it's the unknown. Maybe if you guys can clue me into a little of what it is going to be like I may feel a little better about this whole situation.

Any advice you can give would be appreciated and thanks for taking the time to read this novel lol.

 

[totach]

wel it really depends on which rehab you go to ive gone to ones that cost $30,000 a month to one that cost like a $1000 a month. So if ur goin to like a cheap one that insurance covers dont expect no dr drew status lol.
anyways rehab is a great thing cheap or not u just gotta do ur time n get better good luck

 

[JayJohnson]

Do you smoke cigs? Get started on that... it's inevitable! And get used to no caffeine...

Mostly relax, it's not bad. How much does the place charge? That determines how luxurious it will be. Honestly, CelebRehab isn't a bad indicator (of an expensive rehab.) Except you won't be in with celebs, but there will be characters for sure. But you're going to be getting up early. If its a good place they'll keep you busy. And when you're not busy, YOU SMOKE. Hehe...

Any idea how long you are going for? I assume your mom has insurance (so you do too, if you are young) so you might be in for a while if you mom is sick of dealing with it?

Here's the bottom line: it can be as bad or as good as you make it. If you go in fighting everything and not waning to be there, it's gonna SUCK. If you go in realizing it as a chance to safely, comfortably, get off a nasty addiction - and be willing to take some suggestions or at least learn something about yourself, it can be like a little vacation. Plus no more benzo WD - how was that for you? I REALLY enjoyed the experience of benzo WD, didn't you?

Do you draw? Drawing stuff was always a good way to pass time for me. I'm guessing you can forget about an IPOD/mp3/cd-player for a while. That part blows. But hey, like I said - smoking is your new hobby!

 

[cj]

I would expect 15-20 days of inpatient thats all most insurance will cover. Expect to meet some assholes and some cool people.
you are usually segregated by age and sex. No music which sucked. Everyone smoked some people will be getting high so whatch out for that. Expect to have the 12 steps stomped into you by close minded couselors who used to be addicts. There is a 10-15 percent chance you will stay sober for a year so goodluck. Also I went for heroin relapsed the day I got out. Oh and the food ranges from school food to uneatable.

 

[JayJohnson]

I agree on expected 2 to 3 weeks.

In my experience there are different degrees of having the 12 stops drilled into you (some very little, some a lot more), not always segregated by sex (that's more fun obviously - eventually a `couple` will get booted for getting it on, don't be them!), I've have some pretty good food considering the place, but crap food happens too. If at all possible have some cash (which they'll hold for you...) but a lot of places will let you order in food/pizza.

You can't really be certain about any of these things without knowing the actual place. Having insurance is a good thing - you'll get a much better place (and everything really.)

 

[Faded .45]

It really depends on the place you go to. I loved the rehab I went to, it was right next to Canada. I mean I was nervous at first, and really thought I was gonna hate it, but after being there for a week I started to actually like it. It was the first time in a long time where I had no pressures, and I wasn't always thinking about scoring dope. Maybe I was just really lucky, but I liked almost everyone I met there. We got to play volleyball, pingpong, basketball, etc. whenever we didnt have classes, and we didint have too many classes. I actually enjoyed the classes too, they were really informative and actually helpful. Lots of counselers that knew what they were talking about. I honestly couldnt believe how much i enjoyed being there...I mean, its rehab! Seriously though, if your open to new ideas, and you go to a halfway decent place, you might have a really good time. I look back on my experience as some sort of summer camp. Good memories....if you live near NY maybe you can send me a PM if you want and I'll tell you where I went. Just remember, this can really be a great experience under the right circumstances. Good luck with everything bro!

 

[missunderstood]

I checked my ass in one in Fla. I had my mind made up at this point. I was pretty lucky in a way I left knowing I had a shit load of support. My brother happens to be a drug and alcohol cousler in Florida and he knew of a real good one. It takes most insurances there were people there that had been there for 6 months some had been there a year. It was unlike any other I had been in (8) it was co-ed and there were four to an apartment it was in Miami. The councilors were good. The meetings were never boring there are so many rehabs it is like recovery central, so there were meetings of all kinds Indian reservation, biker meetings, it was a mix all kinds . One of the patients played for the Buffalo Bills the kid was 22 and had the world at his feet but got hooked on coke, and there were like seven run way models and 2 retired NFL super mega stars ( I can not drop names ) and it was nothing fancy trust me we were housed in a welfare building so it was no posh setting but it was a great ass program and like JayJohnson said it is what you make it there are people there that are completely broken emotionally, spiritually, financially people got some fucked up things that have went wrong while they were out there. Remember it is a mental institution. Addiction is a disease of the mind. And it can be fixed if you open your mind and keep quiet. Hey ya learn allot about people in a setting like that. I had a blast watching what made people tick. 275 addicts from all kinds of backgrounds it made me sit back and think about how I got where I turned up (to say the least). If you or anyone else that may read this and think it sounds like it would be something that might work for them let me know and I will give you the info. Like I said they take most ALL insurances and they also have a scholarship program for when your insurance is thru pickin up they go into there donation bank and hook you up if they feel you are using the space correctly. Keep your chin up man it's the time to get up and get it done it isn't easy but you will find out how hard a life of chasing them opiates around...life for me today is so much easier..I almost can't believe I used to say how hard it was to stay clean!!It was harder to maintain....

 

[versd]

do you want to get better? do you want to be clean?

if not, then any rehab is going to be shit, no matter the cost.

if you do have a true desire to get better, then rehab is just something to help you along the way, and a place you can free yourself from temptation and start the long process of healing your mind.

 

[Znegative]

good advice here. I've been to quite a few rehabs in my time. The common theme, is no smoking, waking up early, groups/lectures all day, 1-2 AA/NA meetins/day, three fattening meals, and at least one ass hole counselor that tries to inspire you by speaking your language. In the end though, it's what you make of it. I always hated those fucking places though, to be honest.

 

[missunderstood]

good advice here. I've been to quite a few rehabs in my time. The common theme, is no smoking, waking up early, groups/lectures all day, 1-2 AA/NA meetins/day, three fattening meals, and at least one ass hole counselor that tries to inspire you by speaking your language. In the end though, it's what you make of it. I always hated those fucking places though, to be honest.

trust me I hated them too I just thought I would let the OP know what it was like for me. It was my time that is for sure otherwise it wouldn't have worked but I wanted to let the OP know MY experience I believe that was the question. He wanted to know what to expect..besides they are not ALL that bad. I was in 8 of them and most of them DID suck but the lastone I was in was pretty cool not allot of technical shit to deal with and power trippin nurses and that stuff so it was ok for me I was ready.

 

[Z Y G G Y]

What rehab did for me was put me back in a structured mind set which the life of a drug user usually lacks. I was there for a month. Could have stayed longer. I went to one of the shittier places and the food sucked. That was one of the main reasons I left. If you can, stay for as long as possible. I think 3 months would be best. We woke up at 6am every morning and had a structured day. Being there made me really appreciate what I had at home. I got out much less depressed. Try to really get into it. Learn as much as you can. Don't fall for the rehab politics. Be respectful to the staff because that will really help you in the long run. Don't gossip and be cool to everyone. Try to make some friends and don't isolate yourself from people. Take part in all the groups, classes, trips cuz what you are ultimately doing is learning to live w/o drugs. Reading Buddhist literature really helped me get through. I could practice the principles taught in those books each day. Be helpful to others but don't be a pushover. If you feel someone is being abusive towards you don't just smile and take it, don't be afraid to do something about it. You are in a safe environment, nothing bad can happen to you so you can practice life situations that might happen in the outside world, like dealing with people that are abusive, want to use you etc. Set some daily and long term goals for yourself so you get the most out of your rehab experience. Remember, you are there to improve your life. The reasons you ended up in there is cause your life became unmanageable. You need to learn how to live life on life's terms and how to take care of yourself w/o using drugs. Rehab is a learning experience and try to use each day to its fullest. Be open to new experiences. It's a safe environment for improving yourself. Everything that happens there, stays there. Don't be afraid to screw up and make mistakes. Rehab is the time to do stuff and make mistakes if necessary so that you come out a better person that is more capable at life.

Good luck. Rehab can be a life saver if you let it. Stay positive and open-minded.

 

[missunderstood]

Ziggy is so right on here...ya get more bee's with honey. The thing that bothered me the most were the patients that were forced to be there. They thought it was a big joke. When people check in on their own most of the time they are lost. When ya start coming off them drugs your emotions are so front and center that it blows your mind for a little bit. Drugs took care of all the emotions, so when you are clean you don't even know how to deal with most of them...and when your conscious starts returnin... that is when the emotions get nuts at least that was how it was for me. My guilt was sooo over whelming, not something I wanted to face. But that is what you are there for, to learn how to deal with shit, find whatever the good things are when you are there..avoid the negative it is quickly spread and it somehow knows where to lurk so don't fall victim to bullshit if ya gotta be there make the best of every day...help is everywhere if you are willing to accept the help...my biggest lesson I learned while I was in there was I was very judgmental when I arrived in treatment but 3 months later I was thinkin differently, yeah it is brainwashing...we need that..are thinking is all wrong when our addiction is active. So sit back take a seat and see how much you relate to everyone, take notice to their sadness, learn from other people. There will be addicts that have been thru allot more then you and ones that are Jr. addicts and ain't really been thru shit..but everyone is there because they are out of their own control.Make use of the time there, don't let the time make use of you. Peace

 

[shoolameet]

So thank you for all the replies, but unfortunately I overdosed before getting to read them all. I went straight into detox after that and then from there to right to rehab. I ended up going to an amazing place, one of the best rehabs in the country in my opinion. It was out in The Hamptons which was pretty nice also. I definitely got structure back in my life and I even decided to quit my shitty ass job and look for a new one where I don't work with people I use with. They wanted to discharge me after 16 days, but I fought the insurance company and got the full 28 and I loved it. Anyways that the basic gist of everything. Thanks again for all the replies.