For many addicts, the hardest part about going to drug rehab is getting there. The fear of what rehab is like, how you will be treated and the life you will have to leave behind can overpower your willingness to get sober. You must also come to terms with the fact that you will be embarking on something new, something beyond your comfort zone, and you won’t have drugs or alcohol to lean on. These are common, normal feelings, but they can delay or prevent you from getting the help you need.
Fear is Normal
Being afraid of new situations is part of the human experience. From the first day of school as a child to moving out of the home as an adult, each new experience carries a level of uncertainty. But if you let the fears of what could happen to overtake you, you would never do anything new. Think about the many times in your life where you put your fears aside and moved forward.
The same is true with drug rehab. Sure, there will be many things you will be unsure of, but don’t let that stand in your way of getting sober. You are not just a drug addict – you may be a son/daughter, brother/sister, husband/wife, father/mother. If you want to get the help you need and start leading a fulfilling, happy and drug-free life, you must start working through your fears. When you work with a holistic treatment facility like The River Source, recovery can actually be enjoyable.
Common Concerns
Below are some of the most common concerns that people like you have before agreeing to go to rehab.
- Will I have to stop drinking or using forever?
- Do I have to give up my old friends?
- Will I be able to see my family?
- What will I tell my workplace?
- Will anyone know I went to treatment?
- How much does rehab cost? Will my insurance cover it?
- How long will I be in treatment for?
- What happens after treatment?
- What will I do with all my time?
- Do I have started feeling again?
These are excellent questions, and if you have asked them yourself, it shows that you are thinking through rehabilitation seriously. The best you can do is get REAL answers for your questions rather than making assumptions. Some will be easier to answer than others.
Do Your Research
Start by calling various treatment centers to find out what their costs are and the length of their programs. You may then call your insurance to determine what they will cover. The River Source offers 30, 60 and 90 programs, and we accept most insurances.
You also have rights in the workplace. Find out more information by downloading this brochure from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In many cases, you can take a leave of absence from your current position to get the help you need without being fired or discriminated against. Once clean, you are protected from discrimination in the workplace as well. By understanding your rights, you can pursue treatment without the fear of losing your job.
Getting solid answers for your questions will help you shape a better idea of what treatment will be like and how it will impact your life in the short term. But there are more ambiguous questions that addicts often have that there are no concrete answers for.
Lifestyle Changes
If you’re like most addicts, you are probably worried about how you are going to function in a world without drugs or alcohol. You may be scared to feel again and deal with your emotions. Being numb seems easier. This is all very normal because you’ve treated drugs and alcohol as your go-to source for handling pain, filling time, avoiding life and so forth.
You will also have to face the music as to what has been done because of your drug abuse. You could have hurt your parents by stealing from them or betrayed your significant other by lying or cheating. You will have to come to terms with your past, forgive yourself and others and work on re-establishing healthy relationships.
Each journey is unique, but you have control over the journey you want to take. It will be difficult to work through past struggles, but that is what counseling is for. A counselor will help you see that addiction is a brain disease that affects the brain and causes behavioral changes. You are human and you do make mistakes, but the best way to deal with them is by picking yourself up and leading a productive life. Family counseling is also available to strengthen and improve the family unit.
Also imagine how freeing it will be to deal with your emotions in a healthy, constructive manner rather than being a prisoner to drugs and alcohol. You have so many positive emotions to experience that you’ve been missing out on happiness, excitement, love, and acceptance. No person is complete without these. Life has so much to offer – aren’t you ready to be a part of it?