Doctors recommend residential rehab if you’re struggling with an intense or long-standing addiction to alcohol or drugs. In these cases, the highly structured days help clients reset their lifestyles to kick-start the recovery process. You have access to medical care and a unique chance to build strong bonds with your fellow patients, as well as your therapists.
Openness and honesty are critical factors in the healing process. If you start with an open mind and aim to be as truthful as possible, you’ll reap endless benefits from your treatment. Although your family or friends may have been the ones to convince you to start rehab, always keep in mind that you’re doing this for yourself.
Get Started Bright and Early
Healing from addiction is all about understanding what drives your substance use, reshaping your lifestyle and forming healthy habits. There may be certain aspects of your daily life that you think are just a part of who you are, such as sleeping in late, not eating breakfast or disliking exercise. People have probably told you how vital these things are, but you just think they’re not for you.
A stay in rehab can help to show you how much better these things make you feel. As humans, we all have basic needs that must be met for our bodies to function optimally. It’s easy to get into bad habits when you don’t understand how sensitive our bodies are and how important routine is. If you imagine that inpatient treatment is going to be boring, think again. Your days are full of socializing, tasty meals, activities and various forms of therapy.
Meditation and Yoga
Clients usually wake up at around 8 a.m. and start the day with gentle yoga or meditation classes. This helps to relax your body and mind while preparing you for the day ahead. It’s a great idea to continue this practice once you get back home as well. These pursuits lower blood pressure, reduce physical tension, relieve stress and can even lower insulin levels. You’ll usually get the chance to attend group meditation or yoga before bed, too.
Exercise
There is always time set aside for exercise. As well as experiential therapy adventures that help you to apply healthy thinking patterns to everyday life, physical exercise such as swimming and walking release endorphins and give you a natural high. If you need to build your fitness, start gentle and slow and work your way up to the more rigorous activity.
12-Step Meetings
You’ll likely attend meetings in the morning to discuss recovery and set goals for the future. 12-step therapy is one of the most prolonged, longstanding and most effective forms of treatment available to people who have been struggling with addiction. Once you’ve spent some time attending these meetings, you’ll gain an understanding of why they’re so important and should become part of your long-term recovery plan.
Enriching Afternoons
By the afternoon, you’re refreshed, invigorated and ready to soak in life-changing information and experiences. Gaining access to these incredible counseling sessions gives you the best chance of long-term recovery. The more you engage and immerse yourself, the more you enjoy your time in rehab. Don’t worry — you aren’t expected to attend all of the following therapies every single day. You’ll experience a mixture of them throughout your stay in rehab.
Group Therapy
Group therapy gives you a platform to share your challenges and successes with other people who have been through similar experiences. All sessions are overseen by a qualified counselor who leads the group and provides topics and activities. Hearing many differing perspectives give you an incredible insight into what drives us as human beings, as well as encouraging confidence and autonomy.
Individual Therapy
One-on-one counseling is a crucial part of rehab, although you may be surprised to hear that experts place a higher value on group therapy due to the breadth of information and added engagement provided in a communal setting. Your therapist identifies your motivations and works with you to identify where unhealthy beliefs and thought processes may be negatively affecting your behavior. Together, you work out which healthy coping mechanisms would suit you best.
Trauma Therapy
This type of therapy aims to address specific events that have happened in your life and how to deal with them. These may be potential environmental factors that have led to you developing a substance use disorder in the first place. You’ll come to understand how you may have internalized these events or subconsciously blamed yourself and learn strategies to overcome these barriers.
Psychoeducational Therapy
By learning the mechanisms of addiction, you can identify your triggers and what causes you to use substances. Additionally, learning the neuroscience of drugs and alcohol helps you to realize how detrimental and dangerous the pastime truly is.
Family Therapy
Addiction doesn’t just affect the sufferer; it can be hugely detrimental to your entire family group. It’s imperative that this network is healed and receives professional advice on the best way to move forward.
Free Time and Family Time
You’ll have time to unwind and relax. At Changing Tides, you have the option to invite your family to enjoy recreation time with you, stroll along the private beach and even stay in a family suite.
If you’re ready to stand up to your addiction and learn how to overcome it, call Changing Tides at 252-596-0584.