The essential role of rehab facilities in recovery

When an individual with a serious addiction comes to the end of his or her rope, there are few options. Fortunately, the options that do exist offer hope for a new way of life.

Generally, the first line of defence against addiction is the rehab facility. This kind of facility seeks to separate the client from their addictive situation and to begin applying therapies to changing that behaviour.

What exactly is a rehab?

Short for rehabilitation, the term rehab is usually associated with a facility that helps people to recover from alcohol or drug addiction. Some rehab facilities offer treatment for other addictions, however. These might include food, gambling, sex, shopping or any one of a long list of addictive behaviours.

Some rehabs base their treatment model on the 12-step programs like Alcoholics Anonymous. Clients may be encouraged or required to attend 12-step meetings as part of their treatment.

Other rehab facilities run on more of a Cognitive Behaviour Therapy model. This is a method that identifies problematic behaviours and thought patterns so that the client can begin to recognize and to modify these patterns. Often, a rehab that uses this approach will also endorse the idea of the client attending 12-step meetings as part of their recovery.

How does the rehab start the process?

Sometimes, an addict will have to go through a detoxification process before they start work at a rehab. Detox will probably last only a week or two, until the immediate effects of the substance in question have begun to fade.

Whether or not detox is required often depends on which substance the person is addicted to – and how heavily they were consuming it.

Addicts whose drug of choice is alcohol may require detox, as might someone addicted to heroin or some other kind of opiate. Cocaine users, however, have more of a battle with the psychologically addictive properties of the drug, and often detox isn’t necessary before entering rehab.

Entering the rehab

Once the initial effects of the substance have cleared the person’s system, then they can progress to the rehab phase of their recovery.

The first goal of any rehab is to place the person in a controlled environment. This has the effect of stabilizing their life and separating them from friends or family who might be a destructive influence.

The next step is to re-establish a healthy physical routine: regular, nutritious meals, regular sleep patterns, and the beginnings of a healthy exercise regimen – once the individual is physically up to it.

Once the situation has been stabilized, the healing process can begin.

Usually rehab is a combination of education and therapy. The therapy can come both in groups and with individual counsellors.

The education part of the rehab process can involve teaching the addict about the effects of drugs or alcohol on their brains, and on their social interactions with others. They will learn about how stress, anger, and resentments can fuel the desire to use substances.