When considering addiction treatment, you may be wondering what to expect during a standard rehab day. How drug rehab works?
What are drugs?
They are illegal substances of natural or synthetic origin, used to change your mental state. They mainly act on the central nervous system, causing various body reactions, e.g. bliss, well-being, sedation, drowsiness, excessive arousal, mood swings, hallucinations, sexual arousal. Drug use leads to addiction. The result of their use may be health damage (hepatitis B and C infection, HIV infection, changes in the central nervous system, disorders of individual internal organs, changes in the psyche), social problems (unemployment, homelessness).
Where to start drug treatment?
Drug addiction is a disease. The most important thing is for the addict to become aware of this fact and seek professional help. It is worth remembering that the earliest possible diagnosis gives better therapeutic effects and allows you to return to a normal, satisfying life faster.
Drug therapy should be started when a sick person is hungry (a strong, insurmountable need to take a narcotic substance), begins to lose control over the amount of drugs they take, increases their doses, and begins to experience unpleasant withdrawal symptoms in the event of withdrawal of the addictive substance.
What does rehab day look like?
Mornings: healthy breakfast and early meetings
Sleeping is not part of the program, so expect to get up early in the morning to have a healthy breakfast. Some programs offer morning classes, such as yoga or meditation, to help you start the day in a relaxed state. Part of the healing and recovery process is focused on developing new, healthy habits that are to become routine in life after discharge.
Afternoon: daily therapy
The middle of the day provides the most intensive treatment. After a healthy dinner, a series of therapeutic sessions usually begins.
They often include:
- Individual behavioral therapy (Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is one of the most effective methods used in addiction treatment centers.)
- Group therapy (Participation in group sessions ensures some camaraderie because all participants have experienced addiction struggles.)
- Specialist sessions (Some treatment centers offer specialized therapeutic sessions. They can be customized to deal with anger, stress management or counseling in mourning, offering problem coping techniques that will help improve ability to control problems in a controlled way instead of feeling the need drug or alcohol use.)
- Family therapy (Family support can be a key element of treatment, which is why most drug treatment centers include them in their programs.)
Goals of drug therapy
The goal of drug therapy is to improve the quality of life (physical health and mental state), discontinue narcotic substances and strive for total abstinence. The therapy allows you to take responsibility for your own behavior, cope with everyday situations and stressful moments without reaching for psychoactive substances.
Addicts learn to recognize the mechanisms that accompany the desire to reach for drugs, practice assertiveness, a great way to learn free social communication and to establish healthy relationships with loved ones. All these activities lead to the arrest of the disease.
