Log in to become a member of Jami Wright's Fan Club!
Rehabilitation starts with admitting you have a problem. Once you have come to terms with this the next step is seeking medical help. There are some things to consider when you are going in for rehabilitation and this article will help you sort through the major points to make the important decisions with your doctor when the time comes.
Detoxification:
This is a type of quitting "cold turkey" concept that helps to break the physical addiction that your body has on the harmful substance. Detoxification is usually about 3-10 days depending on the substance you are addicted to and the length of time you have been taking this substance. There are a lot of side effects that happen in detoxification which include minor effects like the shakes, and headaches to major effects like hallucinations, convulsion, or worse, death. It is important to have medical supervision of some sort while going through detoxification.
Inpatient or Outpatient Care:
Inpatient care consists of moving to a facility where you will have structure, guidance, and constant support around the clock. You will be able to meet and live with other people who are experiencing the same or similar problems and form solid friendships with these folks that will most likely last for years to become. Inpatient care is great for people who do not have a strong support system at home, need more structure in their daily lives, are able to leave the life they know for a short time so they can focus on getting better, and/or have had relapses from previous treatments for drugs or alcohol.
Outpatient Care is treatment you get while still living at home. This usually consists of pharmaceuticals taken to help alleviate the craving for drugs or alcohol, multiple group and individual counseling sessions a week, and coping strategies that your doctor prescribes. Outpatient care is not the easy road, you need to have a solid support system at home, strong will, and drive to follow the guidelines that your counselor set you on.
There are benefits to either inpatient or outpatient and the decision is really up to you and your doctor. This is not a decision taken lightly and usually your doctor will do an assessment and make a recommendation on which would be most beneficial to your success. Other factors that go into making this decision is; work, cost, and length of time.
Long-term or Short term Care:
There are three things that every treatment needs; keeping the patient involved in the treatment, developing strong coping mechanisms, and aiding the patient in create support system.
Short term care is generally less than 30 days and can be either inpatient or outpatient care. If you are a good student short term may work for you. The training you get in short term care is usually fairly aggressive and requires you to stay focused and learn quickly.
Long term care is anywhere from 30 to over a year and usually starts in inpatient but can sometimes start in outpatient treatments. Long term care gives the patient the time they need to focus on getting better with more support and less interruptions. Cost is generally higher for long term care.
Counseling:
There are three basic counseling tactics your counselor will work with you on. Group counseling shows you that you are not alone in this problem and give you the opportunity to build a support group with these members. Individual counseling allows you and your doctor to focus on specific strategies, damaging life choices, and the the triggers that started the dependancy on drugs or alcohol. Family counseling allows you to fix the possible problems that resulted from the substance abuse.
Life is not easy for someone going into rehab but this information will help you to become more knowledgeable on what to expect and the choices to make.
Disclaimer: All information on this site is provided for informational purposes only! By no means is any
information presented herein intended to substitute for the advice provided to you by any health care or other professional
or organization.
