Seeking Addiction Treatment: What Is Rehab Like?

What Is Rehab?

Fear of the unknown is a real thing and accordingly, fear can be a major stumbling block for getting a person that needs rehab…into rehab.

“What is rehab like?” is, therefore, a super important thing to make clear to help put the mind at ease.

From the outside perspective, it might seem baffling why someone would continue to use drugs or alcohol when the negative effects are so readily apparent. But aside from the obvious nature of addiction, there is actually a comfort in using. Moreover, a person may not have developed other ways to cope with things so the prospect of rehab can be a very scary one.

Hence why it’s crucial to equip yourself with the knowledge of what it’s all about.

What Is Rehab?

Rehab is simply the process of helping a person to stop using drugs or alcohol and restoring them to an improved, substance-free state.

After detox, the process of ridding the body of toxins, the next step is rehabilitation where the real work of sustained sobriety and recovery happens.

What Are the Different Types of Rehab?

Rehab comes in many varieties ranging from evidence-based, traditional modalities like individual and group therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, counseling, etc. to alternative therapies like yoga, meditation, music therapy and more. Each one can have its own deep dive but what’s more important to note here is the general way in which rehab operates since there are some sweeping commonalities. 

Inpatient – This is the most intensive level of rehab and it’s generally what comes right after detox depending on the severity of your addiction. In inpatient rehab you live in the facility and all of your time and attention is focused on the work of getting back on track. What you do and how your schedule looks will be directly determined by, and catered to, your needs while outside distractions are almost nonexistent since you’re living at the treatment center. 

As you might’ve guessed, you wouldn’t be going to work, school, etc. while in inpatient care. Sometimes this type of rehab is called “residential inpatient” rather than solely “inpatient” and there is a slight difference. “Residential” refers to the type of facility as in it’s more an actual residence and has a homelike feel. These can get quite, quite luxurious. Alternatively, regular inpatient care is much more clinical and medical in terms of the surroundings. 

Outpatient – All of the same treatments and therapies that are hallmarks of inpatient care are exactly what you get with outpatient rehab as well, the only difference is that you’re not living in the facility anymore with this type of rehab.

You’re able to come to and from as per the schedule you make with your treatment center. Outpatient rehab is something you can do while maintaining work and family life and whatever responsibilities you have to tend to. Often people will transition from inpatient to outpatient but of course it’s all dependent on your particular circumstances.

Aftercare – Recovery doesn’t end when you finish treatment and aftercare is a crucial part of your journey to a stable and sustained sobriety. In a way, you can think of this as the last phase of rehab and it’s one that’s ongoing. This is where you’ll have your support groups, alumni groups, sober living homes and the like as resources help keep you on track.

Aftercare is ultimately about maintenance and continued work on yourself and your sobriety.

How Do I Find the Right Rehab for Me? 

We know it can be overwhelming, there are a lot of options out there between the traditional and alternative rehabs after all and finding the best one for you takes time. Even knowing where to start can be tough so having someone in your corner to help guide you can be a gamechanger. At Above All Treatment Network, we pride ourselves on our deep well of knowledge and connections, so give us a call and let’s find the right rehab for you, together.

The Right Addiction Recovery Resources for You

the right addiction recovery resource

Recovery isn’t, nor should it be, a path you walk alone. The isolation and detachment that drug and alcohol abuse eventually lead you to are not things that further solitude and seclusion can remedy. Recovery is a team sport in many ways though and having the right addiction recovery resources on your team makes for a recovery that’s both long-lasting and rewarding.

Now, “team” in this case doesn’t exclusively mean all the members are people. Books, for example, are wonderfully helpful resources and can be turned to you when you want some quiet, but still supportive, “you” time along the way.

What Are Addiction Recovery Resources?

Resources for recovering addicts run the gamut of interests, personality types, etc. No matter who you are, there are resources that can work well and complement your recovery journey nicely.

Support Groups

Let’s call these the classics. Support groups are where you go for, well, support!

They’re places where people who have gone through the same things as you come to build bonds and gain confidence in their newly sober lives. Not everyone will easily and readily understand or sympathize with what you’ve gone through as a recovering addict, support groups are filled with people who have had the same experiences as you with substance abuse and rehab. In other words, support groups are places where people actually understand you.

12 Step Programs

Naturally, you jump to the most well-known of these: Alcoholics Anonymous/Narcotics Anonymous. AA was the first 12 step program after all so the recognition is well deserved. The beauty of being so well known is that you can find these groups the world over. The meetings are an integral part of the program and are free of charge (voluntary donations are encouraged though).

While there is an overarching religious tone to the 12 steps, you can find versions of the program that aren’t so heavy-handed, and more spiritual rather than religious, which may align better with your view. Either way, you don’t have to be religious to get the benefits of the program.

SMART Recovery

This is another group-based option that is fully science-based, with no religious or spiritual elements that are standard in AA. SMART is an acronym that stands for Self-Management and Recovery Training. Pretty smart and built around a 4-point program:

  1. Building and maintaining the motivation to change.
  2. Coping with urges to use. 
  3. Managing thoughts, feelings, and behaviors in an effective way without addictive behaviors. 
  4. Living a balanced, positive, and healthy life.

Refuge Recovery

On the flip side of AA, perhaps the least well-known support group is Refuge Recovery which utilizes Buddhist principles and practices as the foundation from addiction recovery.

Books 

The great thing about the many who have found ways to recover is that some went ahead and wrote books about the myriad ways to do it. From memoirs to how-tos, books are rich addiction recovery resources.

The Big Book

This is the first major manual on recovering from alcoholism and was written by one of the founders of AA, Bill W. It’s become one of the best-selling books of all time and named Time Magazine’s most influential books in English since 1923. Impressive.

Drop the Rock

Related to the 12-step program and AA, Drop the Rock focuses on steps 6 and 7:

    • Step 6: We’re entirely ready to have God remove all our defects of character.

 

  • Step 7: Humbly asked God to remove our shortcomings.

 

The title, and book, are about learning to do away with defects of our character that can sink, or impede, recovery if you hold on to them.

Alumni Groups at Rehabs

If you attended rehab, alumni groups are a fantastic place to start in terms of resources. Not only will you be able to stay in contact with the counselors, therapists and staff at whatever rehab you went through, but alumni groups also allow you to connect with others that went through the same program. Invaluable friendships can be formed through these groups.

Let Us Help You at Above All Treatment Network

This has been just a tiny sampler, an appetizer, of the wealth of resources available to those in recovery. There’s so much more out there and resources to fit all types of people so if you’re struggling to find ones that work for you, get in touch with us at Above All Treatment Network. We’ve been doing this for over a decade and can help connect you to the resources that work best for you.

Relapse Prevention Strategies: How to Stay Sober

relapse prevention strategies

The slog of detox is behind you. The intense, lengthy inpatient treatment is only a memory. Outpatient care went smooth and sober life was treating you well.

And then it happens. Seemingly out of nowhere. 

Someone invites you for a drink, just one. Or you find yourself in a situation that you weren’t mentally prepared for which triggers you to take a hit of your old drug of choice.

One drink turned to 10, one hit turned into a bender. You wake up groggy the next day, maybe even in the hospital.

You’ve relapsed.

You’re embarrassed and ashamed, feeling like you’ve failed. Guilt creeps in for the time “wasted” in rehab.

But here’s the thing, relapse isn’t failure. It’s part of the process for many and it just means your strategy for treatment needs to be modified.

That said, there are things you can actively do to prevent relapse and avoid the hurt that comes with it. 

Relapse Is Fairly Common

Before jumping into those, just how common is relapsing? The National Institute on Drug Abuse puts the relapse rate for substance use disorders at 40-60%. Pretty sobering numbers, no pun intended.

It’s really important to internalize and take to heart the message that relapse is not a failure. The  American Society of Addiction Medicine definition of addiction sheds some light on why:

“Addiction is a treatable, chronic medical disease involving complex interactions among brain circuits, genetics, the environment, and an individual’s life experiences. People with addiction use substances or engage in behaviors that become compulsive and often continue despite harmful consequences. 

Prevention efforts and treatment approaches for addiction are generally as successful as those for other chronic diseases.”

The chronic nature of substance use disorder and addiction is what makes relapse so common. Our brains and bodies become conditioned and used to drugs or alcohol. It becomes our “normal”.

Relapse Prevention Strategies

Even though somewhere on the order of half of people will relapse, it doesn’t mean it’s a requirement. Relapse is very much a part of recovery for some while others can kick the habit without going through a relapse.

Planning can help you immensely in your times of struggle and weakness. Some relapse prevention strategies to consider are:

 

Know What Triggers You

This is huge. You need to know and define what triggers your cravings so you can avoid it. It may be certain people, places, activities or even feelings. Whatever it is, be aware and act accordingly to stay out of those situations

Support Groups

There’s no need to go through anything alone! Plenty of people have gone through what you have and are available as resources to get you through it too. Groups like Narcotics Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous can be extremely helpful in keeping you on track and preventing relapse.

Self-Care

Taking care of yourself is essential.

Learn to lead a healthy lifestyle that compliments your new drug and alcohol-free life. Eat healthily. Start a workout routine and stick to it.

Make sure you’re getting enough sleep.

Be good to yourself and be forgiving.

Get Busy

Nothing distracts you more from the pull of old habits like being too busy to notice a craving. If work isn’t keeping you busy enough, consider volunteering or a sports league. Grab a gym membership. Pick up a hobby.

Redefine Fun

You very likely glamorized drugs and alcohol as being “fun”, so to avoid relapse, changing what constitutes fun in your mind is crucial. Your new hobbies should be fun, your exercise regimen, cooking those healthy meals, etc. Find your new fun and shift your definition.

Above All Recovery Knows Relapse Prevention Strategies

If you’ve dealt with relapse before or are laser-focused on making sure it doesn’t happen to you or just concerned about a loved one who recently got sober relapsing, reach out to us at Above It All Treatment Network. We’re a free resource with over a decade of experience assisting people in finding recovery and can connect you with those who can help you prevent relapse.

 

Benefits of Sober Living in California

get sober in california

Congrats on wanting to get sober in the first place and an even bigger congrats for considering California as the place to do it. There are options all over the country and perhaps ones even closer to you than heading out to the west coast but if that’s where your mind wandered and you’re reading this now, it’s clear you already have some unconscious connection with Cali and the good life it offers.

Above It All Treatment Network would like to now dive into what makes being sober in California the best. 

Benefits of Living in California

First and foremost, California boasts many treatment centers that can cater to the needs of each individual on their path to recovery. Be it detox, residential inpatient, outpatient, sober living houses, alternative therapies and more, this state has a treatment facility for everyone.

Not only that but they’re spread across the entire state.

Sober Living California

In addition to having a lot to offer in terms of the sheer amount and variety of options, California is just a super enjoyable place to live after treatment. Once you finish up and have begun the transition from your intensive inpatient stay to outpatient care, you’ll already find yourself in love with the way of life out here and hard-pressed to leave it.

Why?

Lots of Nature

Can you think of a more geographically diverse state? You’ve got the coast from top to bottom so a day at the beach is never too far away. Down in Los Angeles, you have essentially year-round nice weather and what’s described as a warm Mediterranean climate. Up north you’ve got mountains for endless enjoyment, hiking and biking in the summer and skiing or snowboarding in the winter. Forests full of sequoias to explore. Add a little sprinkle of desert and you really do have a touch of every type of nature.

Easily Accessible With Major Airports

Another benefit to living in California is that it’s extremely accessible and well connected.  Major airports dot the state with smaller regional ones in between for even more convenience. Your family and friends will have no trouble flying in to visit from anywhere and conversely, because there are so many major airports, you won’t have a tough time getting anywhere either.

Big Industries to Work In

It’s easy to equate California with Hollywood and the entertainment business, that’s certainly accurate. But setting aside that and the other big industries, in general, for a moment, consider that California has the largest economy of all the states in the US. Taking it one step further, if it were its own country, Cali would have the 5th largest economy in the world. It’s larger than the entire economy of the United Kingdom. Try to wrap your head around that.

Given that, you can imagine that it’s possible to find work in any industry in California, not just the big ones.

Culturally Diverse

Another beautiful thing about sober living in California is that while the natural beauty is immense the beauty in the diversity of the population is truly a thing to behold. People of all walks of life, from many countries on earth, call California home and serve to create such a rich tapestry of lived experiences to pull from and learn about. It means that while you have access to all types of different foods you also have access to countless perspectives on life that can help shape your new worldview. What a gift that is.

Get Sober in California

If you’ve made the decision to get sober in California or are looking into options on behalf of a loved one, get in touch with us at Above All Treatment. You’ve already zeroed in on the best state for recovery but finding the right treatment facility is a bit more challenging and as a free and comprehensive resource for just that, we can guide to the best program.

Why Can’t I Self Detox Alone?

self detox

It’s a valid question and one that has no doubt made the rounds in the heads of addicts at one point or another. “I got myself into this mess, I can get myself out” is something that crosses the mind. Maybe the consideration of doing a self detox is related to the fear of anyone finding you have a problem. Or maybe you tried a self detox before and it didn’t last. Perhaps you believe enough in the sheer power of your will that overcoming addiction and substance abuse can be achieved solo.

Whatever the motivation, it’s a bold and possibly dangerous move, especially when detoxing off alcohol. While it certainly has been done before, there are many potential perils with trying to self detox on your own.

Dangers of Self Detoxing at Home

The first pitfall you’ll encounter when self detoxing, almost immediately, is withdrawal. It’s not comfortable and it’s not pleasant. It takes hold quickly and depending on the severity of the addiction the struggle can become extreme. The body essentially gets used to having a regular dose of whatever you’re taking or drinking, when it doesn’t get it, it throws your system into total disarray.

You can experience anxiety, sweatiness, depression, seizures, heart failure and in the case of detoxing off alcohol, delirium tremens, a very severe form of withdrawal from booze.

Moreover, withdrawal from some substances can be downright deadly, the possible seizures becoming life-threatening. Alcohol, opiates (like Oxycodone) and benzodiazepines (tranquilizers like Xanax) have a particularly high risk for a self detox becoming deadly.

Self detoxing unfortunately comes with a higher risk of relapsing as well. A significantly higher risk in fact. When on your own, it’s simply just easier to start using again when you become too uncomfortable with withdrawal. Even if you do make it through withdrawal though, you won’t necessarily be equipped with a recovery plan to keep you on the straight and narrow.

Benefits of Detoxing at a Facility

Detox facilities strive to mitigate and come as close as possible to eliminating some of the aforementioned dangers.

For starters, you’ll be under the watchful eye of professionals who are trained to get you through this process. They know what’s coming for you as you go through the detox process and how to react to it. Things you will most likely not know. Things that even if you do know, are still difficult to push through on your own.

To alleviate some of the severity of withdrawal symptoms, detox facilities can administer certain medications to counteract them. Weaning you off the drugs or alcohol in a much more controlled fashion, with less of the discomfort of going it on your own. Given that, an assisted detox means the possible lethal consequences are taken care of for the most part and even if something were to happen, you’re in exactly the place to get the proper help and medical attention.

Starting your recovery process with detox at a facility, rather than on your own, also sets you up for further success. Having a professional, real-world-tested and supervised approach to getting drugs or alcohol out of your system starts you on the right foot for your entire journey to sobriety.

Finding a Detox Facility

Struggling and suffering through addiction and substance abuse disorders is no simple feat. The decision to get sober is a tough one and to make it public by entering a detox and rehab facility is yet more difficult. It’s also brave and heroic. Fortunately, there’s at least one part of this that is easier: finding a detox. Above It All Treatment Network is a free and comprehensive resource tailormade to help you find the detox program that best suits your needs.

How To Seek Treatment For Yourself

It can be extremely difficult to admit you have a problem with drug abuse or alcohol. Most people experience feelings of shame and embarrassment when it comes to admitting they have a problem, so if you’re reading this and feel that way, you aren’t alone. 

Above It All is here to let you know that no one is perfect and you shouldn’t be ashamed to look for help. It’s never too early or late to seek addiction treatment. Because addiction takes many shapes and forms, there are a ton of different treatment options out there available for you that you should be aware of. 

How to Find Addiction Treatment for Yourself

First and foremost, if you find yourself here, you should be very proud of yourself for taking the necessary steps to get better. It takes a tremendous amount of strength to not only admit you need help, but to actually do something about it.

When seeking addiction treatment, a good first step to take is educating yourself on the various types of treatment available. The main forms of addiction treatment are detoxification, inpatient/residential, intensive outpatient, partial hospitalization, and outpatient. The overall goal of each form of treatment is the same but the length and times of the programs will vary. The type of treatment you choose will be based on what you’re addicted to. For example, not all substance abuse disorders require detox. To start research you can perform a simple google search, use an addiction resource such as Above It All, call your primary care physician, or ask family and friends. 

Determining the Best Program for You

Now that you are ready to find the best addiction treatment program for you, be selfish. Put yourself first during this process and really think hard about what you think will make you happy during treatment. Maybe location is important for you. There are plenty of addiction facilities near the beach and immersed in nature. Maybe the structure of the facility is most important to you. Some facilities offer shared rooms and some have private only bedrooms. If you are big on mindfulness and meditation, you can choose a program that incorporates those things.

After you narrow down a location, you can start to think about what kind of addiction treatment you want to pursue:

Inpatient or residential programs: Inpatient and residential treatment programs on average last about 30-60 days (there are longer programs as well). During this kind of treatment you will live at the facility. Some programs have shared rooms and some have private ones. You will eat all of your meals here and attend individual and group therapy sessions. If you require detox, you will do this at the beginning of your stay under medical supervision. This is the safest way to detox off of a substance. These programs are beneficial because staff is always onsite to help you, should you need anything. You are also removing yourself from society for a period of time. A lot of people think of this program as a good break and can focus 100% on recovery. 

Intensive outpatient programs: Often shortened to an IOP, is a program that can be used as a transition step once you leave inpatient or an alternative to an inpatient facility. If you attend an IOP program, you will go onsite to the facility multiple times a week for about 4-6 hours at a time. You will participate in individual and group therapy, like you would in inpatient, but you eat and sleep at home.

Outpatient programs: These programs provide the most flexibility in terms of treatment. Outpatient can be a transition step once you leave an IOP or can be used as an alternative to inpatient or IOP. If you are a single parent or cannot afford to take off of work, this is a great treatment option for you. Clients attend outpatient a few times a week (less than IOP) and therapy sessions can last anywhere from 4-6 hours.There are lots of types of outpatient treatment, including support groups, and the goal is to keep you sober.

Things to Consider

There are a few things regarding your addiction to keep in mind when seeking treatment: 

  • How severe is my addiction? 
  • Do I need detox?
  • Do I have any mental health issues like depression or PTSD?
  • The type of insurance I have
  • How long do I think I should be in treatment? 
  • Will I need a referral to a program?

All of the above mentioned are factors that will help determine the best course of treatment for you. 

Don’t Wait to Get Help

At Above It All, we are a free addiction treatment placement service that provides those struggling with substance abuse assistance in finding the right treatment for them. We provide a 24/7 comprehensive treatment matching service. Our program includes admissions, insurance verification, transportation assistance, and care management from start to finish. If you are looking for help finding addiction treatment and rehab in California, please give us a call!