Entering a rehabilitation treatment program is a major decision.
At Twin Lakes, we want everyone to feel comfortable with the process, whether you’re choosing treatment or supporting a loved one who is taking the first steps towards recovery.
In the first installment of our two-part series, we discussed how someone identifies addictive behavior; what assessment process a medical professional might use before recommending treatment; how to go through admittance into a rehab facility; and the various aspects of physical detoxification.
In this installment, we discuss what methods for counseling, support programs, and other treatment to help someone move past addiction and into long-lasting recovery.
Inpatient Rehabilitation
An inpatient treatment process is often necessary for many people suffering with addiction. A homelike atmosphere, such as the one offered at Twin Lakes, allows someone to feel safe and cared for while they deal with:
- The root causes of addiction
- Factors that contribute to substance abuse
- Relief from daily stressors and distractions in order to focus on recovery
Often people have private or semi-private bedrooms and bathrooms to allow quality time for introspection, devotion, or reflection; and common areas to interact with others for fellowship. Residents follow an orderly routine for meals, activities, treatment, recreation, exercise, family visits, and other features of the facility. They also have access to a trained clinical staff for 24/7 care.
A frequent question regarding inpatient rehabilitation is “How long does rehab take?” Like the reasons for and intensity of addiction, the answer depends on a number of considerations for each client. Often, the shortest stay is 30 days, and the longest residency is up to 90 days. During your stay, you’ll experience a variety of reactions and emotions. Here’s one person’s take on aspects of inpatient care.
Inpatient Treatment Components
Each individual’s unique needs are addressed during rehabilitation. Treatment methods vary based on what’s primarily significant, but frequently include:
- Cognitive behavioral therapy. Goal-oriented psychotherapy—also known as talk therapy—with a practical, hands-on approach for problem solving. The intent of this approach is to change thought and behavioral patterns that contribute to drug or alcohol addiction.
- Dialectical behavior therapy. An extension of cognitive therapy, this may be necessary when someone has borderline personality disorder.
- Experiential therapy. Through acting, props, guided imagery, role-playing, and other forms of expressive activities and tools, individuals re-enact and perhaps re-experience negative experiences that result in emotions such as depression, hurt, anger, and shame. The purpose of this method is to help someone move beyond trauma, grief, loss, and other contributing factors to substance abuse.
- Psychiatric services. If co-occurring mental health conditions exist, a different form of treatment therapy may be used, and a facility’s medical team might find it necessary to prescribe coping medication for a period of time.
- Individual, group, and family programming. A variety of educational, recreational, and therapeutic programs are common elements of inpatient treatment.
- Daily process groups, family weekend education, and 12-Step meetings. Residents often have opportunities to understand more about what contributes to addiction. They learn ways to manage sobriety, including working the 12-Steps of recovery as part of a specialized program.
- Mindfulness practices and exercise and wellness activities. Learning to live clean and sober requires leaving old habits behind and adapting new, healthy management skills. There are a variety of holistic therapy applications that help people sleep well, eat better, exercise more, eliminate cravings, and feel their best. It takes 21 days for a new habit to become routine, so many aspects of revitalized living begin while in treatment.
As someone nears the end of an inpatient stay, they’ll also participate in vital activities that prepare them for when they return home. These include relapse prevention groups, life skills classes, outpatient care, and discharge planning.
Continuum of Care Plan
Completing an inpatient rehabilitation program is an affirming and monumental action. It’s a critical start to long-lasting wellness, but there needs to be important follow-up that enables them to continue into recovery with purpose and guidance. This is often detailed by their therapeutic care providers in a continuum of care plan. While addiction isn’t often curable, it can be managed effectively for a lifetime. A plan helps this process.
Recommended services outlined in a continuum of care plan may include:
- Continued counseling as an outpatient
- Potential intensive outpatient treatment that requires daily attendance but allows nightly stays at home
- Sober living houses, which are residential programs with more freedom than a rehab center but offering necessary structure and graduated levels of responsibility
- Ongoing participation in 12-Step groups, online education portals, and other recovery support programs
- Frequent participation in facility alumni activities and events
Making the transition to independent living free of alcohol or drugs takes time. Physical detoxification isn’t the only step in the recovery process. Every move you make to understand yourself and experience aspects of life without substances is new: work, daily tasks, socializing, developing and maintaining relationships, hobbies—all these and more require a fresh perspective.
The “interior work” you do during rehabilitation creates a foundation for any external challenges, triggers, or negative influences. Your continuum of care plan is designed to help prevent relapse. It’s fluid to fit your life changes, so it’s necessary to turn to whatever aftercare services your facility provides to keep your sobriety on track.
Your initial stay in a treatment program is just the beginning of the lifelong support of your renewed wellness. You’re never alone in the pursuit of your best self.
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