There are many people who abuse alcohol and drugs in this country. Many deny that they’re having problems with the substances. Others may know that they have problems, but are afraid to seek treatment.
When many people think about rehab, they don’t think happy thoughts. They think that rehab is full of people in severe physical pain, sweating profusely and suffering from seizures because they’re detoxing from alcohol and drugs.
While going through detox is not the same as visiting an amusement park, it isn’t as bad as many people think. If you detox at a quality rehab facility, you’ll receive help.
Professionals at these facilities might give you drugs to help with your detox. This might sound strange at first, since you’re visiting the center to eliminate drugs and alcohol from your system. But rehab center doctors can prescribe drugs that can help your body adjust. Since you’re no longer abusing certain drugs, your body might miss the drugs you once used. Doctors can give you drugs that produce similar effects. This allows your body to withdraw from drugs gradually instead of ending drugs all at once and causing an abrupt shock.
Other professionals at rehab centers can work to make your treatment easier. These professionals have extensive experience with people who have abused drugs and alcohol. They aren’t the cold, unfeeling professionals you might have seen in movies and TV shows about rehab. They’re warm, caring people who help you explore why you abused drugs and alcohol. Knowing why you’ve done that can help prevent you from doing that in the future.
You’ll also meet other people who are going through rehab. Yes, these meetings might involve sitting in a circle and sharing your feelings. These meetings might be how some people imagine rehab, so some perceptions about rehab might be true. But there’s a good chance that these people are experiencing or have experienced many of the same things as you. You can help each other during this time.
Finally, the rehab facilities themselves might be different from how you imagined. Many rehabs are not sad, institutional-type buildings but are relaxing getaways with swimming pools, Internet access, even private rooms. These examples prove that rehab is not the dirty word many people think it is.