A Complete Guide to Rehab: What It Is, How It Works and What to Expect

Rehabilitation or recovery is a structured process designed to help  individualities recover from dependence, injury or mental health challenges. Whether it involves  prostrating substance abuse, physical injuries or  mental health  diseases, recovery provides the guidance, remedy and support necessary to achieve lasting recovery. 

Entering recovery can feel inviting, especially if you or a loved one are  strange with the process. Understanding what  recovery entails, how it works and what to anticipate can make the trip smoother and further effective. This companion breaks down all the essential information you need to know about  recovery.

What is rehab?

People go to rehab to receive health and rehabilitation treatment to overcome addiction. An addiction is an impulsive behavior that causes someone to seek out the thing they are addicted to; no matter how harmful this can be to their life and health. This is because the person has become dependent on that particular thing.

As well as drugs and alcohol, someone can be addicted to a number of other things including:

•  Gambling
•  Sex
•  Prescription drugs such as antibiotics
•  Food
•  Internet
•  Shopping

However, for the purposes of this article, we will focus our structure on drug and alcohol rehab.

Addiction makes you crave a particular thing and often people behave out of character until they can meet their next craving. The cravings can be so strong that a person will do anything to meet them. This can include taking fake substances such as fake alcohol. Chasing cravings can negatively impact on many areas of your life, so rehab treatment works by treating addiction as a whole. It allows you to become free of addictive substances and offers you support to rehabilitate and get your life back on track.

To overcome addiction, rehab uses a range of therapies and treatments to support you to become free of addictive substances or the activity you are addicted to. There are different rehab centres that treat the different addictions (those listed above). These can be treated in an inpatient or outpatient setting (which will be explained further on in this article).

The different formats of rehab treatment vary in how they deliver treatment to you. This means that you can pick the type of rehab that will best match your personal circumstances, making the treatment flexible to your individual needs.

How does rehab work?

Rehab treats addiction by targeting both the physical dependence of the addiction, as well as the behaviour change caused by the psychological dependence; which is often the root cause of addiction. Addiction can very quickly take over your life, leaving you feeling out of control and impacting all areas of your life. This is because addiction to drugs and alcohol affects the chemicals in the brain, creating an imbalance which feeds into the addiction.

The aim of rehab is to break the cycle of addiction. It does this by creating a treatment programme for clients to work through. By the end of the treatment programme, the client should be free from addiction and be ready to restart their life. Treatment programmes contain a mixture of therapies that each aim to tackle a different aspect of the addiction. This is a holistic form of addiction treatment that treats the whole person and not just the physical addiction. This can help people to lead happier and healthier lives.

Rehab is a necessary part of addiction recovery because it helps people to become free from addiction safely. There are some substances that cause so much change to the body, that a medical detox is needed to help you stop taking these safely. For example, suddenly stopping taking drugs or alcohol can cause withdrawal symptoms such as seizures that require medical attention.

What are the different types of rehab?

There are two main forms of rehab that clients can embark on. These can be accessed at rehab treatment centres; so, you must attend the centre for your addiction treatment programme. The first option is outpatient treatment. This can be accessed as a free service or through private funding and is less disruptive to your life. The second option is inpatient treatment which is mainly accessed at private rehab services, so you must pay for this type of treatment yourself (although some health insurance providers or charities may cover this). The type of treatment you choose will depend on your personal circumstances.

Outpatient rehab treatment

Outpatient rehab treatment is provided to clients whilst they continue living at home. This form of treatment works by clients visiting the rehab treatment centre for their planned appointments and then going home to practise what they have learned. This can be a good option for people who have commitments at home that they are unable to leave.

In outpatient rehab, you are supported by a team of medical and therapeutic professionals during your treatment programme. They will facilitate group therapy and help you to stay on track with progress during your planned appointments. As the support is only offered during your visits to the rehab centre, this treatment is also referred to as day rehab. There is a high demand for this because it is available on the NHS as a free service. Many people with addiction problems cannot afford to pay for rehab themselves because their addiction takes most of their money. This can make accessing the support harder as there can be long waiting lists for free NHS services. The Guardian found that the total cost of treating drugs and alcohol addictions in 2017 was over £3.5 billion!

Inpatient rehab treatment

Inpatient rehab treatment is provided whilst clients temporarily live in the inpatient rehab treatment centre. This requires a greater commitment because you have to put your life on hold. However, this can also provide a greater chance for clients to break free from their lifestyle triggers. This is because inpatient treatment provides clients with the ability to remove themselves from lifestyle triggers that may usually contribute to their addiction. It is a residential rehabilitation where clients stay at rehab centres for the duration of their treatment. Many people find this form of treatment programme more desirable because it offers a safe space to focus on recovery whilst receiving professional support 24 hours a day. You stay alongside other clients embarking on rehabilitation, forming support networks for ongoing recovery, even after you leave rehab. The rehab centre has all of the necessary amenities you need for a comfortable stay.

What to expect at rehab

Depending on the type of rehab that you have chosen, you can expect to receive your treatment either whilst staying at home or living in a hospital or rehab facility. The more severe forms of addiction, such as drug addiction, often require a residential rehabilitation service.

Before starting any treatment, a health professional will offer you an appointment to discuss your addiction. They will ask about your impulses, your lifestyle and recent changes in your life. You may also have to provide a sample of urine to be tested for drugs and alcohol. After this you may be assigned an allocated worker to be your named person during your rehab treatment.

After being admitted to rehab your treatment will consist of the following:

• Detox – this is a period of supported abstinence. Completing a detox as your first form of addiction treatment is crucial for your engagement in the remainder of the rehabilitation. This is because harmful substances alter your brain functioning, so you will engage best with the remaining treatment when you are free of addictive substances.
• One-to-one therapy – after your detox, you will receive one-to-one therapy which will be a form of talking therapy that you do with a therapist. This will help you to face your past and think honestly about what causes you to use something addictive. This works by giving you a safe space to talk about your feelings and experiences to help you work through the underlying problems that contribute to your addiction.
• Group therapy –  group Remedy involves a group of people attending  recovery agitating their lives, dependence  and issues together. It can be  cheering to hear other people’s stories and give you confidence that you can recover from your situation. A professional from your  recovery centre will  grease the group  remedy to  insure that everybody feels comfortable contributing. You’ll also learn healthy  managing mechanisms and tools to help you avoid dependence  triggers.
• Holistic therapies – your  recuperation may also involve holistic remedy similar as  awareness, yoga, art  remedy and exercise to help you learn about yourself and come more confident in yourself. This can help  guests to lead a healthy and happy  life.

The benefits of rehab

Rehab offers the best prospect of long-lasting change because it not only addresses the physical addiction, but it also targets psychological and social areas of addiction to help you abstain from substances outside of rehab. There are many free outpatient treatment services available that will offer support alongside a detox, but it can be difficult to abstain from substances once this treatment has ended. Inpatient treatment is the more intensive option and gives you the tools and techniques that give you the best chance of long-term abstinence to transform your life for the better.

Other benefits of attending rehab include:

• Receiving evidence-based therapies.
• Embarking on holistic treatments.
• Meeting other people that are going through similar situations.
• You have a safe space to work through your rehab programme.
• You can be removed from triggers that tempt you to relapse.
• Your family and friends can be involved in your treatment for additional support.
• All rehabilitation programmes are CQC registered, offering greater assurance that you are in safe hands.
• You have a choice over what type of rehab you go to.

Final Thought

Rehab is a transformative  trip that addresses the physical, emotional and cerebral aspects of recovery. It provides a structured, probative  terrain, substantiation- grounded curatives and lifelong chops to help  individualities  recapture control over their lives. 

Understanding what  recovery is, how it works and what to anticipate can reduce fear and empower those seeking help. Whether for dependence, injury or  internal health challenges,  recovery offers a pathway toward  mending, growth and a brighter future. 

Recovery is possible and taking the first step whether by  probing programs or seeking help is the most important step toward a healthier, fulfilling life.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) 

What is the process of rehabilitation?

The process of rehabilitation may look different for every patient but generally includes intake and assessment, detoxification, therapy and counseling and aftercare and support. The goal of rehabilitation is to give patients the support and resources they need to maintain sobriety.

What kind of support is available overnight in inpatient alcohol rehab?

The kind of support available overnight in inpatient alcohol rehab includes on-site medical staff, emotional support and 24/7 supervision to ensure safety and comfort.

What happens in a rehab center?

Treatment in rehab centers varies by program. In an outpatient rehab facility, patients come to the facility usually at least five times a week for therapy, group counseling and other treatments with the goal of establishing healthy coping skills needed to maintain sobriety.

Is alcohol rehab only focused on quitting drinking?

No, alcohol rehab is not only focused on quitting drinking, it also addresses emotional, behavioral and psychological aspects of recovery for long-term success.