What Happens in Rehab?
The shame and fear of addiction can make it hard to see how change is even possible. But you don’t have to do it alone. And you don’t have to strike out on a new path without a map. Understanding what happens in rehab might help you decide if residential addiction treatment is right for you.
Understanding Addiction
Drug and alcohol addiction is a serious disease that deserves serious medical treatment. A complex chronic illness like diabetes or cancer, addiction is caused by a variety of genetic and lifestyle factors. Quitting drugs and alcohol for good requires untangling all of the root causes of the substance abuse and healing them once and for all. For that reason, residential addiction treatment doesn’t just help you get clean and sober; it helps you resolve what caused you to drink and use in the first place.
Drug & Alcohol Detox
The human body is adaptable. Over years of drug and alcohol abuse, various systems adapt to the presence of drugs or alcohol. When you suddenly remove those substances – as in going cold turkey – it’s a massive shock to the system. That process, known as withdrawal, can cause a variety of unpleasant side effects: from nausea and diarrhea to heart, attacks, coma, and death. For that reason, drug and alcohol detox is best attempted under the care of medical experts. The work of recovery cannot begin until you are clean and sober, and they’ll make sure you get there.
Residential Addiction Treatment
Once your body and mind are stabilized, you’ll be moved into residential addiction treatment, where you can focus 24/7 on identifying and healing the sources of your addiction. You’ll meet with a member of the clinical team upon intake to explain your situation, and they’ll develop a customized treatment plan using therapeutic modalities that are right for you.
Each day will be filled with a mix of activities to help you get well: from group therapy and one-on-one counseling, to innovative treatments like EMDR and CBT. You’ll even have time to hang out with new friends in recovery. (At Holland Pathways, one of those new friends will be Finley, our therapy dog!)
Through it all, you’ll learn tools, tips, and tricks for staying sane and sober on the outside. When it’s time to leave, you’ll also work with your treatment team to develop an appropriate rehab aftercare plan, so you can continue on your new path.
Intensive Outpatient Programs for Addiction
One element of many aftercare plans is intensive outpatient programming (IOP), outpatient programming (OP), or partial hospitalization programs (PHP). In each of these programs, you can continue the work of healing your addiction while beginning to re-enter the outside world. Namely, you’ll live at home and spend many hours a day outside of treatment. The activities will be similar to what you experienced in rehab, but you’ll also be able to test your new recovery skills in real time, with the safety net that regular IOP meetings provides.
Drug & Alcohol Treatment in Wichita, KS
Addiction can take you far from the path that you wanted for your life, but drug and alcohol treatment can get you back on track. When you’re ready for help, we’ll be there to provide it – whatever that looks like for you. Call our admissions team today and join us at our welcoming Wichita campus and chart a path for lasting recovery.
