| Drug and alcohol rehab has come more to the | | | | using a support system is crucial, especially in the early |
| forefront with the increasing number of television | | | | years of recovery. These will be the people that can |
| shows that are doing interventions. Interventions are | | | | help you stay clean and sober when you are faced |
| not a new thing. You are just hearing more about | | | | with trying situations in your life. |
| them. Interventions are a way of getting loved ones | | | | Family therapy is an essential part of rehab. There is |
| that need substance abuse treatment to go to an | | | | no family in existence that can be emotionally healthy if |
| inpatient facility to get the help that they need. But | | | | one of its members has a substance abuse problem. It |
| what really happens in rehab? | | | | is important that family members learn to deal with |
| Detox is the first step. Many substances have a | | | | feelings that they had during the active addiction of |
| physical withdrawal and will require medical monitoring | | | | their loved one as well as how they are feeling when |
| and medication to go through the process of relieving | | | | that person becomes sober. Al-Anon is a support |
| your body of that dependency. This process will | | | | group for family members of addicts. |
| usually be complete within a week. | | | | The final step is the aftercare program. This consists |
| Education is a big part of becoming clean and sober. | | | | of what you are going to do to stay clean and sober |
| You are educated and what specific substances do to | | | | after the inpatient program has been completed. This |
| your body. You are also taught to deal with the | | | | can be anything to moving into a sober living facility, |
| feelings that brought you to the point you were at | | | | meeting with counselors and therapists and attending |
| when you entered the program. Learning how to | | | | 12 step meeting. |
| develop and use a support system as well as what | | | | Rehab is by no means a walk in the park. It is |
| you can do to avoid relapse are a very big part of the | | | | physically and emotionally painful. But your first day |
| educational aspect of a rehab program. | | | | clean and sober will be the first day of the rest of your |
| You will meet with individual counselors and also attend | | | | life. As long as your take your life one day at a time |
| group therapy. The group therapy sessions and the 12 | | | | and use what you learned, you will continue to live a |
| steps meeting, that you will be introduced to, will be an | | | | life free from the use of drugs and alcohol. |
| important part of your support system. Developing and | | | | |