What To Expect When Entering A Drug And Alcohol Treatment Centre

Many people who find themselves in the grips of a serious dependency on alcohol or drugs enter a drug and alcohol treatment centre to be rehabilitated and treated for addiction without understanding the full measure of the delicate procedure in such a treatment centre.

When a person reaches a stage in their life when their daily responsibilities are impossible to uphold without drugs or alcohol, or they have no life left because of drugs or alcohol, this is the time to seek treatment for their substance problem. Addiction is a cunning illness which sees sufferers lose their families, careers, houses, friends and self respect and will ultimately kill them if they do not become rehabilitated, whether by jails or institutions.

Most rehabilitation centres will regard addiction as a disease which is all encompassing – whether the addiction is sex, eating disorders, self mutilation, drugs or alcohol, the rehab will not only treat the alcohol and drug addiction. These behaviours are considered symptoms of the problem and not the problem itself. Therefore, when a patient arrives at a drug and alcohol treatment centre, they can expect that therapy will focus on all of the ways that their addiction manifests itself.

Arrival

When a client arrives for drug and alcohol treatment, they will be received by the counsellors on duty and asked to sign various forms including indemnity forms and information forms regarding subjects such as next of kin, allergies, whether they require a detoxification, and so forth. Once they have been received and completed the required paperwork, their bags will be searched by the counsellors on duty, as will the new patient and a drug test may be administered via a sample of blood or urine.

Any substances found on the patient or in their belongings are confiscated and disposed of immediately. A doctor may be required to assess the patient for any medical requirements as many addicts and alcoholics have damaged their bodies to a large extent and may need treatment and regular medication.

Detoxification

If a patient has been using drugs and/or alcohol for a lengthy period of time, they may require detoxification as the human body does become physically dependent on alcohol and various types of drugs. Some drug and alcohol rehab centres will offer detoxification to patients but others may not have the facilities to administer a proper detoxification. The withdrawal from drugs and alcohol can be fatal so assistance and proper monitoring is required.

Some drug and alcohol treatment centres will allow a detoxing patient to participate in their programme, others will require a patient to detox before they are allowed to mix with the other patients, however this depends entirely on the treatment centre.

Getting started!

Once the intake of the patient has been completed, they will be assigned a counsellor who will be their one-on-one therapist and the professional in charge of their treatment. The rest of the clients staying in the centre are generally known as the “community” and after having unpacked their belongings the new client will be introduced to everyone and often assigned a “buddy”. A buddy is a fellow patient who has been at the centre for some time already and can help the new client settle in and grow accustomed to how the day-to-day programme proceeds and with any other information they may need.

What happens at treatment centres – the programme

The programme of every drug and alcohol treatment centre differs but the main elements are usually the same – group therapy, individual therapy, written work, meals, walks and sleep. If the centre offers a Twelve Step Programme based on the Minnesota Model of recovery, then patients will also attend AA and NA meetings, have lectures on the elements of the programme and participate in written work.

For the first week of treatment, the client will usually not be allowed to have contact with ANY outside persons, including family and friends. Entering a treatment programme at a treatment centre is incredibly frightening and highly stressful and contact with family and friends can make the process of settling into life at the centre extremely difficult. A client will generally settle into life at the centre within a week or two.

Alcohol and drug treatment centres provide a safe and nurturing place for addicts to start a new life and begin a process of abstinence and change. However, when entering a facility for the first time, many feel very afraid and utterly hopeless, especially as they will be abstinent for the first time. Knowing what to expect and good preparation for admission to a drug and alcohol treatment centre may help the initial shock of turning a life of using into a life of recovery.