I have been to a drug rehab clinic.
I am not ashamed to admit that it took a lot of persuasion to get me to go to a drug rehab clinic. In fact, I tried just about everything else I could before finally accepting that I had no other option. I tried; my GP, counselling through my local drug and alcohol service and even Narcotics Anonymous. I could not stop using. The physical need was too strong and the mental obsession was worse. In the end, when I was just about on my knees and my family were almost demented with worry about me, I caved in and said I would go.
So what is it like at a drug rehab clinic?
The first thing to say is that nothing could be worse than dealing with the day to day life I had at the end of my using. Every day was a black horrible day. I would have happily gone to sleep and never woken up back in those days. Switching a daily form of torture for rehab was not so difficult in the light of that. That said, as anticipated, my first few days in rehab were difficult and I did struggle.
I was what was known as a ‘poly drug’ user and would take anything and everything. I started off smoking cannabis, then I took party drugs in my teens before going on to ketamine, cocaine and crack. In fact I tried just about everything except heroin. My drug of choice at the end was crack.
I was taken to the drug rehab clinic by my wife. She could not wait to see the back of me. She basically said hello to the staff and drove off. It was quite scary being left with a lot of people I did not know, in an environment with which I was unfamiliar and having no idea what to expect.
Arrival
The first thing that happened was I was booked in – I gave my details and went through some background information. Prescribed medication, medical history, alcohol and drug history, risky behaviours etc. Then I saw the dr and went through the medical and drug information in more detail. She was lovely and understanding – not at all judgmental. She said I could have sleeping tablets in my first week if I wanted them and as there was no physical withdrawal from the drugs I was taking (I found this hard to believe) that I did not need a detox as such. It turns out what I thought was a physical need for my drugs was actually a psychological one. I did experience some psychological withdrawal but I was allowed a little medication in the first few days for my anxiety which helped.
Drug rehab is not a spa break, that is for sure. The clinic I went to offered comfortable accommodation (own bedrooms) and was in a lovely rural setting. This was important to me as it was peaceful and quiet and it was good to reconnect with nature while I was in treatment. I would not like to have been in a city centre for my treatment. There was also a private health club we went to but only as a relief from the hard work.
Expect intensive therapy and hard work
And hard work is exactly what is expected of you in rehab. This involves compulsory therapy sessions which sometimes mean facing difficult challenges. Challenges about who you are, your perception of life and events and a good hard look at the damage you have done due to your drug taking. On some days you can feel emotionally destroyed. On others you get the hope that you need to see that life with out drugs is going to be possible and it is going to be good. There are up days and down days, difficult days and easy days. All are progress towards getting to be the person you want to be. The best father, son, brother etc. that you can be.
A life-changing opportunity
I am so pleased I went. My worse days now are better than my best days when I was using. I only wish I had faced my fears and gone before instead of wasting all those weeks and months in the misery of using.
I went to the Haynes Clinic in Bedfordshire. Find out more about this addiction rehab centre and call them on 01462 851414 with your specific questions.
