The good news is – Yes – drug rehab centres can help get you well if you want to get well. However, expect to have to put in some some hard work and for it to be quite an emotional (even emotionally painful) experience.
Detox
Physically the drug rehab centre will try to make you as comfortable as possible. Depending on the nature of your addiction you may be prescribed a detox. If you have an opiate addiction (example heroin, codeine, tramadol, oxycodone), you can be prescribed a detox which will block most of the withdrawal symptoms. If you have an addiction to GBL, a suitable detox is available. Drugs such as cocaine, ketamine and cannabis do not give rise to physical withdrawal symptoms. However, you are likely to feel tense and anxious as you stop habitual using so you may be given something to relieve that. In all cases, whatever your addiction, the drug rehab centre may allow you to have a sleeping tablet in your first days there.
We treat the physical & psychological symptoms of addiction
However, drug rehab centres do not just help you get over the physical addiction. Their aim is to deal with the root cause of your addiction so that you can get the necessary help not to need (or want) to use again. The drug treatment centre should take you back to your earliest memories to understand the experiences you have had in your life, and they will want to understand your personality such that they get to know the real you. The treatment programme will usually help you to realise the damage drugs have done to your life and the people who care about you. This is so you can see the full picture. If you were not certain about really wanting to stop before, looking at the reality of your life should be sufficient to make you ready to stop.
Spirituality
Another important part of treatment is to help you feel that there is hope of a happy and fulfilling future without using drugs. Treatment should help you to find your inner spirit and zest for life.
Reflection
Part of your treatment will be to look back on your past, including your resentments and feelings of guilt. Your treatment will help you to address these and provide a programme to help you to make amends to people you have done wrong by in the past – so you can be free of these destructive and painful feelings.
We can help with any issues that arise during your treatment
Having dealt with the ‘big picture’ and all of the past, and feeling hope for the future, you then need to live each day in a way that sits well with the way you want to live your life. This means dealing with any issues as they arise on a daily basis. So part of your treatment process will be to give you a way of doing this so that you go to bed each night free of worry and wake up the following morning ready to face the new day – rather than feeling full of regrets and concerns about what you did or said yesterday.
Give Back
Once well, it is important for you also to help others who are struggling with their addiction and pass on the hope and help that you have been given. This also helps you. It helps you to both gain some benefit from your own experience. It will remind you how bad it was (and how you never want to go back there).
There are no guarantees from drug rehab centres
There are no guarantees that drug rehab centres will get you well. That is up to you – how much you want to get well and how much you then want to keep your recovery. In order to keep it you have to keep working at it. However, if you are willing to maintain your effort, your life will continue to be so much better than it was when you were in the grip of your addiction.
But worthwhile.
The Haynes Clinic is a drug treatment centre that can help you. Call 01462 851414 to find out more or for advice.
