Drug and Alcohol Rehab and the Integral Role It Plays in Recovery

Drug and alcohol rehab facilities play an invaluable role in the addiction recovery process for a variety of reasons. Many addicts valiantly try time and time again to kick their substance abuse habits on their own, and one after the other, they rarely seem to stick. So what exactly is it about drug and alcohol rehab programs that seem to make the difference between getting sober and staying sober? Why is addiction so hard to recover from in the comfort of your own home? What do you learn at these drug and alcohol rehab facilities that make such a crucial impact?

One of the most important things to remember about residential drug and alcohol rehab is the controlled environment in which treatment takes place. When you fall victim to addiction, it permeates through every aspect of your life. Your social life, your home life, your professional life can all become tainted and therefore toxic environments. It's unreasonable to think anyone can recover from an illness in a toxic environment and addiction is no different. In order for treatment to take, the addict needs to be completely removed from the environment they were abusing substances in. The temptation to use consistently proves far too great to resist otherwise. They also need to be in a 100 percent substance-free space, which any drug and alcohol rehab facility should be. An addict needs to be completely separated from all crutches, excuses and codependent relationships to fully own up to what's become of their lives and come to terms with their addiction.

Long-term recovery from a drug or alcohol addiction in your own home is next to impossible. If it were feasible, many drug and alcohol rehab centers would not exist. For starters, you are still most likely living in the same environment that you used to use in, and still probably spending time with many of the same people you used to use with. Under those circumstances, if you can even manage to get sober, it's typically only a matter of time before a relapse takes place. Recovering from an addiction requires an individual to make drastic changes to their thought patterns, behaviors and lifestyle and it's naive to think that one can make those changes while staying in their current routine.

What You Really Learn at Alcohol and Drug Rehab

In addition to the controlled, segregated environment and the complete break from your pre-treatment life, the counseling you'll receive at a quality drug and alcohol rehab can make the difference between getting sober and staying sober. Recovering from an addiction truly takes the guidance and support of a knowledgeable, experienced community. It's only through open and honest communication, establishing trust and creating new relationships that don't revolve around substance abuse that you can truly make your post-rehab life transition successfully.