A guide to drug rehab

Going to drug rehab is a big decision, and most people feel anxious about it even after they’ve made up their mind. You may not know what to expect, or you may have ideas about rehab that come from films and television rather than reality. These misconceptions can sometimes make people change their minds at the last minute, or make their first few days of rehab harder than they need to be.

To help you prepare for drug rehab in the best way possible, here are some important things to consider before you go.

Start by finding the right rehab

The drug rehab you choose is one of the most important decisions you will ever make. A good rehab will keep you safe during drug detox and lay the critical foundations for lifelong recovery. It will help you understand why you got addicted to drugs in the first place, with therapists who have extensive experience with people just like you.

When you are researching your options, look for a rehab centre that is registered with the Care Quality Commission and staffed by properly qualified people. The CQC is an independent body that assesses rehab centres like Recovery Lighthouse and assigns a score based on things like staff-to-client ratios, quality of treatment, and facilities.

You can see Recovery Lighthouse’s CQC report here.

You should also ask rehab centres directly about the length of the programme, because a week or two is rarely enough for drug addiction, and find out what aftercare they offer once you leave. A good rehab will be happy to answer these questions and won’t pressure you into booking before you’re ready.

Getting this decision right makes everything else easier. When you trust where you’re going and understand what the treatment involves, the emotional and practical side of preparing becomes far less overwhelming.

Don’t wait until you feel ready

Most people waiting to go to rehab wrongly believe that they need to reach a certain point before they’re ready. They tell themselves they will go when they’ve sorted a few things out, or when the time is right, or when they feel strong enough, or when circumstances allow. The problem with this thinking is that the right time never arrives, because addiction doesn’t leave you feeling ready for anything.

Feeling scared or uncertain doesn’t mean you aren’t ready. It just means you’re human. Almost everyone who walks into a rehab feels some version of the same thing, and the ones who get better are often the ones who were really worried when they arrived, but who went anyway.

Waiting often feels like sensible preparation, but it can also be a way of putting off something frightening. But it is highly unlikely that the fear will go away by waiting. The best way to defeat that fear is to go through with the thing that scares you. And with drug rehab, most people find the reality isn’t half as frightening as how they imagined it.

Get the practical things in order

The practical side of preparing for rehab is usually simpler than it first appears, and most of what you’re worried about can be sorted out in a few days.

If you’re employed, you may need to speak to your employer or arrange sick leave. Your GP can help with this if you need documentation.

If you have children or dependents, you will need to arrange care for them while you’re away, which might mean asking family members for help or making more formal arrangements.

Bills and rent can usually be set up to pay automatically, or someone you trust can handle them while you’re in treatment.

Rehabs generally provide toiletries, towels, bedding, and basic necessities, so you don’t need to pack much beyond comfortable clothes. Most will ask you to leave your phone at reception or limit when you can use it, which can feel strange at first, but helps you focus on treatment without distractions from outside. If you’re taking prescribed medication, bring it with you along with details of the prescription so the medical team knows what you’re on.

At Recovery Lighthouse, our admissions team will talk you through what to bring and what to leave behind. They’re used to answering practical questions, so don’t hesitate to ask if you’re unsure about anything. We promise you, we have heard every imaginable question a hundred times before.

Know what the first week looks like

The first day can feel overwhelming, and there’s no getting around that. At Recovery Lighthouse, you will arrive, meet staff, have a medical assessment, and try to take in a lot of new information while probably feeling exhausted and anxious. Most people don’t remember the details of their first day very clearly, which is normal.

If your body has become dependent on drugs, the first part of your stay will involve medically supervised detox. This is where the drugs clear your system, and it can be physically and emotionally difficult. The medical team will monitor you throughout and may be able to give you medication to help with withdrawal.

The first few days are often the hardest, particularly during detox. The staff understand this and won’t expect you to be at your best. Your only job in those early days is to stay, rest, eat when you can, and let the medical team look after you.

Once you settle in, the days usually take on a rhythm. At Recovery Lighthouse, there are group and one-to-one therapy sessions throughout the day, with plenty of breaks and quieter time in the evenings for rest or reflection.

Group therapy involves sitting with other people in treatment and talking through what you’re going through. This can feel uncomfortable at first, but often ends up being the part that helps most. One-to-one sessions with a therapist give you space to go that bit deeper into your own story without an audience.

You will share your meals with the other rehab residents, and have lots of time to get to know each other and socialise.

Everyone is different, but a stay of four to twelve weeks gives you time to get through the initial withdrawal and start understanding your addiction. You can then focus on therapy and work out how you’re going to stay drug-free once you leave. Shorter stays can help with detox, but rarely offer enough time to deal with what’s underneath.

Stay honest and keep showing up

The people who do well in drug rehab aren’t necessarily the ones who arrive the most motivated or who have the worst stories. In many cases, they are just the ones who show up, take part properly, stay honest about what’s going on for them, and keep doing that even when it’s hard.

Honesty matters more than anything else. That means being honest with the therapists and with yourself, and speaking up when you’re struggling rather than pretending everything is fine. The best advice is to keep an open mind about different forms of therapy, and take part properly in every session, even on the days when you don’t feel like it.

The first week might feel difficult, and it’s easy to convince yourself that you’d be better off leaving. But almost everyone has that thought at some point. Most people find that after the shock of those early days, everything soon starts to make more sense.

Getting started

Recovery Lighthouse is part of the UKAT family of rehabs, and we’ve helped thousands of people get their lives back from drug addiction. Our drug rehab programmes run from four to twelve weeks, and we offer extensive aftercare support once you leave.

If you’re thinking about rehab and want to talk through your options, please get in touch. All conversations are free and confidential, and there’s no pressure to book anything. We can answer your questions and help you work out whether this is the right time.