If you and your partner are thinking about seeking treatment for substance abuse, you are most likely experiencing a whole host of emotions right now.
Making a decision to enter into an addiction treatment program is not one that most people take lightly.
In fact, research tells us that out of the almost 20 million Americans who are currently battling some sort of drug or alcohol addiction, less than 10 percent of them will actually decide to seek help for their substance abuse disorder.
Obviously, there are many factors at play that will keep a person or a couple from seeking treatment for their alcohol and/or drug addiction, but one thing is clear.
If you and your partner have taken the brave step to try and decide whether an inpatient rehab program is the best thing for both of you, then you are to be commended for getting to this point.
Admitting there is a problem is the first step.
Figuring out what to do about it is the next one.
How Do I Know What Type of Substance Abuse Treatment is Right for Me?
When a person or couple decides that they want to address their substance abuse issues, they have a variety of options from which to choose.
Some of the most common (and ultimately effective) ways of treating alcohol or drug addiction are:
Behavior Modification: Many people begin their journey toward living a life free of drug and alcohol addiction by trying to modify their behavior on their own. For many, they first try and change their habits around drinking or drug use, deciding that they can go it alone.
Therapy: Once a person realizes that they don’t think they can control their drinking or drug use on their own, they may decide to try various types of therapy, such as group therapy sessions, behavioral therapy or even behavioral couples therapy or family therapy (especially if more than one person is trying to quit.)
Outpatient Rehab: If a person (or couple) decide that therapy alone isn’t working, the next option oftentimes may involve entering into an outpatient rehab program. Outpatient rehab will still consist of a significant amount of group therapy sessions and individual therapy sessions, but it will be more intensive and targeted specifically to dealing with the person or couple’s substance abuse disorder.
Inpatient Rehab: Finally, an inpatient rehab treatment program may be a decision that is made after a person or couple has tried some (or all) of the aforementioned options but has not had the success they have hoped for. Inpatient addiction treatment facilities are live in programs where patients can receive supervised and highly-structured substance abuse treatment from qualified therapists, medical professionals and others that are specifically trained to work with people who are struggling with drug and alcohol addiction.
Remember…no matter where you are on your journey towards sobriety, there is no shame in that.
That said, if you have tried one or more of the above approaches to ridding your life of your alcohol or drug abuse and you have had minimal success, you are probably ready to consider a treatment program that is more intense and structured than what you’ve done in the past.
This may be where an inpatient rehab program is going to be right for you.
What Happens in an Inpatient Treatment Center?
Knowing what to expect from an inpatient treatment center may make the decision to go an easier – or at least less stressful – one.
Let’s face it…deciding to go to a rehab center, either with a partner or alone is not going to be a simple decision. But the more you can know what to expect, then the less questions you’ll have beforehand and the lower your anxiety may be about the whole experience.
Not only that, but if you can go into a treatment program feeling more comfortable about your expectations, you can stay focused on what the real priority is…dealing with your drug or alcohol abuse and starting your recovery process.
Of course, all addiction treatment programs are going to be different. Based on whether or not they are free-standing or attached to a hospital or whether they are state-owned or privately-run will all affect some of the procedures and protocol that take place.
Where an alcohol and drug addiction treatment center is located will also play a role in some of the ways in which the program is operated and what a daily schedule may look like.
There are also drug and alcohol treatment centers that cater to specific groups, such as women-only programs, centers that focus on LGBTQ individuals or programs that are focused specifically on couples rehab.
All that said, let’s look at some of the most common and pretty standard things that you and your partner can expect when you go to an addiction treatment center.
Initial Assessment
The initial assessment begins the moment you reach out to an inpatient rehab center. A skilled addiction treatment center will have a 24/7 phone line that will always be staffed with knowledgeable and well-trained professionals who can start answering your questions long before you walk through their door.
During that initial phone call and all subsequent ones that follow, the mental health services administration will walk with you through each next step, from figuring out your arrival date, to helping sort out payment with your insurance providers.
Once you arrive at the treatment center, your team of medical and mental health professionals may suggest a physical exam, have labs drawn or engage in other assessments that will give everyone involved a better understanding of any physical health issues that you are currently experiencing.
Doing a physical assessment will be extremely helpful in determining whether or not you can safely withdrawal from any substances you are using and if you need or can safely be prescribed addiction medication while detoxing.
Medically Managed Detox, If Needed
As mentioned, an important advantage that an inpatient treatment program can offer someone is the ability to detox and withdrawal from substance abuse in a safe and carefully managed situation.
Not everyone reacts the same way when their body is no longer having to process certain drugs and/or alcohol. Withdrawal symptoms can sometimes be quite frightening or uncomfortable, and being in an environment that is medically and mentally prepared for adverse reactions can not only be beneficial to a person, but very comforting as well.
Whether you think you and/or your partner may experience some painful or possibly dangerous symptoms when going through withdrawal, it’s still a good idea to find a treatment center that is well-equipped to deal with any complications that may arise.
Individual Addiction Treatment Therapy
Any substance abuse program is going to involve a significant amount of individual addiction treatment therapy and an inpatient rehab center is no exception to this.
Individual therapy is an important part of any recovery journey as it will help you get to the root of where your addiction started, what propels it, and what tools you can begin to adopt to help you in early recovery and beyond.
There are many various types of individual therapy such as talk therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, contingency management therapy, and 12-step therapy to name a few.
It is a good idea to research the various types of individual therapy a treatment center plans to provide and learn if these sound as if they will work for you.
Group Therapy
As with individual therapy, most substance abuse treatment programs will rely heavily on group therapy as an important part of treating your addiction and starting you on a successful path to sobriety.
Group therapy therapy offers patients a number of excellent benefits that can’t be discovered in any other aspect of addiction treatment.
Spending time with others who are also on a path to long-term sobriety can offer a place of refuge and remind the addict that they are not alone in their substance use disorder, nor do they have to live in isolation because of it.
Group therapy is also unique in that it offers a person a place to talk openly about their struggles, emotions, fears and challenges without feeling judged or misunderstood.
Even if you and/or your partner have a supportive group of family and friends, it may not be the same as finding a group of people who know exactly the struggles you both are going through and can help you navigate the waters of what’s next.
Behavioral Couples Therapy
All couples who enter into alcohol or drug rehab programs together will certainly spend a decent amount of their time engaged in behavioral couples therapy together.
Substance abuse disorder is a tricky disease and it will almost always wreak havoc on your romantic relationship as much, if not more, than any other relationship you have.
And when both people in that romantic relationship are struggling with alcohol or drug abuse, there will be an enormous amount of pain and past wrongdoings to work through together.
There will also be a need to find ways to move forward as individuals and as a couple without drug or alcohol abuse playing a role in the relationship.
Behavioral couples therapy will be a significant part of your inpatient couples rehab and you should make sure that any treatment facility you are considering has a strong and well-established couples therapy program in place.
Family Therapy
Yet another type of therapy that should be part of your inpatient facility’s treatment plan is family therapy.
Just like with a romantic relationship, family relationships are greatly affected by any sort of substance use disorder. Every member of the family, even those who aren’t struggling with addiction to alcohol or drugs, will need the right professional help to navigate their way through it.
Family therapy can also give others that you and your partner love the tools necessary to support you through your early recovery and long term sobriety.
Your family won’t always understand your addiction. Not only will they not understand it, they may be resentful, angry, hurt or uncomfortable with it.
Engaging in family therapy together will help your loved ones understand that you are not your addiction and help you understand how to not take their resentfulness an anger personally.
Some inpatient treatment programs may not offer family therapy options, if they don’t allow family on the premises. Talk openly with your intake counselor and the mental health services administration about what sorts of family therapy or family engagement options are available while you’re in treatment and/or after treatment has ended.
Stress Management Activities
Studies tell us that an integral part of the recovery process for people with substance addiction is the need to find ways in which to recognize and manage stressors in their lives.
Addiction and stress are proven to go hand in hand. Stress doesn’t necessarily cause a person to become an addict, but alcohol and drugs are often used as ways to cope with stress in our daily lives. When those substances become an integral part of stress relief, there is a much higher likelihood that they will lead to drug and alcohol abuse.
This is why most reputable inpatient recovery centers will now incorporate stress management therapies as part of the treatment process for a person or a couple’s substance abuse.
Learning various modes that can alleviate or diminish stress will become easier if you have a treatment center that has skilled stress management specialists at your disposal.
From meditation exercises to journaling and engaging in relaxing hobbies, learning how to replace alcohol or drugs with other stress relievers will become a vital part of your recovery journey.
Physical Exercise Activities
As with stress management activities, physical exercise is also an area that has become much more significant in recovery programs and has now been proven to play a large role in long term sobriety.
One of the most common beliefs about drug and alcohol abuse is that the brain of a person addicted to substances may not produce the same amount of serotonin as is necessary to regulate certain moods and overall mental health.
But when aerobic exercise is introduced into the addicts regular routines, the amount of serotonin in their brain greatly increases, leading to mood stabilization and less of a desire to reach for drugs and/or alcohol to help. Not only that, but regular exercise can also help with sleep issues, another common reason that many people with substance use issues claim is a leading reason for them to use some sort of drug or alcohol in the evenings.
A well-established inpatient treatment center will have an array of options when it comes to exercise activities. Some people may be intimidated to jump into something they are unfamiliar with, but you should be able to find out in advance what sorts of options a treatment center is going to have available. From group exercise classes to individual options, and from beginning instruction to activities that are set for the already-skilled participant, make sure you have a wide range of options.
Follow Up Care
It cannot be stressed enough the importance of finding a treatment facility that is prepared to offer both you and your partner follow up options for after you complete your time in the inpatient rehab for couples program.
Sobriety is a lifelong journey and spending a period of time in treatment isn’t going to guarantee that you or your partner are going to be able to maintain it.
Instead, an effective inpatient treatment center will be part of your overall recovery process. It will give you the necessary start to stay on your recovery path and will provide you with the tools to help you along the way.
Find an inpatient treatment center that understands the importance of what happens after you leave their program. From ongoing counseling services to setting you up with a sponsor and resources for recovery meetings, you should make sure the facility you choose has a very strong and specific road map for where your recovery journey is going after you return back to your regular life.
Are You Ready to Make That First Phone Call?
Making the decision to go to rehab is never going to be an easy one. But making the decision after you have done your research and have a clearer idea of what to expect can make it a slightly less difficult one. Not only that but knowing what to expect and what to look for can also be a great contributor to your long-term success for years to come.
At The House of the Rising Son we have spent years studying the most effective addiction treatment programs and working with patients just like you.
We know the road blocks to recovery and have skilled and well-trained experts on staff to come up with the best treatment plan possible for both you and your partner, no matter what struggles you are facing.
If you are ready to finally find the right treatment center that is going to put you on the best path to a life free of substance abuse, then give us a call today. Our staff will immediately put you at ease and be able to walk into this new journey next to you.
The call is free. Reach out today and find out how free your life can finally be.
