People arrive in drug treatment and alcohol rehab centers in all different states of addiction and need. No two cases are alike, so addiction center professionals can work with you if you are sober or not- so long as you are committed to stopping using drugs. Wherever you are on your path to a drug-free life and future, you should prepare to enter drug treatment, and getting sober is a great start.
Inpatient rehab programs are drug and alcohol-free zones with high protection from the outside world, such as curfews and visitor limitations. They keep you inside to focus on recovery away from tempting places and people. Outpatient programs and sober houses give participants more freedom. Sobering up before entrance gives you a head start to success.
Steps to Sobriety Before and After Drug Treatment
You probably already have a network of people who know you need help and wanted you to get it. They should be the first to know you will enter drug treatment, so they can plan to support you during and after. You must also enter treatment with a long-term view so that your program is not a short-term vacation but the turning point to a new life.
Most people can’t just pack up and leave behind everything they know. Ohio families and communities tend to be close-knit, so your addiction center is most likely near where you call home. You’ll have to see home differently. You must fill it with better things to do besides drink and use drugs, new associates who live clean lives, and new healthy habits to replace substance use.
Getting Sober To Enter Drug Treatment
All drug abusers enter treatment on their own time and terms, but most start thinking about it long before they walk through the doors. As soon as change enters your mind, you can take baby steps to prepare for the big leap. Do not compound the effects of drug use with alcohol or binges. Sobriety steps to take before treatment include:
- Throw out all your drinking glasses, bottle openers, and wine openers.
- Give away all minibars, full-sized bars, and wine cabinets.
- Distance immediately from drinkers and drug users. For the closest relationships, you can extend a letter or card to invite important loved ones to join you in your addiction treatment.
- You don’t need one last hurrah before you enter treatment. Don’t plan a big party to take your last drinks or use them for the last time. Eat some good food and rest up instead.
You’re in a challenging time when no one expects you to be perfect. Addiction treatment center staff accepts you and sees hope for you no matter what condition you arrive in. Medical professionals, administrators, and drug counselors are there to support withdrawal symptoms during the detox process. After you pass the shaky period when your mind and body still crave substances, focus shifts to rebuilding your health and plotting long-term recovery plans.
Your Life After Drug Treatment
You will come out drug treatment not only sober but feeling more optimistic about the future than you have in years. Without drugs and alcohol to interfere with your sleep, you’ll probably get much better rest. Since you will no longer replace calories from food with empty substances, you can enjoy healthy meals and daily exercise.
You need family, friends, and your counselors after treatment more than you did before. Turn to them when you face triggers to drink and use drugs. These should be at a minimum if you have erased drinking items and drug paraphernalia from your life. Staying sober maintains good judgment against using.
It’s not a good idea to think you can have just one drink, pill, or high. The lifelong recovery process works when you recognize such ideas as a signal to seek out support. All addiction centers offer post-treatment options for maintenance so you are never on your journey against relapse alone.
We can help if you are over age 18, in or near Ohio, and ready to end your drinking and drug problems. Our caring counselors are standing by for your call, so dial (440) 253-9915 today.
