“Do I need rehab?”

If you’ve asked yourself this question, it’s pretty safe to say that either alcohol or drugs, or both, have begun to have a negative impact on your life. The party might be over. The financial or legal problems have been piling up for some time. Maybe, you’ve been having an increasing amount of medical issues connected to your drinking. Your therapist or doctor may have even suggested you quit drinking.

You’ve tried quitting altogether, and maybe you lasted for a few days, a couple of months, or even an entire year. While you stopped drinking for a brief time, you couldn’t stop obsessing about when your next drink was, knowing that there would be “one more drink.” Perhaps you are like many other people who struggle with alcohol and drugs. You found that you couldn’t stop for even a day even when you desperately want to.

And then that question wouldn’t stop gnawing at you. “Do I need rehab?”

If you’ve found yourself relating to the above scenarios, or you have a friend or loved one who is struggling through life like this, rehab may be the first step needed to break the painful cycle of addiction and alcoholism. Alcohol use disorder is treatable, and recovery is possible.

Signs of Addiction to Drugs and Alcoholism

Alcohol and substance use disorders affect people of all demographics. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, over 15 million adults had AUD. Only 6.7 percent of those sought treatment in 2015. Meanwhile, over 600,000 youth aged 12-17 had AUD, and only about 5 percent of those youth received treatment during this last year. Drinking alcohol is more socially acceptable than almost all other drugs. Unfortunately, too many people suffering from AUD don’t seek treatment, even if they wonder if they need rehab.

If you don’t drink every day, you might think that you don’t need treatment. It can’t be stated enough: you don’t need to drink every day to suffer from AUD. The same goes for any other substance abuse. At a certain point, though, alcoholics and addicts stop drinking or using drugs for fun. Instead, they drink or use just to get by, just to eat, just to go to work, just to sleep, just to do almost anything. AUD and SUD become more about maintaining and surviving rather than the social stimulant that it began as.

So is rehab necessary for you? Only you can answer that question. But some other questions may help you decide if you need help with your alcohol or drug problem:

If you’re unhappy with your relationships with your family and partner, are alcohol and drugs the most common cause?
Do you suffer from withdrawal symptoms, such as loss of appetite, nausea, irritability, vomiting, muscle fatigue, or headaches?
Do you have legal issues because of your drinking or using?
Do you wish you could stop but are afraid you won’t be able to?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you don’t have to live that way anymore. Rehab may be the best option you have to get a new chance at living well.

What Is Rehab?

Rehab are treatment facilities that specialize in the recovery from alcohol and drug addiction using clinical and medical treatment, behavioral and therapeutic therapy, and spiritual guidance to help people learn to live drug and alcohol-free.

Over 88,000 people a year die from complications related to alcohol use disorder. Overdoses attributed to drugs account for over 72,000 deaths each year in America. Rehabs are places where people choose life instead of death. They are places where doctors, therapists, caseworkers, and families battle addiction so that people can rebuild their lives.

Types of Rehabs

Inpatient/Residential

These are typically relatively short 7-28 day treatment programs where people are confined to the facility. Normally, someone enters a detox facility or program to help treat withdrawals.
Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP)

After detoxing from your DOC (drug of choice), people often enter IOPs to continue treating their addictions while beginning to re-enter society. Knowing that sobriety requires long-term, ongoing, diligent addiction treatment and management, these programs focus helping people develop better coping mechanisms, continue to treat any dual diagnoses and focus on healthy lifestyles and choices.

So, do you need rehab? Hopefully, this article has brought some clarity for you. Seeking help for your addictions is a giant act of bravery as you face your problems and fears. Rehabs can be extremely helpful as a first step towards sobriety. The best rehabs expose you to other people, either in 12-step meetings or faith-based support groups, who have and continue to live sober no matter what happens in life.

Whatever you decide, we are rooting for you to succeed and Boardwalk Recovery Center will do everything we can. Please call or email us; we are happy to answer any questions you may have.