flower44

Just last week I was in a residential rehab for 3 days. Yes - only 3 days! It was not for me! I couldn't stand the 24/7 thing and the drama there was just too much. My counselor didn't think I needed a residential program so I came home and will be starting an outpatient program here in my town. The other facility I was in was 45 minutes away, thus the reason for residential as opposed to IOP. Anyway if you have been in rehab before, what was your experience like?

TTOSBT

First, what is IOP?

I was in residential rehab 14 years ago.
It saved my life. It was a VERY tough love program. No aspirin, no caffeine, no nada. We woke up at 6am (5 if you wanted a warm shower) and had groups until 10pm. You could write letters but the phone thing was hard. No phone calls for 2-4 weeks and then it was VERY hard to get on. No visitors except my son after 45 days. It was program 24/7. I learned SO much and had the opportunity to be immersed in the program and focus on my recovery. That was for meth. Today I am back in recovery for alcohol. Today I can not take a time out from my life to focus on my recovery. I miss that!!!

Truly, I would love to spend 90 days just working on me. But today I run a business, raise 2 kids, take care of a house, husband, several pets and go to school. Sooooo...I have to juggle and FIGHT for my recovery time. And I do. But I do miss those days

BackToSquareOne

I was in rehab back in 1991 but wasn't ready to quit my old ways yet. In retrospect I can see that you only get out of rehab what your willing to put into it and at the time i just went through the motions and therefore got nothing out of it.

flower44

IOP stands for Intensive Out Patient. Although I would hardly call 3 1/2 hours three nights a week intensive. That's what my program will be. They do require you attend a minimum of 2 AA meetings a week and you also have to to a DAILY (even on days you don't have class) Breathalyzer. I know there are online AA meetings, I wonder if that would count?

tommyk

I went to in-patient rehab. Incredible learning experience.

It was so very hard for me to take such a deep look at myself, but it was quite possibly one of the most memorable experiences of my life.

If you have any problems at all with 'IOP' I'd suggest rehab. Very few people like it at first, it is like lifting weights, running, or other exercise, the benefits come after the effort is put forth.

(Just a side note: in-patient rehab is there for people like me who would come up with shortcut ideas like... 'I know there are online AA meetings, I wonder if that would count?' I learned that shortcuts can really cut your life short.)

flower44

tommyk - did in-patient work for you? Are you still sober?

Artur

I just got out of an intensive rehab...16 months in house Theraputic Community...it was rough, but i think it was the only thing I could have done that would have helped me..I have tried other rehabs in the past and nothing worked. So, this last one was a very hard thing to do. Now I have my own apartment, and have been clean/sober for nearly 21 months...it was a blessing for me.

flower44

wow - congrats to you Artur! That is a long time to be in rehab and I am glad it helped you. My problem with rehab is with my job. I have 65 working days that I would be paid for under FMLA. (Federal medical leave act) Therefore I am limited on my rehab.

TTOSBT

FYI flower. My rehab was paid by CA State disability. In CA if you are at an inpatient facility you are considered disabled and therefore entitled to those benefits up to 1 year or however long you are inpatient (whichever is shorter). Here it is 60% of your salary tax free.

tommyk

Originally I wanted to do out-patient instead of rehab, but the docs said it would take 2-3 years of out-patient to accomplish what I would get from 28 days of rehab. I agree 100%.

Rehab saved my life.

I had depression and I didn't know it. I was a binge drinker and I really think subconsciously I was trying to drink myself to death. I did rehab, quit drinking for exactly one year, drank for four more years, then quit again (using the tools I learned in rehab). I am now 14 years clean & sober.

Also - some years ago doctors wanted me to use Xanax & Klonopin (benzo's) on a long term basis, but I learned in that rehab that this class of medications is ultra-addictive when used long term, so I tapered myself off of the benzo meds BEFORE a problem developed. I use the 12 step program now to manage anxiety instead of the drugs.

Basically... I was willing to give anything to get better, I really wanted to die. I gave it everything I had... and I got better.

Some days I just can't believe how good life is. Pinch me... am I dreaming?

Slowbriety

Rehab is a vacation. Other than detox AA did/dose just fine for me.

tommyk

I agree that rehab can be a vacation, my first week I did nothing but learn to relax, then I had to really work on my issues for the remaining three weeks.

Some people just relaxed the whole way through rehab and left in basically the same shape they arrived. I really feel one gets out of it what they put into it.

Some people do not need rehab, that is for sure.

Ananda

my 28 days in treatment was no vacation!!!

I had tried going to aa and using an IOP prgram...was drunk all the time. I thought i would loose everything if i used FMLA and went to treatment...but when things got bad enough I went to treatment.

most of the people I know are in treatment for 21-32 days. So FMLA will generally cover the amount of time needed.

detox followed by IOP didn't get me sober.....it helped get me to a place where I could get sober....28 days in treatement worked and have been sober 11 months after 8 years of daily drinking.

My first sobriety i did not go to treatment and attended 2 aa meetings a day for 2 years instead. Eventually made it 7 years tht time. That worked that time....but just not this time.

glad you are here asking.

LeeR

Detox'd for 5 days, rehab for 28, going on 4mo sober...saved my life, best thing to happen to me since my kids

cookconfay

I agree...rehab was NO vacation for me either!!!! It was structure, it was discipline, it was learning, it was responsibility, it was learning to live life!!! Groups, counseling, chores, meetings, reading, homework, helping others.....becoming a productive citizen again....... It was painful both emotionally and physically through the withdrawals.... It was tough, I tried to get in as an outpatient and if that would have happened I would've died. I needed 24/7 controlled environment for a while.....

I'll have 11 years on Aug 23rd.....