Linz

Hi all,
I found a rehab facility that is pretty affordable. I would still need to take out a loan, but it doesn't take that long to pay back $3220.00. Or at least it would only take me about two months or so.
One thing...
School doesn't let out until April or so, and I want to get sober NOW. I don't want to wait... I may change my mind, get a dui, go absolutely insane, etc...
I need to finish the semester because if I don't, I will have $6,000 in debt from grants that I would need to pay back.

Anyhow, the question is:
What do you guys think about going to rehab after getting sober? Maybe it'd be a good idea, because it is possible that after a month or two of not drinking (which I have never been able to accomplish on my own,) I would realize that rehab is unnecessary, and I could just stick to meetings or whatever.
I don't know... I want to go now but school is in the way of me doing so.

Thanks all.

Lenina

Linz,

I had a good experience with rehab. It gave me a lot of tools and and a support system to help me maintain sobriety, I say go. It's the rest of your life! I have never regretted going.

Do the work, take the advice, make contacts. Keep an open mind.

Love from Lenina

Sapling

I say if you can stop...for two months...Have time to get involved in AA...Get a sponsor...Work the steps...At least get going on them..Keep up your school load and stay sober....See if you need rehab in two months. I needed rehab to detox and clean up for a couple weeks. They introduced me to AA...I left early and worked the program. I've got eight months...Pretty new still...But after 35 years of daily drinking....That's a lot for me. And I am happy...And I have changed...That's all I wanted.

Dee74

I dunno Linz - if you can find some support where you are and stop until school is out, then you can revisit the rehab thing then, I guess?

I hope you find you can

If you can't, you might have to think about what you need to do now.

D

2granddaughters

I was 3 months sober (read DRY) when I went to Rehab.
Go to the local AA group and get introduced, it may be your lucky day.

Wishing you the best.

Bob

dawnrunner

I was about 2 months sober when I went to rehab. It was awesome.

Try to make it work. Go to AA, or your university counseling center, and find something to bridge you over.

It will be the best money and time you ever spent.


Best wishes to you!!!!

savexourxship

I've been to rehab a few times, and I found that everything that was offered there was readily available to me back home in my world. Meaning, meetings, counselors and other people trying to get sober.

Terminally Unique

No need to wait until April, since rehab is usually little more than an expensive introduction to AA. Some will disagree, but you can essentially get the same thing by reading "Under the Influence" by James Milam, the "Big Book" of AA, and going to some meetings. That will run you about $16. If you want the rehab video experience, you can watch Father Martin's "Chalk Talk on Alcoholism" online and get his lessons on his YouTube channel for free.

BASEjumper

Outpatient rehab was tremendously helpful for me. It got me through those first nine months with the sustained support I felt I needed to learn a new way to live.

Perhaps you would consider an outpatient option where you can go to school and get sober at the same time.

2granddaughters

I needed the "intensive care" of an inpatient 90 day rehab to get to the point where I could put the gun down.
Do whatever it takes Linz, this is your life and the disease is out to get you...it wants you dead.

Wishing you the best.

Bob R

DayTrader

What he said!!

I wouldn't advise you to go Linz.

Rehab's main goal is to dry you out in a controlled and safe environment and point you down a path of recovery. The running joke in AA rooms is it's a $3k to $5k Big Book because any successful program likely IS successful because they get their "graduates" to get involved in AA, NA, CA, AVRT or whatever..... It's the involvement in those programs that's really gets the long term "successful" sobriety you're looking for.

And look........ I "like" rehab. I'm glad as hell they're out there. I also like therapy and therapists... I see one on occasion. But make no mistake, I can could get by without her (the therapist I see is female) but I wouldn't want to try to get by (ie. stay sober and happy) without practicing AA's principles as best I can.

I've been lucky enough to get a ride to several "treatment center AA meetings" - the one's the centers have where they invite AA, NA, CA, etc members in to share and guide the ppl in the unit. There's A LOT of good stuff one can learn in treatment.....LOTS......but the most important part is getting involved in some sort of organized "after-care" program.

**and props for mentioning "chalk talks." I still watch it from time to time and never fail to learn (re-learn?) something.

doggonecarl

I think being sober until April is better than drinking until April.

RobbyRobot

I detoxed in rehab and did three months residence. I have also worked in residential rehab. Of course rehab works. Anything that has honestly recovering alcoholics and addicts in recovery works if you're a willingly participant. That's why these forums work, 12 Step and non-12 Step programs work, AVRT works, etc etc.

Recovery works. So the question isn't what works best for whoever, the question is best answered in what will work best for YOU.

Rest assured, that whatever you choose, if you're sharing and working honestly with others, and you don't drink, you got all that is required to get you off the drinking and into early sobriety. You'll need more as your sobriety goes forward, but you can only deal with those realities then and not today. Things happen as they do for real reasons, and time is something that is real enough that everything cant be done in one single day.

My advice is that you totally decide to not drink today and be done with it going forward, and then do whatever it takes to keep that experience true and real in your new sober life. How and where you do that is not the most important thing. That you do whatever it takes to get it done is the single most important answer you can actually possess that has real lasting value.

Best.

Zebra1275

rehab is usually little more than an expensive introduction to AA.

In my experience there is a lot of wisdom in that sentence. Rehab is important and vital for a lot of people. However, if you are able to stay sober for the next 2 months, get involved in AA by getting a sponsor and working the steps, and hang out here on SR than I think you can save your money.

NYCDoglvr

I agree....AA has an incredible support system for anyone who wants to stay sober. If you can do that and stay sober, great. If you can't, get to a rehab as quickly as possible.

NewBeginning010

I am really hoping that you will be able to do it this time Linz, you have been struggling for a while now & I know how horrible it can be.

Take care & keep posting, you can do this