Sydney1988

I'm not doing well on my own. I think I need an extended period of help.

So what was rehab like and how did you tell your friends/family that you were going?

Dee74

I've never been to rehab but I support you doing whatever you deem is necessary Sydney

D

Ruby2

If you are finding it tough to quit then rehab is a good choice. My husband is also an alcoholic/addict who has been to rehab so telling him was easy since it was either go or he would take the kids. To My parents, who the kids would be staying with, I simply told the truth. That I was having a hard time quitting and needed more help than just AA meetings alone. To my employer, I called and said that I was an alcoholic, I needed treatment and needed time off.

I was driven to the emergency room at a local hospital that had detox facilities and did two or three days of detox and from there went to a different rehab facility for fourteen days. I had a really good experience. It was a mix of people. It was regimented. A lot of programming to learn about addiction. About ourselves. Attended twelve step meetings. Ate together. Laughed and cried together. There were family visits if we wanted. No electronics so no cell phones, no iPads or tablets. Toiletries had to be in unopened packages. No mouthwash with alcohol. Razors and aftershave or cologne were held by the staff.

Other people will be along to write as well here. I thought it was a great gift to myself because I jump started the recovery process and had over three weeks sober when I finally got out. But rehab isn't a cure. It gets you started. You have to keep going once you get out. Good luck.

Olive1

Hi Sydney,
Rehab saved my life.

There were lots of rules and every minute was filled with activity. While I was there, I did everything they told me to do without complaint. Something soaked in, because I have been sober ever since.

In the end, it was only three weeks out of my life. Three weeks where I had no choice but to be sober.

I recommend it highly.

bigsombrero

My experience is similar to others here. I spent 3+ weeks in rehab after an ambulance ride to a detox center. It was my first and hopefully last experience, and it was tough, but I would recommend it to most people. No cell phones, limited access to computers, and they were very particular about how we spent our time. We had schedules: we had to sit at a certain breakfast table, meetings, lectures, groups, and some 12-step mandatory meetings. They were strict and would kick people out if they were disobeying the rules, but most the troublemakers were hell bent on breaking out anyway and left in the dead of night. We had guys and gals, racially and ethnically diverse. Women and men could eat meals together but otherwise were separated. We had roommates. Some folks were college students, businessmen, some folks were just getting out of prison and on their way to a halfway house. Most generally wanted to get well. We joked, we laughed, we cried, etc. We developed meaningful bonds, all that mattered to us during this brief time was each other, the counselors, and the treatment center. There was drama, but if you could keep your nose clean you'd be alright. Tough love, etc.

I told many of my regular outside friends I was going into rehab. Many were shocked. I would not do that again and I'd have kept it to myself. Then again, maybe if I'd hidden my experience I'd have found a way to drink again. Who knows, it's in the past now. If you've got an opportunity to go, or can find a way to reasonably make it work and you're serious about getting sober, I'd highly recommend it.

Sydney1988

Thanks for sharing your experiences. It sounds like you all have positive things to say about rehab.

In my ideal world I'd go away for a couple of weeks. Detox, learn about myself and come back into the real world a new person. Not sure if that's how it works... I'm sure it's a lot harder than that. Hardly a vacation.

I know that the people that care about me are concerned about my well being. I'm concerned about it! lol. I'm concerned about my public image though and what uninformed people will say about me if I do go. Annoyingly self image is a big thing for me and how others perceive me is too. I think that's the main thing that's holding me back.

I'll also have to ask someone (probably my parents) to pay for it. We have money and I'm sure it won't be a problem. But I've had a look on line and it's a big investment. While I'm sure they'll pay whatever it takes to make sure I get better I don't want to ask for something like this. I don't want to burden them with the problem. Although it's quite possible this is also a convenient excuse as well.

So I guess I'm also looking for the courage to say that I need more help staying away from alcohol. I've tried by myself and I've had limited success. I think it's time for me try something else.

LBrain

Hello Sydney,
Ruby and bigsombrero described it almost exactly as my experience here in the eastern USA. The most important aspect of it your own attitude. If you go with a desire to learn and not kicking and screaming as some who are there do, it will be a pleasant experience. There is the drama. And it was a large and diverse group of people. Ages from 18 to 70 were there with me. The younger people were mostly addicts of some sort - mostly opiates. The older folks were mostly there for alcohol. And the 30 to 50 crowd was a mix. Some of the older folks got addicted to pain killers following a medical procedure and needed help to stop. A lot of the younger folks were forced there by one means or another, some of them were just doing the time waiting to get out and go right back to the same life. The vast majority of people there were truly wanting to change their lives. As with any form of recovery, you get out of it what you put into it.
I would give it a go if I were you. You don't have to advertise it to anyone. If you can get a leave from work and they support it, do yourself the favor.