Genie

I've watched that Sandra Bullock movie "28 Days" and I have a couple of questions about rehab (I've never been to one).

1. Why were they not allowed to have coffee with caffeine? This just seemed rather peculiar to me especially when most of the residents smoked cigarettes like it was a cure for lung cancer.

2. What is the significance of 28 days?

Thanks.

Auggie

I have never been to rehab either. Coffee thing is an interesting question. I'm sure someone will supply us with the answer. It is said by some that it takes 28 days break or make a habit.

NoelleR

"...It is said by some that it takes 28 days break or make a habit..."

Actually it takes 90 days to reroute a habit.....the 28 days comes from what most insurance companies were willing to pay for an insured's stay at a treatment facility....back in the day, anyway.

(o:

Mark75

We could have coffee where I was... But I didn't because I didn't sleep so good at first. Some rehabs don't let you have caffeine ... Maybe it is a trigger for some, IDK... 28 days is probably a somewhat random number based on political and financial considerations...

LaFemme

The movie said it took 28 days to change a habit...idk what the truth is but when I got sober that was a magic number for me

Good movie I thlought

saphira

I thought that was a really good movie too, and have wondered the same thing about the 28 days...It would be nice to know how long it actually takes to break a habit--would give me something to look forward to!! I never realized that about the caffeine...I'm drinking coffee like crazy so I hope that's not hurting me somehow in my recovery!! Yikes!

Lenetrk

I couldn't have caffeine in rehab. Caffeine is a stimulant so it wasn't allowed.It takes at least 30 days to flush all the toxins out of your body.And alcohol is definately a toxin.God Bless

Floridachick

I think the conventional thinking was 28 days to form new neural pathways, but I recently read new research that said 66. The important fact there is that the old pathways will always exist, and that they are just waiting to fire up again. I have rewired my brain to abuse and it is permanent.

We got decaf in detox, but got real coffee in rehab. I was in a reality based rehab, so we were able to purchase our own groceries and prepare our own coffee. For those addicted to uppers, I would guess that caffeine would be a trigger. Energy drinks were banned. Room for abuse.

Of course, there were cases of people drinking the hand sanitizer in the past at the rehab I was at - so an addict will find a way.

OklaBH

The medical community considers a 30 day break (1 month) from alcohol a good judge as to whether people are alcoholic or not. 28 days was thrown in because of February! HA! Dr Drew said on celebrity rehab one time "if you are worried you have a drinking problem, try going 1 month without drinking"

not sure about the caffeine. I know when I first quit my sleep was screwy. Maybe that is why ?!?

RV GTO

They only had decaf when I went through both detox and rehab. During detox though, real coffee was the last thing I wanted because of the tremors (could barely hold a fork for a week - horrible).

I don't know the 28 day deal, but from what I understand, most insurance will cover one month. And treatment is very expensive ....

Genie

We can bring back all sorts of glass/plastic containers (including wine and liquor bottles) to a recycling place for refunds. They used to have hand sanitizers on the walls (becaues handling empty bottles can be sticky) but they were removed because people were drinking this stuff. Now they just hand out those little wet squares in foil packets.

Genie

So - if one can go without alcohol for a month that means one is not an alcoholic?

ste

Lunar cycle anyone? Think the part about insurance is probable.

LexieCat

Yeah, I think the insurance companies are responsible.

For the majority of people, I think, 28 days are plenty, provided you follow up with AA or something similar for aftercare. I didn't do rehab (though if my 90-meetings-in-90-days hadn't "taken" it would have been my next step). I think the primary virtue of rehab is that it allows you to completely immerse yourself in recovery when you are first starting out. Too long away from the "real world" probably isn't desirable for most people--you have to start negotiating real life eventually.

iliveforyou

I was never allowed any caffeinated coffee/drinks anytime I've been in rehab or even a psych hospital....and I've been in a lot like they were freakin revolving doors I couldn't get enough of going thru :\ A lot of the time, they already have to dole out sleeping pills at night and all caffeine does is make the situation worse. They don't want people all wired up all thru the day and night. More work, lol. They had decaf but really what's the point?? I know 28 days is exactly how long rehab was covered for me per year and I have Medicare, red white and blue...I've never seen this movie though, now I am curious.