When someone you love goes to treatment, you’re probably feeling mixed emotions. It’s a relief to finally see them get help, but you may be curious about what happens once they enter an inpatient facility. Long-term programs like The Augustine’s require residents to remain enrolled for at least 90 days – what is your loved one doing during that time? Today, we’ll explain what happens when someone you love goes to rehab.
A Typical Day in Rehab
The first thing you should know about treatment is that it requires a lot of structure. The environment itself must be consistent in order to promote healing and should include a balanced list of activities. Each day is packed with lessons and experiences which equip residents with real skills for success.
At The Augustine, we start the day off early. Before breakfast at 8:30, our men have already woken up, prayed, meditated, and attended a life skills class. After that, they participate in process groups and education sessions until lunchtime. The rest of the day includes another therapy process group session, free time, wellness, a 12-Step meeting, and time to reflect on the day’s events. While no two days are exactly the same, you can get an idea of what our schedule looks like by clicking this link.
As you can see, your loved one’s time in rehab will include in-depth therapeutic sessions, educational programming, and engaging activities.
Working Through the Causes
Addiction doesn’t just appear out of the blue. It can be caused by a variety of factors, including social pressure, genetic predisposition, mental illness, and past trauma. When your loved one enters a rehab program, they will participate in individual and group therapy sessions which allow them to work through these triggers. They will then replace drinking, drugging, and harmful impulses with healthy coping mechanisms.
By identifying the things that pushed them to use – the death of a loved one, a stressful career, or a feeling of isolation, for example – your friend or family member will be better equipped to resist relapse once treatment concludes.
A Variety of Activities
Treatment centers offer a variety of events and trainings in addition to traditional therapeutic interventions. Although these methods are not what you may think of when you hear the word “rehab,” they have significant merit. These experiential approaches help participants to drop their defenses and learn valuable lessons while in rehab, even if they are resistant to treatment.
For example, The Augustine offers outdoor outings each weekend. During these trips, residents rediscover adventure through a variety of activities. Our favorite? Surfing. This beloved pastime teaches those in early recovery to trust themselves, develop a new skill, cope with challenges, and let go.
Residents of a rehab program may also participate in…
- Paddleboarding
- Hiking
- 12-Step meetings
- Yoga
- Meditation
- Swimming (in pool or ocean)
- Running
- Personal training sessions
- Walking meditation
- Creative arts experiences
Family Involvement
Some people feel that when their loved one goes to treatment, they go into a black hole. That’s not how it works at The Augustine.
We’re famous for our beloved family program. While some centers restrict family involvement to almost nothing, we do things differently. When your loved one attends rehab in St. Augustine, we believe that you should be with them every step of the way. That’s why our program includes weekly alumni calls, progress reports, family weekend, educational lectures, process groups, and more.
Each week, you’ll receive a phone call from your loved one’s case manager. That line of communication is always open, meaning that you’ll regularly receive updates about how your family member or friend is faring in our program. You can reach out and ask specific rehab questions, pass along messages, or send words of encouragement in the form of a letter.
During our family weekend, you and your loved one will reunite. You’ll see their progress and learn something new about addiction, treatment, and sobriety. We have found that by bringing family members into the equation, outcomes improve, and supporters have a better understanding of how to help. We want to empower you and your loved one to succeed once treatment has concluded.
Transparent, Evidence-Based Care
We hope that this blog has demystified the idea of rehab for you. At The Augustine, our goal is to provide transparent, clinically sophisticated treatment that works. Our staff is passionate about recovery, and we hope that if you need help, you’ll reach out to us. Contact us online or by calling 904.217.5964 for more information.
