Deciding to go to rehab for drug and alcohol addiction is not easy. Once you decide, it will not be easy, but it is worth it in the end. Most people ask, what will I learn in rehab? We shall look at some of the things you will learn on your new journey to sobriety.
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Take Responsibility
Most addicts struggle with taking responsibility and with accountability. Most tend to blame their addiction on their troubled childhoods and other people and fail; to see it as a decision they made.
In addiction treatment or rehab, you will learn that nobody except yourself is responsible for your actions and their consequences. Taking responsibility and admitting fault prevents you from blaming other people for your addiction and allows you to heal.
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The Science Behind Addiction
In Orange County, CA, Rehabs educate you on the science behind the addiction process and how various substances affect your brain. This information allows you to understand that we cannot all handle substances the same. If your brain is already addicted, its reaction to alcohol and drugs is different.
This education helps you minimize feelings of guilt or shame about your addiction by providing you with a different perspective. It also establishes addiction as a remitting and relapsing condition like hypertension and diabetes. Remitting conditions require continued management and support for a lifelong process of recovery.
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Forgiveness
Once you take responsibility for your addiction, it’s easy to fall into a depression from the sense of guilt. You have to learn to forgive yourself for past mistakes. It might take time for you to understand that you deserve to forgive yourself.
After you forgive yourself, you can allow your family and friends to forgive you for things you may have done in the past. It would help if you learned to forgive yourself first, and then you could forgive others.
Some of these life lessons of forgiveness come during therapy when you undergo breakthrough moments. These are moments of realization and clarity that you get about yourself and your life that are powerful enough to create lifelong changes. Breakthroughs happen when you interact with your peers, and you learn from their experiences.
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The Genesis of Your Addiction
A lot of factors can cause drug and alcohol addiction. Some people grow up in families with a drug addiction problem. Some quarters think that while the environment plays a significant role in determining a person’s likelihood of getting addicted, genetics also play a role.
Researchers estimate that genetic influences account for at least 40 to 60% of your vulnerability and likelihood of addiction.
Some addicts learn their behavior from the people around them, while others drink as escapism from mental disorders such as anxiety or depression. Drug and alcohol addiction are a combination of different factors.
In rehab, you learn how to explore your past in one-on-one or group therapy. While this is not an excuse, it is exploring your triggers and how to avoid them. Once you know the genesis of your addictions, it gives you clarity of purpose in dealing with your past.
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Communication Skills
What will I learn in rehab? It’s a common question for people who don’t understand the value of rehab. A crucial skill learned in rehab is communication skills. You will do a lot of talking while in the rehab facility in Orange County, CA. You will tell your story and talk about your feelings. Most people with no communication skills leave rehab with better skills of self-expression.
These skills help you to get help when you feel you are on the verge of a relapse. You also learn how to express yourself to your family and mend broken relationships. Communication skills also entail positive self-talk. When you walk around carrying shame and guilt, you need to practice talking to yourself in positive ways.
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Strength
Alcohol and drug abuse can leave you feeling weak. You may feel helpless to the addiction, allowing it to take over. Rehab or drug addiction treatment teaches you how to find your inner strength and reminds you how strong you are.
You will walk with therapists to regain control. Sometimes the therapists may be former addicts who understand your struggle from experience. When you get a sense of strength, you become better equipped to say no when temptation comes along.
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Peer Connections
One of the best parts of going to rehab is connecting with peers and knowing you are not alone. The process of addiction recovery improves with a sense of community and collaboration. Some rehabs may be divided by gender and age, while others are a mix of both.
Meeting people from varying backgrounds and with different experiences shows you that anyone can get affected by addiction.
The type of program you enroll in determines the type of connections and the people you meet. Often, these people whom you meet and form relationships with become your friends and support system. They’ll likely be close to you during and after drug addiction treatment.
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How to Manage Stress
The recovery process will not be easy, and it will stress you. However, it would help if you appreciated that stress will always be there and learned how to manage it. Stress is one of the most common triggers for drug and alcohol use. You will learn how to manage your feelings during stress to avoid a relapse.
What Will I Learn in Rehab?
Depending on your addiction treatment center, you may participate in meditation exercises such as yoga, guided meditation, mindfulness, acupuncture, prayers, etc. The methods you learn will help you to deal with stress when it comes up, preventing relapses.
Covenant Hills is an addiction treatment program by a Christian Organization in Orange County, CA. However, we appreciate that while some people may appreciate a religious option, some may not be ready, yet they still need high-quality addiction treatment. Our ultimate goal is to offer drug addiction treatment help or rehabilitation to people who need it. Check out our website for more information on addiction rehab.