The holidays are behind you and now you’re looking at a new year that should be filled with possibilities. The problem is: You’re still stuck in your drug- and alcohol-seeking ways and can’t seem to turn your life around. There is a way out of this dilemma, though, but it is entirely up to you.

Here are some suggestions on how to start your New Year right – with drug rehab.

It’s Not as Tough as You Think

Before you put up a mental roadblock, thinking that you can’t possibly go through rehab, that it’s too hard and you won’t be able to stick with it, just take a few moments to consider what rehab actually entails.

Chances are your idea is quite at odds with reality. In case you don’t believe this, here are some common myths about drug rehab, countered with the truth.

Myth #1: Drug rehab doesn’t work. – There’s no question that this is the biggest deterrent to people who really need treatment actually going in to get it, and sticking with it after they do. While there are many reasons why someone would go into drug rehab in the first place, what matters is how committed they are to the process. If they refuse to get with the program, so to speak, they’re going to get out of rehab exactly what they put into it: not much of anything.

Still, even if a person isn’t completely convinced that drug rehab will work for them, if they allow the possibility that it can be beneficial and do the work required, drug rehab can be effective. Bottom line: Drug rehab does work, if you work at the process.

Myth #2: Only losers go to drug rehab. – This is really a mental construct that individuals use to convince themselves that they don’t need drug rehab. If they repeatedly tell themselves that it’s the bums and degenerates that go into treatment, they’re using this blatant distortion of the truth to hide from the fact that they really do need help overcoming their addiction.

The fact is that addiction to alcohol and drugs changes our body chemistry. Our brains don’t work quite as well as they should and our decision-making ability is often skewed and ineffective. Worse yet, we tell ourselves any lie just to keep from facing the truth: that our addiction is ruining our lives and keeping us from being productive and happy. Bottom line: The only real losers are the ones who don’t see the value in going to drug rehab.

Myth #3: You have to be a rock bottom before drug rehab works. – This is another falsehood that many people tell themselves and others when in truth, they really don’t want to do the hard work that drug rehab requires. They also engage in self-denial about their need to get help, telling one and all that they really don’t have a problem, or that they have everything under control, and things are so bad that they can’t kick drugs on their own. The problem with this type of self-delusion is that it’s a delay tactic. In the meantime, continuing their current or even escalated drug and alcohol abuse will only make the situation worse.

Addiction takes its toll on every human being. The longer one is addicted without getting help to learn how to overcome substance abuse, the more damage it can do. On the other hand, some individuals do have to feel that they’ve bottomed out before they’ll consider getting help. Bottom line: Going into drug rehab at any time you feel like you need help can be effective. You don’t have to be at rock bottom for it to work.

Myth #4: Every drug rehab is the same. – Is every human being the same? No, of course not, so why would you believe that every drug rehab is the same? Just as there is no single treatment that works for everyone, there is no single drug rehab program or process that is the same. There are accredited and certified drug rehab programs and others that just aren’t as effective.

The key to getting effective treatment is to thoroughly study your options, carefully research drug rehab facilities that treat your particular type of addiction, and weigh and balance all considerations before making a treatment facility choice for drug rehab. Remember that each treatment facility has its own treatment philosophy. Bottom line: You need to figure out not only what’s out there, but also what will work best for you and your particular situation.

Myth #5: If you’re forced into rehab, it’s a waste of time. – Rehab is the root of the word rehabilitation. The definition is to restore to a condition of good health, an ability to work and function again in society. Sometimes an individual is mandated by the court to undergo drug rehab as a part of the sentencing process. This is drug rehab that is forced on the person, one that isn’t voluntary. But that doesn’t mean that the person can’t get something valuable out of drug rehab or that it’s a waste of time.

Ditto if someone’s family members or loved ones deliver an ultimatum that it’s either go into rehab or hit the highway. Just because you’re more or less ordered to go into treatment does nothing to take away the value and the opportunity drug rehab affords you. In other words, it doesn’t have to be your idea to go into treatment for it to work. As long as somewhere deep inside you want to get free of drugs and alcohol and commit to the process, drug rehab can work for you. Bottom line: Starting your New Year right with drug rehab, whether someone else makes you go into it or not, can be the best thing you’ve done in a long time.

Myth #6: Detox is all you need. – If only it was that simple, going through detox to be able to stay clean and sober, everyone would be all over it, right? But the truth is that detox is just the initial preparation for drug rehab. You have to cleanse your body of the harmful substances that you’ve ingested before you can be at the point where the real treatment phases of drug rehab begin. What drug rehab involves is getting at the underlying issues, learning new ways of coping with cravings and urges, becoming more knowledgeable about the disease of addiction and how it has impacted your life, learning how to build a strong support system, and learning and practicing the kind of life-skills you need to allow you to live a sober life that’s healthy and productive. Bottom line: Detox is a necessary step, but it isn’t treatment and it is definitely not all you need. Without treatment after detox, you’ll just go back to your old ways, and quicker than you think.

Myth #7: Drug rehab is too expensive. – While it is true that drug rehab entails costs, some monetary, some time and convenience-related, it isn’t too expensive. That is, it can be affordable, given enough time and research into available financing or other assistance. Is the prospect of living your life on your own terms and not being a slave to your addiction worth a little investigative work? Yes, you should be willing to pay some money in order to obtain drug rehab, but if you don’t have any money, you owe it to yourself and your loved ones to search out free programs or payment assistance programs that are out there and available to individuals who need them.

Also, many drug rehab programs accept multiple insurance policies that may pay most or all of the cost of treatment. If what your treatment program costs exceeds the amount your insurance policy covers, or you don’t have any insurance, the drug rehab facility may be able to work with you to provide special financing or point you in the direction of financial assistance so that you can enroll in the treatment program. Bottom line: Never let finances stand in the way of getting treatment. Where there’s a will, there’s always a way.

Ready for drug rehab? Continue reading Drug Rehab: What to Expect

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