10 Benefits of Residential Rehab

Hearing “rehab” or “residential rehab” may bring fear to the mind of forced treatment. There are a lot of misconceptions about residential rehab. Some assume they are facilities that only people struggling with addiction go to for 30 days to get sober, then immediately released without further care. However, residential treatment is characteristically a treatment facility where a person goes for a period to live and focuses on treating substance use disorders (SUDs) or mental illnesses.

10 Benefits to Residential Rehab

Residential treatment is not always preferred since there is a loss of freedom. It can be frustrating and foreign to rely on others to support you. However, when a person cannot control their substance abuse and cravings, a residential rehab could be the exact place for them with trained staff to hold them accountable.

#1. Structure

For successful recovery, a person must have structure. Structure provides a schedule to keep to, which helps occupy someone’s time and mind. It also prevents hyper-focusing on drugs or alcohol cravings and withdrawal symptoms. When provided structure, the brain can go through a daily routine without planning it out. This provides more time to focus on self and treatment.

#2. Individual Treatment Plans

Each person comes into treatment with different life experiences and different diagnoses. Some people are only learning to manage SUD. However, others may be diagnosed with other disorders affecting their ability to stay sober. Residential rehabs will offer substance-specific treatments and dual diagnosis treatment that focuses on the individual’s specific needs.

#3. Healthy Environment

The point of residential treatment is to focus on yourself and your recovery. Being in a facility away from others allows time and space for you to do just that. Most treatment facilities limit access to phones and the internet. This creates an environment away from temptations and distractions. People do not always realize the things they do and say can be triggering. In residential rehab, someone with SUD is allowed space to learn how to manage their cravings without triggers.

#4. Supportive Friendships

Adults are busy with family, work, school, politics, religion, society, and all the other distractions in this world. When first getting sober, being around people who understand what living with SUD is like is crucial. Research has found that peer support is an increasingly beneficial intervention. A person needs to be heard without judgment. A peer who also has SUD can provide those supportive friendships at the beginning that are crucial for self-belief and motivation.

#5. Practice Healthy Interactions and Relationships

During the crucial brain developmental years, abusing drugs or alcohol can impede the development of certain skills—for example, the skills to appropriately interact with others or to hold healthy relationships. A person can practice healthy interactions with others by being in residential treatment. There are usually clinical staff around monitoring who will step in and help if conversations get triggering and coach clients on appropriate ways to handle situations in the future.

#6. Nutritional Meals

A common side effect of drug and alcohol abuse is malnutrition. This is due to the drug’s effect on the body and brain, hunger signals get interrupted, or people forget to eat. While in residential rehab, a person does not have to worry about feeding themselves. Facilities provide nutritional, balanced meals and snacks for clients.

#7. Tools for Success

While in treatment, a person explores the root causes of their addiction. This can be a very emotional and challenging process. However, through group and individual therapies, a person can gain coping skills and tools to help them prevent relapse and resist cravings after they leave treatment.

#8. New Experiences

Treatment programs attempt to occupy someone’s day with activities, meals, and therapies to help them learn and manage their addiction. This is done through therapy activities. However, residential rehabs try to incorporate outings and fun activities they pay for, like going to the beach or a pumpkin patch. These can be new experiences for people, making recovery fun.

#9. Space to Make Mistakes

When a person is healing from an addiction, there is a rollercoaster of emotions they will experience. While in a treatment facility, a person learns how to cope with and manage emotions. Another benefit of treatment is that individuals have the space and professionals with the understanding that they are not willfully making mistakes or reacting. However, they are still learning about their emotions.

#10. Aftercare Supports

The last benefit of residential rehab is that alumni support is offered. With alumni support, individuals will not be alone when they leave treatment when all the triggers and temptations become available. Aftercare support allows a person to return to their treatment facility and build on those healthy relationships. Talking with people who understand what you went through to get sober can feel relieving.

Have you been struggling with drug and alcohol addiction? Are you wanting help but are too nervous because of horror stories you have heard about rehab? Do you feel like recovery is impossible when seeing others in different healing stages? Residential treatment facilities can be intimidating, but they can be crucial for your recovery. At Laguna Shores Recovery Center, our friendly staff puts you and your recovery first. We understand what it is like to face your demons and reach for sobriety. Call us at (866) 774-1532 to talk about our program options to fit you best. Recovery is possible with a bit of help. Let us at Laguna Shores be the ones to help you. 

10 Benefits of Residential Rehab

Hearing "rehab" or "residential rehab" may bring fear to the mind of forced treatment. There are a lot of misconceptions about residential rehab. Some assume they are facilities that only people struggling with addiction go to for 30 days to get sober, then immediately released without further care. However, residential treatment is characteristically a treatment facility where a person goes for a period to live and focuses on treating substance use disorders (SUDs) or mental illnesses.

10 Benefits to Residential Rehab

Residential treatment is not always preferred since there is a loss of freedom. It can be frustrating and foreign to rely on others to support you. However, when a person cannot control their substance abuse and cravings, a residential rehab could be the exact place for them with trained staff to hold them accountable.

#1. Structure

For successful recovery, a person must have structure. Structure provides a schedule to keep to, which helps occupy someone's time and mind. It also prevents hyper-focusing on drugs or alcohol cravings and withdrawal symptoms. When provided structure, the brain can go through a daily routine without planning it out. This provides more time to focus on self and treatment.

#2. Individual Treatment Plans

Each person comes into treatment with different life experiences and different diagnoses. Some people are only learning to manage SUD. However, others may be diagnosed with other disorders affecting their ability to stay sober. Residential rehabs will offer substance-specific treatments and dual diagnosis treatment that focuses on the individual's specific needs.

#3. Healthy Environment

The point of residential treatment is to focus on yourself and your recovery. Being in a facility away from others allows time and space for you to do just that. Most treatment facilities limit access to phones and the internet. This creates an environment away from temptations and distractions. People do not always realize the things they do and say can be triggering. In residential rehab, someone with SUD is allowed space to learn how to manage their cravings without triggers.

#4. Supportive Friendships

Adults are busy with family, work, school, politics, religion, society, and all the other distractions in this world. When first getting sober, being around people who understand what living with SUD is like is crucial. Research has found that peer support is an increasingly beneficial intervention. A person needs to be heard without judgment. A peer who also has SUD can provide those supportive friendships at the beginning that are crucial for self-belief and motivation.

#5. Practice Healthy Interactions and Relationships

During the crucial brain developmental years, abusing drugs or alcohol can impede the development of certain skills—for example, the skills to appropriately interact with others or to hold healthy relationships. A person can practice healthy interactions with others by being in residential treatment. There are usually clinical staff around monitoring who will step in and help if conversations get triggering and coach clients on appropriate ways to handle situations in the future.

#6. Nutritional Meals

A common side effect of drug and alcohol abuse is malnutrition. This is due to the drug's effect on the body and brain, hunger signals get interrupted, or people forget to eat. While in residential rehab, a person does not have to worry about feeding themselves. Facilities provide nutritional, balanced meals and snacks for clients.

#7. Tools for Success

While in treatment, a person explores the root causes of their addiction. This can be a very emotional and challenging process. However, through group and individual therapies, a person can gain coping skills and tools to help them prevent relapse and resist cravings after they leave treatment.

#8. New Experiences

Treatment programs attempt to occupy someone's day with activities, meals, and therapies to help them learn and manage their addiction. This is done through therapy activities. However, residential rehabs try to incorporate outings and fun activities they pay for, like going to the beach or a pumpkin patch. These can be new experiences for people, making recovery fun.

#9. Space to Make Mistakes

When a person is healing from an addiction, there is a rollercoaster of emotions they will experience. While in a treatment facility, a person learns how to cope with and manage emotions. Another benefit of treatment is that individuals have the space and professionals with the understanding that they are not willfully making mistakes or reacting. However, they are still learning about their emotions.

#10. Aftercare Supports

The last benefit of residential rehab is that alumni support is offered. With alumni support, individuals will not be alone when they leave treatment when all the triggers and temptations become available. Aftercare support allows a person to return to their treatment facility and build on those healthy relationships. Talking with people who understand what you went through to get sober can feel relieving.

Have you been struggling with drug and alcohol addiction? Are you wanting help but are too nervous because of horror stories you have heard about rehab? Do you feel like recovery is impossible when seeing others in different healing stages? Residential treatment facilities can be intimidating, but they can be crucial for your recovery. At Laguna Shores Recovery Center, our friendly staff puts you and your recovery first. We understand what it is like to face your demons and reach for sobriety. Call us at (866) 774-1532 to talk about our program options to fit you best. Recovery is possible with a bit of help. Let us at Laguna Shores be the ones to help you. 

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