Deciding to seek treatment for your addiction is never easy, but it can change your life by empowering you to start over, free from the burdens of your past. However, the way you prepare for rehab can make all the difference in setting you up for success. Here are some strategies you can use to get ready for rehab and maximize your time in treatment.
How to Prepare for Rehab
These are some of the top things to keep in mind, both as you’re getting ready to enter an accredited rehab center and while you are receiving treatment.
1. Take Care of Loose Ends Ahead of Time
During your stay in inpatient recovery, your entire focus should be on healing yourself mentally, physically and spiritually. Before entering rehab, you should wrap up any outstanding work, financial or family obligations. If you are preoccupied with your obligations in the “outside world,” it will be challenging to maintain that focus. Additionally, stress is one of the most significant relapse triggers, so returning to a disorganized situation after rehab is setting yourself up for failure.
2. Only Bring the Essentials
In preparation for treatment, consider what you want to bring with you. It’s understandable if you think about bringing mementos from home to your recovery center, but those may distract you from your goals. Bringing only the basic necessities is an extra step to help you maximize your time away.
3. Be Optimistic
Being open to new experiences is a vital component of recovery. It’s never easy to enter unfamiliar territory, but the more you can maintain an open mind, the more benefit you’ll get out of it.
4. Be Patient
It’s easier to talk about than it is to accomplish, but if you can keep an even keel, it will serve you well in both the short and long term. A great way to teach yourself patience is through mindfulness meditation, which has numerous benefits for your mental health. Learning to appreciate the present moment enables you to cultivate patience.
5. Look Forward to New Friendships
One of the benefits of rehab is that you’ll get to meet many people who have been through the same experiences that have challenged you throughout your life. Addiction is inherently isolating, which can make the thought of forming new friendships seem intimidating. It’s natural to have periods of low self-esteem in recovery, but remember everyone in treatment with you is going through many of the same ups and downs together. The relationships you make in rehab will provide you with a support network that can remain with you for years.
Prepare for the Next Chapter in Your Life
At Canyon Crossing, we believe you deserve to become whole. Discover how fulfilling your life can be when you free yourself from the cycle of addiction. At our women’s-only rehab facility in Prescott, Arizona, we provide long-term treatment, coupled with transitional living and outpatient treatment, to ensure higher rates of success for our clients. Contact us to learn more about our admissions process.
