Making the decision to go and get help for a drinking or drug problem is the smartest decision possible for ones future, health, sanity and basically your whole life. If you have taken this decision you are to be commended!
But what is the best way to “get help”? It’s a huge decision closely related to high chances of success in gaining long-term sobriety.
Most people committing to recovery are of the opinion that choosing an out-of-town rehab/ treatment center is the best option that can help make the recovery process that much more effective and productive.
Though there are many similarities, personal circumstances of each addict or alcohol differs from anyone else’s. Those differences need to be addressed for successful recovery.
For example, detox and rehab from certain substances, like benzodiazepines and alcohol require medical supervision and monitoring for safety that is not offered in many places. Having medical staff around that is able to prescribe medication that can help with withdrawal and cravings.
Get help as soon as possible
According to Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, there are almost 23 million Americans who need some sort of alcohol or drug treatment. That brings us to a number of 44,000 people who die every year from drug overdoses.
Facing those numbers actually only 11% of American citizens who need drug or alcohol treatment get it.
Waiting lists can be months long and many facilities can be so expensive that it renders them unaffordable for almost anybody.
When someone has decided to get treatment and deal with their addiction it is critical to get them into a program as fast as possible before their addiction asserts itself to not be able to resist any longer.
Showing greater commitment to recovery and sobriety
Insisting that a treatment facility has to be local is a dangerous way of hedging your bets. At a local hometown drug treatment center, it will always be in the back of your mind that you could simply walk out the door, call an uber and within just a few minutes be right back with your old buddies and customs.
Dwelling on that possibility just long enough and combining it with having a “bad day”, you might just fall victim, with that destroying your goals of recovery.
Having the same situation in Costa Rica will make you pause, to say the least. This pause might very well save your life!
Reducing distractions
After a few days you might start to feel homesick, and naturally, your loved ones will be missing you. At your “hometown- rehab” it’s to be expected that friends and family visit you, and they will want to, as often as possible. These visits are wonderful, welcoming and thoughtful.
But drug rehab is not about visits, especially early in recovery. It is, you guessed it, about YOU and only YOU!
YOU getting YOURSELF clean and sober, to understand why you drink and use, receiving the tools YOU need to create YOUR own path to safeguard YOUR hard-won sobriety.
Regular visits actually can help to derail your progress and risk your recovery. There will be time in the future to reintegrate with family and friends.
Having more privacy
If you are from a small town people most likely already know more about you than you would like. Going to a local facility can have the fact that word might get out if you want it or not. You might even meet people you know, which can be awkward, given the setting.
Being out of town maintains some semblance of anonymity without the need to worry that your boss, friends, family, church or other people find out.
You can concentrate on learning the tools that will be useful for the rest of your life.
It gives you time to prepare, reflect and decompress
Entering the stage of recovery is an immensely positive step. During the travel time to the facility you can prepare yourself for all challenges to come.
You can look back as to what brought you where you are right now in life and move past all negative things that occurred.
You can look forward, create hopes and dreams for the future and the sort of life you want to live when achieving your goal of sobriety.
After successful completion of your drug/alcohol rehab program, traveling back home, you can prepare yourself to reenter society. Most likely you’ll be anxious dealing with daily life without the crutch of substance abuse. Being equipped now with all types of tools and having yourself applied during the treatment can calm your nerves to succeed long-term in your recovery.
This travel time can be invaluable, allowing you an easier transition from inpatient client at a rehab center to a functional and productive member of society. Simple because of this time the transition will be far less jarring than it would be if you had checked out in your neighborhood rehab and had no time for readjustment.
Looking at it in any way, deciding to take and accept help in the form of attendance at an inpatient rehabilitation facility is a wonderful thing. It will be an overall improvement over a life of drinking and drugging. However making the choice to go to a facility outside of your hometown, or even better, outside of your country will maximize your chances of a successful, long-term life of sobriety.
