Rehab – Do I need it?

When it comes to drug and alcohol addiction, it is often difficult to be objective and admit when there is a problem. If alcohol or substance abuse is causing negative effects in your life, it is probably a good time to take a closer look and be prepared to come to terms with the fact that you might be an alcoholic or have developed an addiction. The sooner that you can accept that you have a problem, the sooner you can start to solve that problem through the process of recovery. Acceptance is absolutely key to getting your life back on track and although it may sound scary, the way to do that is to get clean and sober.

When most addicts and alcoholics realize that they are addicted and want to stop their addictive behaviour, the first option is to try and go-it-alone and go ‘cold turkey’. Depending on the severity of your drug addiction or alcoholism, this can be extremely difficult and even dangerous to the point of it posing a severe threat to life.

For those that do successfully stop drinking or using on their own, the results are all too often short lived as they have stopped through will power alone and typically have not addressed any underlying issues or patterns of behavior. It needs to be remembered that the actions of drinking and using are symptoms of other problems and by using will power alone, you may have solved the issue of the symptoms but have not addressed the root causes. It is for this reason that most people who stop without getting additional help often  relapse.

There are many reasons why an individual might decide to forego attending a rehab, among the most common are:

• They haven’t hit rock bottom yet or they simply don’t think their problem is bad enough
• They are not entitled to free treatment and are not financially able to pay for private treatment
• They are embarrassed about their situation, concerned about stigma, and don’t want friends, family and work colleagues to find out
• They are in denial about the severity of the problem and don’t think they are ‘bad enough’ to go to rehab
• They still think they can give up on their own
• They have resigned themselves to their situation, given up hope, and no longer believe sobriety is possible

According to SAMHSA’s 2012 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, only 10 percent of those struggling with substance dependence or abuse received treatment.

The truth of the matter is: if you’re questioning whether or not you need rehab and help getting sober, you most likely do. This is especially true if you think you need treatment for an addiction to heroin or other opioids.

Understanding the Severity of Your Addiction

If your life and relationships are being negatively affected by your substance use, you probably have an addiction. Addiction is diagnosed on a spectrum. The criteria for addiction can help you determine if your addiction is mild, moderate or severe. There is a total of eleven criteria, including:

• Lack of control
• Desire to quit but unable to do so
• Spending a lot of time trying to get the substance
• Cravings
• Lack of responsibility
• Problems with relationships
• Loss of interest
• Dangerous use
• Worsening situations (financial / relationships / career / school)
• Tolerance
• Withdrawal

The severity is determined by how many criteria you meet. For example, if two to three of the criteria apply to you, you would have a mild substance use disorder. But even if you have a mild diagnosis, you should still seek help to get clean and sober.

What To Do If Your Friends Don’t Acknowledge Your Addiction

It can frustrating and confusing if you think you have an addiction, but your friends are telling you, “You’re fine! You don’t have a problem. You don’t need rehab”. In this situation, ask yourself if these friends also use drugs and alcohol. Often friends will deny that you have an addiction so they do not have to face their own, or lose a friend that they drink and use with. If they’re a true friend, they’ll support your decision to get sober because it’s what’s best for you.

Another reason why friends might not acknowledge your addiction is because you have previously kept it well hidden from them. If this is the first time they are hearing about it they may be confused as to why they didn’t know what was happening and believe that if there was a real problem, they would have noticed.  Take this as an opportunity to be open and honest with them about your addiction. You’ll need their friendship and support during your recovery.

Be honest and open without playing down or hyping up the issues. Be wary of friends that tell you they don’t think you have an addiction when you think that you do. Unless your friend is qualified to give you a diagnosis, it’s best to have a doctor or mental health professional analyze the situation objectively.

Your Addiction Can Get Worse

Because addiction is measured on a spectrum, it’s true that a mild diagnosis may not be as bad as a severe one. It’s easy to say, “It could be worse.” It is important to remember that addiction is a progressive disease, meaning it will get worse over time. If you are a mild case right now, it will likely become moderate or severe in the future. The longer you wait to get treatment the worse it will get and the more challenging it will be for you to recover.

Addiction is a chronic disease, much like asthma, hypertension, diabetes, cancer and many others. If you were diagnosed with stage 1 cancer, would you not seek some form of treatment to prevent it from getting worse? You don’t have to be at rock bottom to seek treatment. Get help before it gets out of hand. If you are already at rock bottom or have a severe diagnosis, it’s never too late to get the help you need.

Hiding Your Addiction Behind A Successful Career

If you keep up with your job, meet your family duties, and maintain friendships while also having a drug or alcohol addiction, you’re known as a high-functioning alcoholic or addict. These types of addicts maintain a level of success professionally and suffer from their addiction behind the scenes. If this is you, you may feel as though you are living a double life.

One of the biggest issues high-functioning addicts face is denial. You feel like you are in control because your life remains pretty normal, and even successful, by all appearances. However, your addiction is likely worse than you know. High-functioning addicts and alcoholics are often the ones that find accepting they need rehab the hardest as it is difficult for them to admit that they are out not in control. Eventually though, the addiction or alcoholism will catch up with even the highest functioning individuals.

Some people can struggle with addiction for years before the facade begins to fall apart. For others, it can take a life-changing event, like getting a DUI or an accidental overdose, to force them to address the issue. Instead of waiting for one of these life-changing events to happen to you, it is far better, and easier, to get help as soon as possible.

Rehab Is The Best Chance For Recovery

If you have an addiction and want to get sober, treatment (rehab) is your best option. Beating an addiction to drugs or alcohol requires not only eliminating the physical dependence but also addressing the behavioural, mental and emotional issues behind it. Simply quitting cold turkey will not change the psychological aspect of addiction. Recovery from addiction involves changing the way you think, feel and behave. It’s difficult to address the psychological side of addiction without help from a professional.

To eliminate the physical dependence, you’ll need to detox or eliminate the drugs or alcohol from your system. Medically assisted detox, such as that facilitated by a physician partnered with The Lighthouse Bali, is much safer and more comfortable than trying to detox on your own. You will go through a thorough assessment by medical professional and appropriate medication is used to help manage any withdrawal symptoms. Not all rehabs offer medically assisted detox and if you have a physical addiction this is an extremely important factor to consider when choosing a rehab.

Treatment at The Lighthouse Bali

Going through our primary inpatient treatment process will teach you to beat your addiction time and time again so that you avoid cycles of relapse and sobriety in the future. We include extensive relapse prevention education so that when you step out into the real-world, you have the tools to manage. We also offer transitional outpatient programs to help you get back on your feet with support still being in place. In addition, we have an aftercare program that supports you for six months following discharge from treatment.

If you are concerned about yourself or a loved one and think that rehab would help, we urge you to reach out and contact us in confidence. Our private programs are designed to match individual needs and our doctorate level clinical staff have extensive experience in the field of addiction. If you are not currently in Bali but would like to begin a recovery program immediately, we are able to arrange entry visas for Bali on your behalf.

The duration of our Primary Inpatient Programs and Outpatient Care varies according to individual circumstances. Both Inpatient and Outpatient treatment is based around monthly (28 day) increments. As a general guideline we recommend between one to three months Primary Inpatient Programs, followed by one to two months Outpatient Care in Bali, and up to six months of ongoing therapy (by Zoom or Skype from home). The longer you stay in rehab, the better your chances of staying clean and sober when you return home.

To talk to one of our team members, contact us on WhatsApp or by Phone. Alternatively, send us an email and we will either answer your questions in writing or call you back, according to your preference – contact us.

We understand how difficult it can be to reach out for help but it’s the first step towards recovery and a happier, healthier way of living.

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