How Else Can You Prepare for Rehab?
Informing Your Healthcare Provider
Making the decision to go to inpatient rehab can be difficult. Your primary care provider is an important ally, someone who can clarify your concerns, and someone who can provide you with vital resources. If you’re still on the fence about attending rehab, you should talk to your doctor. They can help you weigh the costs and benefits, guide you through the insurance process, and help point you towards inpatient and outpatient facilities that can help you get sober.
Telling Family & Loved Ones
Getting ready to go to rehab starts with telling your family, friends, and other loved ones about your decision. Being able to recognize, and admit, that you struggle with substance abuse is a complicated, yet commendable, step towards recovering.
Ultimately, the decision to tell others you’re seeking rehab is completely yours. That being said, inpatient rehab usually lasts anywhere from thirty to ninety days, so it’s advisable to tell your loved ones that you’re going away for a little while. While in rehab, the people you love form the core of your sober support network and can help uplift you in recovery. Having a strong support network also improves rehab outcomes.
In general, you should tell:
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- Your partner or spouse – You should tell your spouse or partner you’re seeking treatment. Being in a committed romantic relationship means that trust, and communication, run both ways. Your partner and spouse are here to support you emotionally during this time and can also assist you with other obligations that may arise while you’re at addiction treatment.
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- Your parents and close family members – You should also tell your parents and close family that you’re seeking treatment. Being part of a nuclear family network can be extremely beneficial to your recovery, as your parents and siblings form love, support, and trust you. Their support can provide a lifeline during recovery, give you a shoulder to lean on, and help you through this challenge.
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- Your children: if you’re a parent or guardian, consider telling your children that you’re going to addiction treatment. Your conversation will vary based on age and understanding, but you should tell your kids that you will be going away for a little while. Open and honest communication helps to build lasting, and trusting, relationships.
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- Your close friends: finally, consider telling your close friends that you’re attending an inpatient rehab program. These are people that care about you and can also help you navigate this challenging time. Their support can prove invaluable to your recovery.
Remember – going to rehab is a personal decision, and who you tell is a choice that is only yours to make. Having a strong, caring sober support network is a crucial factor to achieving, and maintaining, long-lasting sobriety both during and after completing addiction treatment.
How to Share the News
Once you’ve decided who you’d like to tell about your decision to go to rehab, consider how to tell them. Be prepared for a long conversation! Your loved ones will likely have many questions about your journey and decision, so be patient. The more you explain, the more understanding they will be.
Find a quiet, private place to have the conversation. Make sure you’ve allotted plenty of time and are in a space where you feel safe and comfortable. Avoid crowded, rushed, or distracted settings like in the car, on the way somewhere, or in a public space. It’s also advisable to avoid important dates like birthdays, or holidays, whenever possible.
You don’t need to tell all your loved ones, family members, and friends at the same time. Work out a plan that feels best for you. Naturally, some of your family and friends may live farther away. For these conversations, a scheduled phone call or video chat might work best.
Informing Your Employer
Inpatient addiction treatment can last between one to three months – sometimes longer, for those who continue their stay through Extended Care or Sober Living. Therefore, you need to tell your workplace of your plans so you don’t lose your job.
Under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), your employer cannot terminate you for going to rehab to treat addiction. However, your employer can fire you for current addiction if your use of illicit or other substances presently impacts your ability to do your job. Remember – it is your choice who to inform of your addiction. Telling your workplace that you have a medical situation that requires time off is sufficient to qualify for job protection under the FMLA. You do not need to specify further.
The FMLA grants individuals up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for many reasons, the most of important of which is to care for their own health during a serious illness.
Arranging Care
One of the more challenging aspects of inpatient addiction treatment is leaving those you care for temporarily. It’s important to work through those commitments before you depart for rehab.
The easiest and most convenient resource to look to is your spouse or partner. Consider turning to them to care for your child, pet, or elderly relative, if they’re willing and able. However, many households are two-income, which may make these kinds of care arrangements difficult.
Another important resource you can turn to is family. Consider asking your parents or siblings to watch your child or pet for one to three months, if they’re willing. You can also turn to close friends, if they’re people you would trust to care for your loved ones.
We understand that in many situations, other obligations such as work or living situations make these kinds of arrangements difficult. If you’re a single parent or have no available resources to turn to for care, you can always hire help, whether that be a full-time caretaker or a pet sitter. However, these kinds of resources can be expensive, so it’s best to turn to family and friends first.
Handling Your Financial and Legal Obligations
The final step you should complete before entering an inpatient addiction facility is sorting through your financial and legal obligations.
Many payments like rent, utilities, subscriptions, and healthcare unfortunately don’t pause while you’re away. Make arrangements with your landlord, bank, and other companies to either pay in one single installment if possible or set up automatic payments. If necessary, you can turn to a loved one or friend to make the payments on your behalf.
Like bills, outstanding legal obligations such as court dates, parole meetings, probation appointments, and unpaid fines don’t pause while you’re in treatment. You need to contact your parole officer, and other legal officials, before going to treatment to inform them of your decision. Try to do so as early as possible, so you can work out a plan together.
The above list of steps to prepare should help you succeed in rehab, and in recovery. For specifics about insurance coverage or additional prohibited items, contact admissions@mountainside.com, or visit our Admissions home page.