Do I Need to Go Back to Treatment?

Sometimes in life, you have to take a step back to move forward. Discovering that you are slipping in sobriety is frustrating. At this point, you might have been able to stay sober for months or even years. Or, you may have discovered that you weren’t able to withstand the very first temptation you came across after you returned home. No matter what happened, you’re already showing that you are on the right track to restoring your balance by asking do I need to go back to treatment. Answering this question isn’t so easy without being able to take a look at your life and current circumstances. However, you can get a good idea of whether or not you need to go back to rehab by asking yourself these simple questions.

•Did you start using drugs or alcohol again, even if it was just a few times?
•Have you encountered a major life change that you aren’t sure how to handle?
•Are your current treatments for a mental health condition no longer working?
•Have your loved ones expressed concern?
•Did you switch to a new type of drug or start drinking excessively for the first time?
•Are you finding it hard to deal with withdrawal symptoms?

Some people in early sobriety experience minor slip-ups that they are able to recover from without having to go back to a full-time rehab program. This usually involves just using drugs or alcohol once only to feel guilty and quit immediately. As long as this doesn’t happen again, you might just need to amp up your current sobriety plan by attending more meetings or counseling sessions. However, there is also the possibility that you are having a full-on relapse. Answering yes to the questions above are all signs that you might be dealing with more than just a one-time slip-up. Relapses are common among even the strongest sober people, and there is no shame in acknowledging that what was working in the past is no longer working now.

Discover How Going Back to Treatment Makes You Stronger

Going back to treatment might feel like you’ve failed, but the opposite is true. Just like it took strength to ask for help the first time, it takes even more courage to admit that things are out of your control again. Putting on a brave face and walking back into a treatment center pays off though once you immediately begin to feel the benefits of having support. You’ll also find that going to treatment for the second time allows you to enter the program with experience that makes it easier to learn from the other members of your group and the counselors.

As a return visitor to the rehab center, your therapists will be able to talk to you in a different way since they already know the basics of getting sober. You’ll find that your therapy sessions focus more on helping you to identify what changed and how to alter your current coping strategies so that they fit your new situation. For example, you might have been knocked off balance by the loss of a loved one, and working through your grief in counseling can help you find ways to manage your sadness without using drugs or alcohol. Or, you might have a new relationship that needs additional support through family and marriage counseling. Being able to focus on the issues that are currently affecting your life rounds out what you learned in treatment the first time around.

If you went to treatment years ago, then you might also find that therapy methods have changed over the years. In addition to talk therapy, you might benefit from other forms. Many people try out new forms of therapy when they return to rehab, and it is possible that you’ll find a new preferred way to work through your challenges. You may also choose to go to a different treatment center than you went to in the past. Choosing this option may expose you to a new environment that further helps to strengthen your tool kit for staying sober.

Are you in the middle of what might be a relapse? Our caring team is available around the clock to help you get help when it matters most. Reach out to us today at 833-820-2922 to start planning for your next phase of treatment.