What to Expect at an Alcoholism Centre – Part 2
The daily activities in an alcoholism centre are structured and follow a routine that is balanced with group therapy and individual therapy, written work, lectures, outings to 12 Step Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and usually some creative therapy such as art therapy, exercise such as hiking or team sports and free time. Some centres also have therapeutic duties in their programme, which include the maintenance and upkeep of the centre. Other clinics have excursions such as paint-ball, bungi-jumping, whale and dolphin watching, elephant rides and scuba diving. Imagine learning to scuba dive during your free time in rehab?!
A typical day in an in-patient facility for alcoholics will begin with a morning reading, followed by breakfast, then activities such as group therapy, individual therapy, written work, lectures and therapeutic duties if they are offered. After this, lunch and then activities such as group therapy, individual therapy, art or drama therapy and exercise are common. In the evening after dinner, 12 step meeting attendance or a group reading from Alcoholics Anonymous literature and free time is offered. Over a period of time, group therapy and individual therapy with a designated alcoholism counsellor have shown to be highly effective in assisting alcoholics with processing their difficulties and remaining sober after treatment.
How can this help an alcoholic stay sober?
While an alcoholic is in a treatment centre, they are not only counselled for their alcoholism problems and challenges faced on a day to day basis. They are shown a new way to live. For an alcoholic, the challenge to living a healthy and productive life free from alcohol involves stopping drinking and making behavioural changes that enable them to stay stopped. Once an alcoholic leaves an alcoholism centre after completing in-patient treatment, they lose the immediate support structure that the centre provided for them. However, a 12 Step programme that is begun in treatment offers the support needed by recovering alcoholics, even when they are back to fulfilling the responsibilities of their daily lives.
Alcoholism is a very serious disease, for which help in an alcoholism centre can be the difference between a healthy life and an early death. With the help of alcoholism counselling, time in a supportive and caring environment and a 12 Step programme of recovery, there is a good prognosis for alcoholics to stay sober and become a healthy and functional member of society.
We Do Recover provide immediate access and admissions to alcoholism treatment centres for those struggling with a drinking problem or other substance abuse. We help people find the best facility for their budget and location.
Part 1 of this article is found here.