In order to prepare for an inpatient treatment at a Los Angeles drug rehab, use these helpful tips.
If you’re seeking inpatient treatment at a Los Angeles drug rehab center, there are a few steps you can take to get the most out of your stay.
Making the decision to seek professional help is the first step on this important and life-changing journey.
Now, taking the time to prepare yourself both mentally and physically can enhance the treatment experience. It can also help you get on the path to recovery quicker, and stay there longer.
Today, we’re taking a look at seven ways you can get ready for your time at rehab.
Doing so can help you begin your stay at the facility with a clear and relaxed mind. This way, you’ll be ready to absorb the knowledge and support you’ll receive once you being the treatment process.
Ready to learn more? Let’s get started!
1. Prepare Your Contacts at Home and Work
Before you take a leave of absence, it’s important to inform your employer and explain why you’ll be taking a leave.
Though discussing your upcoming stay at a Los Angeles drug rehab facility can be a sensitive subject, chances are the stakeholders at your job will support your decision to seek treatment.
As long as you’re working with a qualified health care provider, you’re entitled to up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave, in accordance with the Family and Medical Leave Act.
The extent of this coverage depends on a few factors. These include the length of time you’ve been at your current position, how many hours you’ve worked this calendar year and more, so be sure to review the guidelines.
Additionally, if you’re responsible for any dependents at home, such as children or elderly parents, you’ll want to make sure their care is covered during your stay. You may also need to secure a helpful hand for your pets.
If family and friends are not nearby to take on this responsibility, a temporary caretaker might be the best option to ensure against a lapse in protection and supervision.
2. Take Care of Outstanding Financial and Legal Obligations
The last thing you’ll want to deal with when you return from your stay at a Los Angeles drug rehab facility is a stack of past-due bills accruing a mountain of interest payments.
As such, be sure to pay any currently due bills before you go. Then, you’ll need to take steps to make sure all future payments are equally covered.
If you can’t allocate this task to a trusted loved one or confidant, then automatic bank drafts are another option. These can be set up to simply deduct the amount of each bill from your bank account, alleviating the burden of manually sending money in each month.
In the same vein, you’ll also want your return to be as free of any potential legal issues or drama. As such, if you’re currently working through the repercussions of a lawsuit or other legal charge, it’s important to let your attorney know that you’ll be away.
This way, he or she can inform the courts, helping you avoid any penalties that might be enacted if you fail to appear for an important date.
3. Pack (Just) What You Need
Packing up is one of the most important parts of preparing for your treatment at a Los Angeles drug rehab facility.
While the specific items you pack will depend on your personal situation and the facility you’re preparing to enter, there’s one rule of thumb that can prove helpful no matter your circumstance: stick to the basics.
It can be tempting to go overboard when packing, especially if you’re planning for a long-term or extended stay.
Yet, it’s important to remember why you’re entering rehab in the first place — to get well and overcome your addiction.
This said, packing a ton of “extras” in your luggage can distract you from this purpose, and can even remind you of the habits you’re trying to escape.
As such, it can be helpful to stick to the essentials, packing just what you need to live comfortably during your stay, and nothing else. Stripping down the excess can help you get the most out of your experience, so you’ll be better focused on the tasks before you.
4. Buy a Journal and Start Writing
What’s one of the best ways to absorb the insights you’ll learn while in treatment and apply them personally in your own life? Journaling.
Experts from Harvard Business School recently discovered that when employees journaled at the end of the day, they boosted their performance by almost 23%.
The reason? The researchers said it was because when reflection is coupled with learning, it boosts the productivity of the whole experience.
Considering that the time you spend at a Los Angeles drug rehab facility is one of the most important, life-changing experiences of your life, it only makes sense to pair it with a period of deliberate reflection.
So before you go, be sure to buy a journal or similar composition book so you can record the thoughts and observations you make during your stay.
This way, if any piece of advice strikes you as particularly meaningful, you won’t forget it minutes later. Rather, you’ll have it recorded so even when you get back home, you can reference it for inspiration.
5. Try to Calm Your Mind
It’s normal to experience some level of apprehension and anxiety as the time to start rehab approaches. After all, it’s a new territory, and you’ll be coming face-to-face with some of the hardest situations in your life.
Yet, entering your stay with a nervous mind wracked with stress can render it difficult to truly let go and immerse yourself in the treatment experience.
So, before you leave, it’s helpful to calm your mind as much as possible.
To do so, think about something you like to do that brings you joy and re-centers your psyche. For some, this might be soaking in a warm bath, or working in the yard. Others might find peace through cooking or engaging in exercise.
Whatever your preferred course to calm, try to take the time to perform it at least once or twice before you begin your stay. Doing so is an important way to get into the state of mind you need to be in to optimize your time at rehab.
Learn More: Your Los Angeles Drug Rehab Resource
If you or someone you know is suffering from drug addiction, we’d love to offer the resources they need to get back on track.
From sober living homes to 24/7 inpatient care, we provide a variety of options for addiction treatment and support.
Feel free to contact us to learn more about our recovery options, and how we can help you find a successful — and sober — future.
