Going to Rehab: A Guide for Veterans

If you are a veteran who is considering going to rehab, you most likely have a lot of questions and concerns. To start, what is the process of going to rehab like for veterans? What do you need to know as you prepare for drug addiction recovery? Thankfully, this guide is here to answer all of your questions about finding a rehab in Florida.

What Are the Benefits of Going to Rehab?

First, it’s important to understand why rehab is so important for veterans. In the United States, millions of veterans have substance use disorders or other invisible wounds of war. In fact, veterans are more likely to struggle with addiction to drugs or alcohol compared to the general population. Many veterans turn to drugs or alcohol to cope with underlying mental health conditions, such as:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Suicidal ideation

When mental health disorders like these go untreated, veterans become even more at risk for developing substance use disorders—and this combination can be deadly. Recently, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of drug overdose deaths throughout the country. Specifically, Florida’s overdose death statistics have gone up by 70 percent in the past year, partly due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Yet, despite how many service members need mental health assistance, veterans face additional barriers to getting treatment. Veterans often have trouble accessing mental health care because of their location, environment, or simply because they are not sure how to get help when they need it.

It can be hard to express your thoughts about going to rehab to family members, friends, and your employers. After all, you do not want to be judged for your symptoms or for asking for help. However, going to rehab is not a sign of weakness—in fact, it’s the exact opposite. It is a show of strength because you are willing to get the help you need. Getting professional addiction treatment can greatly improve your relationships with loved ones as well as improve your professional skills. And don’t forget that starting addiction recovery can help you to feel like yourself again.

What Treatments Will I Have in Rehab?

Going to rehab as a veteran means that you will have access to unique treatment options at veteran-focused addiction recovery centers. The services here will help you feel stronger physically, mentally, and emotionally. Overall, rehab can help veterans with alcohol addiction recovery, drug addiction recovery, and mental health recovery all at once with the right treatment options.

Some of the addiction recovery program options you might encounter in rehab include:

• Medical detox from alcohol and drugs
• Residential rehab
• Partial hospitalization programs
• Intensive outpatient programs

The program that will work best for you depends on your life responsibilities, your current symptoms, and your long-term recovery goals. Regardless of the program you enter, you will have a wide variety of therapeutic treatment options to try. Some examples of treatments that might help you on your journey toward recovery are:

• Individualized therapy sessions
• Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy
• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
• Nutritional education
• Job readiness training
• Recreational activities

If you are considering going to rehab, know that you will not be facing the challenge of recovery all on your own. In rehab, you will be able to work with other veterans who have similar experiences and challenges to your own.

Group therapy sessions help you to create a strong support system of people who truly believe in your ability to heal. You might even find that family therapy can help foster healthier relationships between you and the people you love the most. Creating these types of support systems is instrumental for you to maintain recovery after rehab.

What Happens After Rehab?

It is only natural to wonder, “After rehab, then what?” Life after rehab can be intimidating, especially when you return to your old life and living environment. Recovery after rehab reintroduces triggers, life stressors, and unexpected bumps in the road. However, that’s exactly why going to rehab is the most important thing you can do to better your mental health in the long-run.

In rehab, you will start to build the foundation you need to take care of your mental health. But the work doesn’t end once you complete your treatment program. Instead, you will be able to take the addiction recovery resources with you and continue to strengthen them. In tough times after treatment, you’ll know where to find the answer to the question, “Are there recovery meetings near me?” You’ll also have a toolbox of therapeutic skills to healthily cope with stress. Perhaps most importantly, you will have a group of alumni who will have your back as you face recovery after rehab.

Going to rehab is truly the best way that you can build these relationships, learn these skills, and ready yourself for long-term sober living. What happens after addiction treatment might be an unknown, but you will be prepared to handle any challenges that are thrown your way.

What Is the First Step in Going to Rehab?

If you are still unsure about going to rehab, don’t hesitate to turn to other recovering veterans to learn about their experiences at a Florida-based, veteran-focused addiction recovery center like Heroes’ Mile. Heroes’ Mile is a mental health recovery facility that is made by and for veterans. Here, you will have all the support you need to heal from common mental health ailments that risk the lives of veterans each and every day.

Of course, going to rehab can be overwhelming. Rest assured that the staff at Heroes’ Mile is here to guide you through the process of going to rehab from your very first admissions call to finding addiction recovery resources as you enter life after rehab. Give us a call today at 888-838-6692 or submit a confidential contact form through our website. Your journey to sobriety and wellness starts here.

The post Going to Rehab: A Guide for Veterans appeared first on Heroes’ Mile Veterans Recovery Center.

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Original Author: Heroes’ Mile