5 Emotions You May Experience When Going to Rehab
Table of Contents Starting Treatment is Not Easy 3 Common Emotions During Rehab 4 1. Feelings of Loneliness 5 2. Anger With Yourself and Towards Others
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3. Fear of Failure 11 4. Pain From Past Experiences and Choices
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5. Depression is Very Common 19 Addressing Emotions During Rehab 22 Constructive Ways to Address Painful Emotions During Rehab
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Getting The Help You Need 27
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Starting Treatment is Not Easy Entering treatment for substance abuse and addiction is an emotional experience. While it is normal to experience a variety of conflicting emotions, recognizing that this is a completely normal process does not make the process any easier. No matter where you are in the treatment process, remember that none of these emotions will last forever.
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5 Emotions You May Experience When Going to Rehab
Common Emotions During Rehab
Both positive and negative emotions will come and go. It is easy to define oneself by the emotions that we are experiencing at any given moment in time. For example, if we are feeling a deep anger or resentment towards others, we can let this negative emotion cloud our judgment. However, it is important to remember that your emotions do not define you, just as your addiction does not define you as a person.
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5 Emotions You May Experience When Going to Rehab
1. Feelings of Loneliness
As you detox from drugs and other toxic substances and your mind begins to clear, you may be flooded with emotions, including feelings of loneliness, abandonment, and vulnerability. In fact, the desire to escape feelings of loneliness may have been one of the reasons that you began abusing substances in the first place.
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5 Emotions You May Experience When Going to Rehab
1. Feelings of Loneliness
Entering a rehab center can seem like a very isolating experience. You are away from all that is familiar, including close family and friends, as well as the daily rituals that defined your life. Even though you are surrounded by people at a rehab center, including staff and other individuals who are seeking treatment, it is natural to feel lonely and isolated.
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5 Emotions You May Experience When Going to Rehab
2. Anger With Yourself and Towards Others Anger towards yourself, your friends, family, and the rehab center itself are all common emotions. You may find that you strongly dislike certain aspects of the rehab program, especially parts where you are forced to examine yourself and take responsibility for past behaviors. You may find yourself lashing out at others, screaming or yelling, saying harsh words that your regret, or being cruel and insensitive during group sessions. These behaviors are you working through your anger, which may have been building up inside you for years.
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5 Emotions You May Experience When Going to Rehab
2. Anger With Yourself and Towards Others
Anger is a primal emotion and can have many physically negative effects on the body, including increased headaches, hypertension, high blood pressure, and gastrointestinal disorders. Anger is also a common relapse trigger. Letting go of pent up anger and resentment is not easy, but doing so is essential to achieving long-term sobriety.
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5 Emotions You May Experience When Going to Rehab
Substance Abuse and Anger are Common
Substance abuse and anger oftentimes go hand-in-hand. Individuals who abuse drugs or alcohol can become overly aggressive and react to conflict with physical violence, such as hitting, punching, or kicking. You may want to seek revenge on the people who “forced” you into treatment, or even the individuals with whom you once used to drink or use drugs. Learning how to manage your anger is an important part of the treatment process. Start by taking time to calm down and assess the situation.
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5 Emotions You May Experience When Going to Rehab
Relaxation Techniques Learning relaxation techniques, such as yoga and meditation, will help you to remain calm when a situation does not go as you expected. Refrain from thinking in black and white terms about a problem; recognize that there are many perspectives and that the anger you may be feeling is irrational. Once you have stopped abusing substances, it will be easier for you to control your anger and learn to forgive not only others, but also yourself.
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5 Emotions You May Experience When Going to Rehab
3. Fear of Failure According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, addiction is a chronic illness, and as a result, 40 to 60 percent of people who have an addiction relapse at least once. It is common to feel anxious or fearful about the future and fear that you will suffer a relapse or another sobriety setback. Fear of the future creates tension and anxiety, which can undermine the success of your treatment.
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5 Emotions You May Experience When Going to Rehab
3. Fear of Failure
One way to deal with the fear of relapse is to create a relapse prevention plan while you are still in treatment. Address your fear of relapse head on by recognizing the triggers in your life that might lead to a relapse. These include socializing with individuals who use addictive substances and encountering stressful situations without effective coping mechanisms in place.
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5 Emotions You May Experience When Going to Rehab
Treatment Plan
Work with your addiction counselor to create a treatment plan that helps prepare you for these situations. For example, you may role-play how you would respond if someone were to offer you an alcoholic beverage at a party. Confronting your fear by role-playing different scenarios will give you the confidence to complete treatment and stay sober.
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5 Emotions You May Experience When Going to Rehab
Transitional Housing You may benefit from having a transitional housing plan in place before leaving rehab. Finding housing and employment is a major cause of stress for individuals who have been in rehab, especially if their past substance abuse caused them to lose a job or be kicked out of an apartment. Transitional housing provides a supportive environment to focus on your sobriety, it is a safe “half-way” step between the known comforts of an inpatient rehab program and the unknown challenges of the real world.
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5 Emotions You May Experience When Going to Rehab
Counseling Will Help Some individuals may fear that friends or family will never accept them again. While everyone’s family will react differently, many family members are supportive and willing to help. If you are afraid how your family will perceive you, consider scheduling a joint counseling session between family members and your addiction counselor. This is a safe space and an opportunity to address the fears that you have with your family members. A drug counselor can help facilitate this session in a constructive and positive manner.
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5 Emotions You May Experience When Going to Rehab
4. Pain From Past Experiences and Choices
It is very common for past traumas to resurface during rehab. If you have gone through a traumatic experience, you may be struggling with painful memories, a frightening loss of control, feelings of numbness and disconnection, and an inability to trust people. You may have turned to drugs or alcohol as a means to cope and escape the pain associated with these deep wounds.
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5 Emotions You May Experience When Going to Rehab
4. Pain From Past Experiences and Choices
Emotional and psychological traumas are extraordinarily stressful events that shatter your sense of security and leave you feeling vulnerable. While some traumatic experiences, such as a fire or domestic abuse, violate your sense of physical safety, any situation that leaves you with feelings of vulnerability can lead to long-term pain.
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5 Emotions You May Experience When Going to Rehab
Traumatic Pain
Identifying and acknowledging the root cause for your traumatic pain is an important part of rehab. By acknowledging the cause for your pain, you are taking control of your future and you are no longer powerless. Traumatic pain can occur when: • An event happens unexpectedly and you were unprepared for it
Examples of common painful and traumatic events include: • Domestic violence
• It was a humiliating or deeply disappointing experience
• Neglect
• Someone was intentionally cruel (especially during childhood)
• Physical abuse
• The event happened repeatedly without your ability to stop or control it
• Sexual abuse • Verbal abuse • Emotional abuse • Bullying • Separation from family
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5 Emotions You May Experience When Going to Rehab
5. Depression is Very Common An estimated 19 million Americans live with major depression (also known as clinical depression), which is defined as a constant sense of hopelessness and despair. While most people experience feelings of sadness at some point in their lives, depression is different. Individuals who are depressed may also experience feelings of fatigue, worthlessness, guilt, and restlessness. If you are depressed and are also in rehab for substance abuse, you are not alone.
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5 Emotions You May Experience When Going to Rehab
5. Depression is Very Common
Mental illness and substance abuse often go hand-in-hand, and is often called dual diagnosis. According to recent research from the 2012 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, close to 8.4 million adults in the United States have both a mental and substance use disorder. In fact, substance abuse impacts many of the same brain circuits associated with mental illnesses, such as depression. Individuals who are depressed oftentimes turn to drugs or alcohol to self-medicate because they are unable to cope with the intensity of these feelings.
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5 Emotions You May Experience When Going to Rehab
Co-occurring Disorders
Depression, when coupled with substance abuse, is known as a co-occurring disorder and requires dual diagnosis treatment. Only treating substance abuse, without also addressing an individual’s depression, frequently leads to relapse and additional substance abuse problems. If you think that you may be depressed, talk to the mental health specialists at your treatment center. Addiction specialists and mental health experts can provide treatment for both the mental illness as well as substance abuse.
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5 Emotions You May Experience When Going to Rehab
Addressing Emotions During Rehab Anger, fear, loneliness, pain, and depression are five extremely powerful emotions that must be constructively addressed during the rehab process. While all these emotions are completely valid, and you should never feel guilty for having them, acting on them in a negative manner will do nothing to advance your treatment process. For example, allowing anger to consume you and lashing out at your treatment counselor is counter-productive. An important part of rehab is learning how to constructively manage your emotions without relying on substance abuse to mask painful feelings.
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5 Emotions You May Experience When Going to Rehab
Constructive Ways to Address Painful Emotions Yoga Therapy: While there are many styles of yoga, in general, yoga is a mind-body exercise that focuses on linking breath with movement. Yoga also emphasizes the importance of being in the moment. Rather than experiencing anxiety about the future or regret and sadness for the past, yoga helps to focus the mind in the present. If you are struggling with anger, sadness, anxiety, or other painful emotions, you may benefit from a regular yoga practice.
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5 Emotions You May Experience When Going to Rehab
Constructive Ways to Address Painful Emotions Meditation: Like yoga, meditation is designed to quiet the mind in the present moment. Meditation is a state of deep peace where the mind is calm and silent. It is one of the most effective techniques for reducing stress and helping individuals manage negative emotions. If you are new to meditation, starting a regular practice can seem overwhelming. Even sitting in silence for a few minutes may feel like an impossible task. Start by committing five minutes each day to being still and silent.
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5 Emotions You May Experience When Going to Rehab
Constructive Ways to Address Painful Emotions
Art Therapy: Art therapy is a form of psychotherapy that encourages free self-expression through painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, collaging, or other artistic activities. If you are struggling to articulate painful emotions, art therapy creates space for expressing these emotions in a manner that improves mental health. Through the process of creating art, you may find relief from overwhelming traumas, crises, or emotions. Finding personal meaning in your images is also part of the therapeutic process. By telling your story through art, you can create a new personal narrative, which is a powerful form of healing.
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5 Emotions You May Experience When Going to Rehab
Constructive Ways to Address Painful Emotions Physical Exercise: Exercise plays a critical role in how we feel about ourselves. Numerous studies have found that exercises releases chemicals in the brain, known as endorphins, which create a ‘feel-good’ sensation in the body. Regular exercise boosts selfesteem, improves nightly sleep and concentration, and also gives individuals a sense of daily accomplishment. Exercise is a natural way to manage tension, stress, and mental fatigue while releasing feelings of anger and frustration.
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5 Emotions You May Experience When Going to Rehab
Getting The Help You Need
Going to rehab can seem like a scary experience, however, our intake counselors are ready to help you. Please call us today to get the treatment you need, and we will help you through any emotions you might experience along the way.
1 (855) 908-3975
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5 Emotions You May Experience When Going to Rehab
