Good Morning
I wake up because that’s the first part of any typical day. You wake up. It’s the same in rehab. You wake up, get ready, and eat breakfast. I say this because, although rehab is a different setting in life, you are still doing the same things you would do when you get out of treatment.
At BriteLife Recovery, our treatment programs are structured to help those in recovery stay strong and well. At BriteLife, you participate in mandatory activities and activities you choose based on your interests and preferences.
What Can You Expect in Rehab at BriteLife Recovery?
To me, what stuck out about BriteLife Recovery is the beautiful facility. I don’t want to make rehab sound like it’s a vacation, but if being around the water is important to you, this is the perfect facility for you in South Carolina.
You have access to the beach nearby. I would take walks on the beach, and the water was so therapeutic to me. Looking at the vastness of the water, I could imagine the possibilities that lie ahead for me if I stuck to the path of sobriety. There was also a pool, which I absolutely loved as a swimmer. When I first thought of alcohol rehab, I pictured being in a jail-like facility. I was completely wrong. BriteLife Recovery looks like a beautiful old mansion. I also loved the rigid schedule sprinkled with downtime.
It built my energy up to what a normal day would be like after treatment. During detox, I was suffering a lot. The program at BriteLife ensured I was comfortable, which was a significant help in getting me through the detox process. They catered to my personal needs, which is crucial in effective treatment modules according to the NIH.
Once I crossed the detox bridge, my days were looking much different. Because while I was detoxing, I didn’t feel good, I didn’t want to be there, and I didn’t want to be alive without alcohol. Even though BriteLife has a full medical team and went out of their way to make me comfortable, it was still challenging. What is rehab like? A typical day at rehab can involve various feelings along the path to recovery. The drug you are quitting was your best friend. I felt the emptiness and longing that comes along with the loss of a loved one.
Fighting Against Leaving
It’s also hard knowing that if you walk out the doors at your treatment center, you can see your loved ones again. The only thing holding you back is the program you are currently sitting in. If you can stay within the center and make it through to the other side, it is worth it. My advice is to try and choose a place that feels good to you. I am from the South Carolina area, so BriteLife Recovery was the right choice for me.
Still wondering, “What is rehab like?” A typical day at rehab can involve massive feelings of anxiety initially. When I first started the program, it seemed impossible that I would never drink again. After all, my whole life had revolved around drinking. I could not imagine a day without alcohol. However, maybe it was the beautiful setting I was in, the amazing people I met in my group that had been down a similar path as mine, or the staff at BriteLite. However, after a while, those feelings started to become less prominent. According to the NIH, exercise is beneficial in recovery. BriteLife Recovery had the perfect facilities to get out, walk around, and be surrounded by beauty.
Where You Go Matters
The facility at BriteLife Recovery was breathtaking, which made it easier for me to want to be there. Every day had a common and helpful routine:
- You start your day by waking up, eating breakfast, and getting ready for the day.
- Then, you choose your activities.
- Therapy is mandatory. There is group therapy and one-on-one therapy. That was the perfect mix for me.
- I also enjoyed smaller class settings, and BriteLife offers that kind of intimacy.
It’s a lot of work for anyone trying to kick a habit that was destroying them. As an addict myself, the work was staying drunk. It’s a goal I took very seriously. The pain I felt at some of the things that happened in my childhood had stuck with me and grew into these monsters that I didn’t feel like I could control as an adult. Alcohol helped ease that pain. Yet, it was destroying my life in ways that I could not have imagined. Ultimately, it was creating more pain. The issue was I had to relearn where to put the energy that I had put into my addiction. I had to learn how to cope with my anxiety in healthy manners, and I had to learn to have a realistic path going forward.
What is Rehab Like?
A typical day at rehab might mean waking up and dreading the idea you can never drink or do drugs again. The best part of rehab is you take it day-by-day. You only have to stay sober today. Today is the day you worry about, not tomorrow. Tomorrow, you will wake up to another day for conquering your sobriety.
I had to learn to live in the present. Even for those of us who are not struggling with addiction, learning to live in the present is a hard skill to master. Sucking the past and future out of our psyche means we have to sit wherever we are and be present in the moment. BriteLife Recovery was the perfect facility for me in that regard. I was able to enjoy the beauty and peace around me; while participating in a customized treatment program with people who supported me and motivated me to remember that I was strong enough to do what I needed to do to achieve recovery from addiction.