Afraid of Entering an Alcohol Treatment Program?

By : Talk Rehab

A few years ago I was struggling with an addition to alcohol. I was terrified of the prospect of going to a treatment center. I was dabbling with AA and detox centers but I could not fully kick the habit. Finally, I was referred to a D & A Counseling Center.

I was skeptical of the idea at first. The center required a commitment of going every morning 5 days a week for 4 hours. I didn’t know what kind of people I would meet. I even feared the notion that the counselors and doctors would not be able to help me. Despite my doubts, I attended the first meeting.

Upon entering the entryway seemed very similar to a doctor’s office. There were brochures of all kinds explaining different treatment programs. There were two separate rooms. One room was for the patients that had accrued a month of treatment and the other was for the newer patients.

There was a staff of 3 counselors and a psychiatrist to help with any needed medications. To my surprise all of the councilors had been in my shoes. They were soft spoken, sympathetic and I could tell that they actually cared about my well being.

The meetings were set up so that the patients could face each other in a circle. I listened to each patient tell their story. It was then that I realized that I was not alone and for the first time in a long time I began to see my own problem from an outside perspective.

The counselors from time to time would lead fun exercises where we would express ourselves with crayons and drawings. We had amazing guest speakers who would stop by with their own karaoke machines and lead exercises through music. I even began to form friendships with the other patients.

It didn’t take long for this type of rehab to take effect on me. In a small amount of time I felt my self respect return and my cravings for alcohol diminish. My counselors armed me with all the tools I needed to combat the problems that started my drinking in the first place. Eventually I graduated from the program and I have been sober ever since.

Looking back I should not have been afraid because my fears were irrational. My advice for those thinking of going to a treatment center would be to go to one meeting. There is no harm if you decide it’s not for you. After all, what do you have to lose when you have everything to gain?