When you commit to entering a treatment program for drug abuse or alcoholism, you’re taking a critical first step towards recovery. The goal is to use the time you spend in a treatment facility to build a foundation for a clean and sober life. Treatment programs vary in length, but the 28 day rehab model is still very popular. No matter how long you remain in residential treatment, you need to take advantage of the experience. Here are some suggestions for how you can make the most of 28 days in rehab.
Learn to Listen
There is an old adage spoken by those in recovery that involves listening. Those who have been a part of various recovery communities may make reference to taking the cotton out of your ears and putting it in your mouth.
This is a somewhat overzealous way of insisting that anyone new in recovery needs to open their ears before they open their mouth. It doesn’t mean to clam up and avoid talking. What this does reference is learning how to be a good listener.
During your 28 days in rehab, try to avoid crafting witty replies while you should be absorbing what you’re hearing. One way to make the most out of these four weeks in treatment is to learn to listen because when you listen, you’ll learn.
Listen to Learn
The inherent benefit of improving your listening skills is developing the ability to learn from what you hear. There are various ways you can absorb information you will hear during your 28 days of rehab.
Take advantage of counseling sessions, group therapy opportunities, or outside meetings to practice absorbing what you hear. Once you’ve learned how to listen, you will be able to listen to learn.
Not everything will prove helpful, but at least you won’t miss important things that you identify within your own recovery. Never shut your mind to a suggestion or idea that might be helpful in your recovery.
When you listen to learn, not to formulate an opinion, you’ll be amazed at how much you absorb. Recovery is a lifelong learning process. So, one way to get the most out of your 28 day rehab is by listening to learn.
Be Honest
No one in a treatment environment should ever judge another person. There aren’t right or wrong answers to the questions you will answer about yourself during various parts of your program.
The only thing that is vital is that you are honest. Without honesty, there can be little hope that you will hear things that will resonate with you. When you become totally honest, your mind will open to suggestions.
You will begin to identify with others who share your feelings. Only by being honest can you receive helpful suggestions on what paths might help you stay clean and sober. Dishonesty is one way to expose you to the perils of relapse.
The old adage that honesty is the best policy is an interesting concept for most life situations. In your recovery, it is essential. Being totally open and honest may be hard at first, but if you commit to being honest, you will soon find it becomes a natural part of your personality.
Be Open-Minded
A key requirement to learning and changing is being able to accept new ideas. If you go into any type of treatment environment with a closed mind, you’ll reduce your chances of success dramatically.
Having an open mind doesn’t mean compromising your principles. It simply means you are going to strive to avoid forming an opinion based on old ideas. Old habits die hard.
The key to changing bad habits is to be open to the whole idea that a change is necessary. The goal of your 28 day treatment program isn’t to perform some kind of miracle. Sometimes the whole idea of being clean and sober for 28 days is a miracle all by itself.
But, if you work towards a better sense of open-mindedness, you will have developed a useful tool for you sustained recovery. If you can focus on being open-minded during your 28 day rehab, you’ll be amazed at what might happen.
When you open your ears and learn how to listen to learn, you’ll receive help from places you may have never envisioned. Your openness and honesty will attract you to like-minded people, people who will share with you their own experience, strength, and hope.
These are some key suggestions to remember that can help you get the most out of your 28-day rehab experience. If you have yet to make the decision to seek treatment for a drug or alcohol problem, call and speak to someone today at 855-936-4435.
