Rehab centers often encourage visits from caring family members and others who have an impact upon someone’s sobriety. While it might seem strange at first to visit your loved one in a group living environment, you’ll find that everyone adjusts quickly. You’ll also discover that sober living homes and rehab centers offer a supportive atmosphere that helps everyone to stay comfortable. When you are wondering what it is it like to visit someone at a rehab center, you are already one step ahead to making your time supporting someone in treatment better. Although rules can vary somewhat from one place to another, you can get a general idea of what to expect for your upcoming visit by reading through these common questions.
How Do Rehab Centers Promote Safety During Visits?
The most important thing to remember about visits to a drug rehab program is that sobriety is the priority. Every center and sober living home has guidelines in place to make sure that everyone stays mentally well and is able to avoid the temptation to use drugs or alcohol. For this reason, you’ll be required to leave any drugs or alcohol that you have at home. Bringing in prohibited substances will cause you to be asked to leave or potentially banned from visiting. Leaving these things at home supports your loved one’s sobriety.
Depending upon the type of facility that you visit, you might also need to follow a few basic security protocols. For instance, the person supervising the front door might need to see your ID, or they may need to make sure that you are on the list of approved visitors. There might also be security cameras monitoring the entrance and public areas of the facility. Visitors may also be asked to respect certain hours or a curfew that respects the other people living in the home or facility. These protocols are simply designed to make sure that everyone is safe in the sober living environment.
What Can You Do During Visits With Someone in Addiction Treatment?
You don’t have to worry about sitting around awkwardly during a visit to a drug rehab center. Instead, you’ll find that you can enjoy many different activities during your visit that may include the following things to do.
- attend group counseling sessions
- play video or board games
- talk about news and current events
- meet members of their new sober support network
- discuss positive events in each other’s lives
- offer praise and support
As you choose your activities and discussion topics, keep in mind that the focus should be on keeping things positive. People who are in recovery need to be able to keep their stress levels down. If you do have an urgent need to discuss something that could be stressful, then ask if it is possible to include a counselor or sober mentor during the conversation who can help your loved one to remember to use their coping strategies. You’ll also want to remember that this is a great time to simply bond with your loved one and learn about what they are doing to make positive changes in your life. Plan to let them show you their favorite new hobbies and be open to meeting the other people who are staying in the facility. While you’ll need to respect confidentiality rules, such as using first names, it is enlightening to see how your loved one connects with others who understand what it is like to live with an addiction.
How Do Frequent Visits Help People Recover From Addiction?
Going to rehab takes courage, and it often means that a person must be away from their closest loved ones for a period of time. When you visit, you let your loved one know that you are willing to support them as long as they are working on their recovery. Knowing that they have support from the people that they love gives your loved one the motivation that they need to keep going when times feel tough. If your loved one plans on returning to your home, then this also gives you the chance to begin rebuilding your relationship. Recovery is a process and staying involved helps both of you to transition to their new lifestyle. While it may feel like a simple thing to do, going for regular visits has a huge impact upon your loved one’s sobriety.
Do you have more questions about visitation during addiction treatment? Give our team a call at 614-705-0611 today. We’ll help you make sure that you can visit your loved one during their stay.