When dealing with the idea of going to a drug and alcohol rehab center, it is essential to be realistic in your expectations.  Any qaulity program tries very hard to assist people in their change from drug dependance to a full and rewarding life.  However, many clients coming to a rehab have had upwards of several to many years of poor decisions and behavior.  Many of the previous behaviors were dangerous to themselves and others.  It is simplistic to think years of behavior will be easily changed in an enviroment with no rules or consequences.

If change on this scale could be made without rules and hard work, people would have just changed at home.  They would not have wrecked their lives.  They would not have hurt and let down their loved ones.  They would not have broken the law.  They would have done a better job with their employers.  So all the people who were able to change without the rules and clear boundaries have already changed.  Drug rehab is for the people who have chosen not to change willingly. 

So maybe stop blaming a rehab for what they need to do to make it safe for you to change.  Stop blaming yourself and others in your life.  For whatever reason it seems you need the safety and structure of a drug rehab center to make the change you have been unable to make so far.  Drug rehabs should not be a spa.  Spas should be a spa.  Rehabs need to be safe and work very hard at giving the clear direction and guidance for those people who need it to make their lives better.

I have been talking a lot about structure as a key to relapse prevention. Sometimes the word “structure” confuses people. Another way to think of it is in the world of business. There it is referred to as systems. It is the systems McDonald’s has which allow it to make identical Big Macs anywhere it wants in the world. They are able to take people for different cultures and languages and education, and still get the exact same tasting product, anywhere.

Look at the armed forces. They can take kids who come from all divergent backgrounds and skill levels and in 12 weeks turn them into a cohesive unit which reacts with unity and precision. How are these organizations able to modify behaviour of so many people in such short periods so consistently over and over again?

It is their systems that allow this to happen. The system becomes the decision source for the new “recruit”. They do not get to choose how long to cook a hamburger. A buzzer rings and tells them it is done. In the army basic training you do not get to choose when to eat, sleep, what to wear, your haircut, or even when to speak.

By taking care of so many of the choices for someone in advance, they can focus entirely on the skills the organization wants them to learn the most. It frees all of the mental power to the critical task at hand. This is what we are talking about in drug rehab when we are asking clients to build structure in their lives. By putting some systems in your life, you will be able to more carefully focus on the result you really want for your life. You will be far more able to cope with the unexpected stresses and communication problems that arise. You will have more fun and connection with people because you put in place a system that will make you do it.

All drug rehab centers have systems. Some call them rules, but in reality they are simply systems. The systems free your mind to focus on change and skill development. The systems force you to interact with other clients. The systems will change your sleep pattern to a healthy one. Look for systems you can put in your life after drug rehab.