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• Somewhere House

Your first few days in rehab can be bit overwhelming.

Your first few days in rehab can be bit overwhelming. 

If you are reading this blog then you are probably thinking about going into rehab, if you haven’t already decided to. This blog will give you a some practical advice about what to bring as well as what to expect in your first few days. 

Let’s make sure you bring the right things. What creature comforts would you normally need to make you feel at home? If you are not sure then give the office a call and speak to the staff. This is a great way of getting to know people before you arrive. 

It dawned on me that we all come to rehab for a shared common reason; we are no longer safe in our addiction out in the big bad world. If you are lucky like me, you will end up at Somewhere House. I want to share with you my experience in the hope it will make your visit less daunting. 

The first thing that stuck me when I arrived was how friendly everyone was and how little expectation was placed on me to do anything other than find my feet. A question that I  kept being asked was “if you need anything, just let me know” and that was from others in rehab as well as the staff. This only lasts as long as you need to settle in, once you show signs of finding your feet you are soon expected to tow the line. 

Towing the line isn’t as bad as it sounds. In fact it actually got me focusing on being a part of what will soon feel like my family. It can be something as simple as having my own area of the house to maintain. Even as I stumbled and fumbled my way round my new duties the rest of my new family are still making sure I was supported in my new role. Don’t get me wrong, my peers here at Somewhere House instantly challenge me if I am bending the rules or cutting corners. Likewise I am encouraged to challenge them.

Watch out - time will soon fly! A week is gone as quick as a day and that’s where I realised I needed to focus me and not my peers. I hear people saying “are you looking in at yourself or are you looking out?”. This was a term that needed explaining to me. I learnt that I was distracting myself by pointing out other people’s behaviours rather than looking at my own. 

I found the group therapy a little intimidating and the only way I got over this was by speaking up sooner rather than later. Once I had spoken everyone knew I was there and I became more comfortable with talking in a group. 

So in a nutshell, pack what ever you think you will need (even your favourite teddy bear), take comfort in support you get the moment you walk in the door and finally focus on YOU and speak up in group. The rest will be just happen naturally. 

A client at Somewhere House