What you can really expect from Alcohol and Drug Rehabs

If you considering treatment at a drug and alcohol rehab center here is what you can count on:

No locks. That's right - you're free to leave at any time, even if you've been sent by the courts, but in the end you'll have to face the consequences of doing so. For the program to work you have to be willing to be there - a locked door won't make you want to get sober that much more.

You probably aren't going to like your roommate. Don't expect your roommate to be pleased to see you or pleased to be there. Remember why you're there - to get help for yourself.

There are thousands of rehabs in the U.S. The physical settings range from luxurious to downright primitive and everything in between. The most important thing to remember is that how nice a facility is has little to do with how successful it will be for you.

Some rehab programs are coed. Find out first if the one you are considering is exclusively for women or men or is coed. A program strictly for women or men may be a better option for you than a coed situation or vice versa.

Know that you will probably be going to outside 12 step meetings. Some rehabs have their own 12 step meetings onsite. And your family will probably be asked to participate in Al-Anon meetings if they wish to visit you and to learn how they might have unknowingly been contributing to your illness. You will most likely receive individual counseling as well.

You may have to complete a detox treatment before you can start the program at the residential facility. Some residential facilities have in-house detox treatment.

And finally, a strong aftercare program is essential to your continued recovery. When you have to leave the safe setting of the residental program you've been living at for the last 30 to 90 days, you should have a detailed specific plan for the next phase of your recovery. After all, you weren't successful "doing it alone" before you checked into rehab and you won't be able to continue your recovery alone once you're out in the real world again.