A Typical Day in an Addiction Treatment Center
What happens during a typical day at an addiction treatment center? While each client will be put on personalized treatment plans, the general scheduling of events will be similar. We think seeing the daily schedule is helpful if you consider checking into an addiction treatment center. It removes the fear of the unknown and lets you know what you’ll do daily.
Here’s an example addiction treatment schedule:
Morning Medications and Vitals
Your morning may begin with medication as part of your medical detox process. This isn’t an essential service for everyone, but a lot of people suffering from addiction will undergo a medical detox to help balance their hormonal system. Your vitals will also be checked to ensure that the medication is doing its job and your body is slowly flushing out toxins and returning to a more harmonious balance.
Likewise, if you need medication for any health problems, this is when you take it. Nurses will bring your prescription to you so it gets taken at the same time and you never forget it.
Breakfast
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, especially when you’re in an addiction treatment center. It sets you up for what lies ahead and fuels you for the day’s activities. You will have a range of breakfast options presented, though they’re all designed to be nutritionally healthy.
Having a healthy breakfast is more important than you think as it encourages you to begin healthy habits. Implementing more healthy habits into your life will help you recover from addiction and see more long-lasting results. Eating good meals also ensures your body gets the right nutrients and can start undoing some of the adverse effects of drug or alcohol addiction.
Group Therapy Session
After breakfast, you’ll attend a group therapy session. The benefits of group therapy are clear for all to see:
- It helps you feel less alone
- You get to interact with other people
- You connect and empathize with people
- You receive a broader range of feedback
- It gives your therapist a chance to see how you interact with others
Group therapy provides something different from individual therapy as the focus isn’t solely on you. It’s more about learning how other people are coping with their addictions and the recovery process. Seeing others around you – from all walks of life – helps you feel less alone or embarrassed about your situation. Many clients leave the daily group sessions with a big mental boost because of the camaraderie in the group.
Individual Therapy Session or a Complimentary Support Session
When your group therapy session is complete, you get a choice between an individual therapy session or a complimentary support session, or in other words, an elective.
What’s a Complimentary Support Session? It’s an activity you choose to do based on your likes and interests. This possibly could include:
- Exercise classes
- Meditation
- Art therapy
- Music therapy
- Outside activity
You may think of things during group time that you don’t have a chance to talk about or would rather delve into on a deeper level with your therapist. Moreover, individual therapy sessions will look at specific types of therapy, most notably CBT. It’s an opportunity to explore yourself and your emotions, learning how they affect your addiction and the behaviors you take. You learn far more about the mental side of addiction from individual therapy sessions than you do from group ones, which are more about support.
Keep in mind that you’ll also have another chance for an individual therapy session or elective just before dinner.
Lunch
Lunch is similar to breakfast in that the meals are freshly prepared using healthy ingredients. Some clients may need to take medication at this point, though it depends on your specific treatment plan and your health needs.
Clients go to lunch at the same time so it’s a great opportunity to mingle with others and talk about your day. Again, this stops you from feeling alone but it also brings a sense of normality to your day. Rather than being forced to spend time alone you can talk to others, laugh, and enjoy your food.
Family Session, Individual Session, or an Elective
You’ll get another period after the second group therapy session. This time, there’s the option of a family therapy session alongside individual sessions or electives. Keep in mind you’ll need to organize a family session in advance to ensure your family is there on time. Some people need family sessions while others don’t – you can discuss your needs with your primary therapist at any time.
Most clients will opt for the opposite of what they chose before lunch. If you attended an individual therapy session earlier, it’s a good idea to do an elective here.
At the end of the day, everyone is on a unique journey. No two people will follow the exact same addiction treatment path. As you spend more time at an addiction treatment center, you quickly realize what works for you and what’s more valuable in helping you deal with your addiction. This could mean you prioritize therapy over electives, or vice versa.
Dinner
The day concludes with a nice healthy dinner. There will be various options that cover different dietary preferences – as there are for all meals throughout the day. It’s a nice way to finish proceedings and unwind after a day full of therapy and treatments.
After this, you get some free time to yourself. This can be spent reading, exercising, or doing whatever you like before bed.
Reach Out To Peaks Recovery
A typical day in an addiction treatment center will involve lots of treatment sessions to help you move toward your overall goal. Each person’s schedule can be slightly different depending on what phase of recovery they’re in. If you’d like to learn more about addiction treatment services or are interested in admissions, please contact the Peaks Recovery Centers team today. Click here to see our contact info or to fill in a confidential form with any questions.
Call at 855-222-1610 to speak to our friendly team.
Medical Disclaimer: Peaks Recovery Centers uses fact-based content about recovery treatment, addiction medicine, and behavioral health conditions to improve the quality of life for those struggling with drug and alcohol addiction or mental health disorders. This information is not intended to replace professional medical guidance, diagnosis, care, or treatment. This information should not be used as a substitute for advice from a qualified healthcare provider and/or your physician.