Getting someone into a rehab center can be a struggle, especially when they are not determined to quit their addiction. Once they got there, many people leave earlier than they should. When this happens, they are reducing their chances of staying sober, because recovery is a long process, which requires a lot of patience.
They never wanted to quit
The most common cause of leaving the rehab center is that the addict is not decided to stay sober. When they don’t commit to the treatment and don’t want to quit, they find a way to get out of the rehab and resume the drug usage.
Withdrawal is hard
A large number of addicts have problems coping with the withdrawal process. This is a painful time, which comes with multiple physical and mental symptoms. Even with professional support, withdrawal is a nightmare for the addict. Some people find it too hard to cope with and simply quit the entire process.
They don’t need help
After spending some time in rehab, the addict can decide they don’t need any help. This false perception might be supported by the fact each person at the center is in a different state, so when an addict meets someone who is in worse shape than they are, they can decide they can cope with the recovery process on their own, at home.
They don’t like the rehab center
Sometimes the addict can’t adapt to the rehab program, so they want to get out of it. When this happens, they can try out another program, which can offer them a different way to recover.
Another common reason of leaving the center too soon is having high expectations. When someone enters rehab, they think they are going to recover in couple of weeks. This never happens, as recovery is a long process, so they end up being disappointed, thinking the rehab is a loss of time or it’s not working.
What are the dangers of leaving rehab too soon?
Most people who leave rehab earlier than they should return to their addiction within several hours. When they get out of rehab before finishing the treatment they are not able to cope with the daily temptations. This leads to a rapid relapse, which can have deadly consequences, as many addicts try to make up for the lost time and get a higher dose of their drug.
Emotional problems are often used as reasons to return to drug abuse after leaving the rehab center. For a large number of addicts, leaving rehab is leaving their only chance of returning to a normal life. Gathering the motivation to enter rehabilitation is not easy and many fail to get back to the program, either due to emotional problems, either due to financial issues.
Having a relapse after quitting rehab too soon makes it harder to quit in the future, which puts a lot of pressure on the addict, if they decide to return to the treatment center.
How to resist the urge to check out of rehab
The best way to help an addict who wants to check out of rehab too soon is to help them resist this impulse. You can speak with a counselor about their desire to check out; these people usually know how to manage the situation and convince the addict it’s best to stay in rehab.
Tell your loved one how their decision to leave the center will impact your own life, as well as the lives of their family. Ask them to wait for 24 hours, in order to see if the decision to leave it’s an impulsive one or it’s final. Most of those who manage to pass the 24 hour test stay in rehab.
Supporting the addict when they want to check out is crucial, as they will see they have a good reason to be in the center and improve their life.
