At-home drug and alcohol rehab

Finding sobriety with at-home substance abuse rehabilitation

When people think of rehab, what they’re typically picturing is an inpatient rehabilitation program. They’re thinking about an extended stay in a secure, peaceful facility with private or shared dorms, where those struggling with addiction attend different therapies every day.

But that’s just one approach to rehab, and it doesn’t work for everyone.

At-home rehab for drug and alcohol substance use disorders is another approach that can make treatment more accessible to those who need it. Here, we’re going to learn about what it is, why it’s useful and how you can make the most of it.

‍The Hader Clinic offers several outpatient relapse prevention services, some of which can be accessed at home wherever you live in Australia. Whatever stage of your recovery you’re at, our specialists are always available to discuss rehab therapy solutions with you. All you have to do is call.

What is ‘at-home’ rehab?

At-home rehabilitation services are therapies that clients can attend at home, either by hosting a visit from a medical professional or by attending a virtual session.

There is an overlap between ‘at-home’ and ‘outpatient’ therapies, though are not the same in all cases. Many outpatient therapies require clients to meet at a rehab facility or at another suitable location. For example, 12-step programs often meet in hired spaces.

Is at home rehab effective?

Yes, it can be. But its effectiveness depends on how appropriate it is for the client. If you’re considering seeking at-home alcohol rehab, you need to understand how it differs from inpatient rehabilitation so that you know you’re making the right decision.

‍Inpatient rehab gives you total immersion in its therapies, which are carried out in a safe and sober environment away from any triggers. You will also have round-the-clock care by trained and qualified medical professionals.

At-home alcohol rehab is not fully immersive. Triggers to your substance abuse will surround you, depending on your sensitivity to them. And it will be extremely easy for you to act on temptations to relapse by simply returning to places and people that enable your addiction.

However, there are significant benefits to at-home rehab for substance use disorders.

Benefits of at-home drug and alcohol rehab

• You’ll be in your own space where you might feel most comfortable
• It will be easier for you to see your support network (family and friends) whenever you need them
• You’ll learn to practice maintaining sobriety in the real world
• You’ll have a greater sense of independence
• At-home rehab is more accessible for those with disabilities, social inhibitions or travel barriers
• At-home rehab may be more economical than an inpatient stay

That might sound good to you — better than a stint at a residential facility. Here’s our advice: try not to think in terms of ‘better or worse’; instead, remember that one approach is just different from the other.

At different stages in your sobriety journey, the benefits of at-home and in-patient care are going to change for you. Residential care, where you’ll have total supervision and a complete block on access to addictive substances, might be just what you need to actually break the grip of a severe addiction. 

But, if your addiction is still relatively light and hasn’t turned into a physical dependency, then you might find the benefits of at-home rehab to work for you.

So, what should your next steps be?

3 tips to make the most of at-home drug and alcohol rehabilitation

At The Hader Clinic, we believe that the most effective path to long-term sobriety is an inpatient detox and rehabilitation followed by continued outpatient therapy. The rehab statistics back us up.

But we understand that this may not be the path for you.

All we want for you, and for all people struggling with substance use disorders, is to be able to safely break their addiction. We’ve created a guide to help you get clean without residential rehab, but we’d like to give you four key tips here.

First, consult a medical professional

Contact your GP and discuss your goals and intentions with them. They may be able to help you get in touch with an at-home drug and alcohol rehab services provider. They’ll also give you medical advice on how to stay safe and signs to watch out for.

You can also reach out to The Hader Clinic for advice, resources and contacts. 

Be extremely careful while detoxing

Detoxing your body is the first step to recovery, and it can be extremely dangerous and painful. Your body may have developed a dependency on the addictive substance you’re trying to kick, and the shock of withdrawals may cause physical and neurological damage, not to mention emotional trauma.

You can learn more about detoxing from drugs and alcohol at home in these guides:

• Detoxing from alcohol at home
• Detoxing from narcotics at home

We strongly recommend that you detox under the guidance of a medical professional. Even if you’d like to continue your rehab at home, you can always book yourself into our 14-28 Detox And Withdrawal Program.

Remember that rehab requires major lifestyle changes

Just because it’s at-home rehab, doesn’t mean it’s an easier form of rehab. It requires just as much commitment from you — perhaps more, since you will not have the constant support of a rehab team. 

Our advice is not to choose the at-home approach because you want to fit your rehabilitation around your life. You must fit your life around your rehabilitation. You must put safeguards in place to avoid triggers that could cause a relapse, and you must attempt to foster a supportive community around you to help you when you struggle.

At-home rehab services offered by The Hader Clinic

The Hader Clinic does not offer a full at-home drug and alcohol therapy program. However, we can adapt many of our evidence-based outpatient services to help you access them at home. These include:

• Daily check-ins
• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
• Psychotherapy
• Personal mentoring and one-on-one counselling