How Much Down Time Do You Have in Drug and Alcohol Treatment Centers in NJ?

As you consider whether treatment is necessary for you to get well, you most likely have a number of questions about what the experience is like. This is understandable, to experience some hesitancy in regards to this experience, but trust that it will be for the best. It won’t be easy, but it will be necessary to ensure that the rest of your life is as productive as possible. One of the common questions that many prospective patients have is about down time. Of course, it’s expected that many activities and related events will be scheduled throughout the day every day, but will there also be a considerable amount of personal time to do whatever, or will these periods be rare throughout your time there?

Benefits of Staying Busy

First, it’s important to consider the benefits of not enjoying much down time. In many cases, having extensive amounts of down time provides a fertile breeding ground for cravings to grow. If you’re sitting around with no specific plans, your thoughts are most likely being drawn towards something that you’d rather it not be focused on. That’s why keeping busy is one of the best cures for something like this. Of course, keeping busy can also be done outside of drug and alcohol treatment centers as you do your best to focus on varied activities, which can be work-related or perhaps related to things like exercising or new hobbies. Anything to keep your mind elsewhere is a good thing.

Positives of Down Time in Treatment

One of the positives of increased down time in treatment settings is that you can learn how to handle these times once you are done with treatment if you have more of it while there. The aim for all drug and alcohol treatment centers is to make these positive changes to your lifestyle long-lasting, and learning what to do with your free time once you’re back on your own is one of the most important lessons that you can learn here. But, with that said, it is important to keep you pretty busy. The purpose of doing this is so that you are able to transition into remaining busy once your time with us is over.

Amount of Down Time

The exact amount of down time that you’ll experience while in treatment varies. However, you can rest assured that you will not be spending 100% of your time on treatment-related activities. Conversely, you will also not be lounging around for hours and hours, leisurely writing in a journal and going for walks. There will be a balance of the two extremes to ensure that you get the most well-rounded experience out of your time here. Generally, more of the down time will be scheduled on the weekends, which is also when doctors and therapists tend to not be around as often as they are during the week.

Your Mindset

Throughout your time in treatment, it is vitally important to also visualize yourself succeeding once you are back home after treatment has been completed. Of course, it’s wonderful to experience success while in treatment, but the real test for whether treatment was successful is to continue to treat it once you’re back on your own. Also, make sure to focus on your own fight. Whether you appear to be succeeding faster or slower than your peers is irrelevant. This is your battle, and each individual’s circumstances are different. What might work for you might not for someone else and vice versa. Just focus on what works for you while supporting others in their own battles as best as you can. Treatment is not going to be an easy process.

If it was, you wouldn’t need it. But it’s so worth it. Although simply living might feel insurmountable right now and like it’s such a painful struggle, it doesn’t need to always be that way. Take your first steps towards a better life today. This includes learning what to do with your down time while in treatment and afterwards; how can your down time be used to better your life, to help you get healthier? If you’re ready to get started on your recovery, give us a call at 833-610-1174. We’ll be glad to give you the structure and support that you need to recover. You may never be the same you that you used to be, but you can become a new you, a you that you’re happy with.