A residential treatment center gives you the opportunity to step away from your hectic life and focus on becoming the person that you know you can be when you are sober. Packing for addiction treatment is a lot like getting ready to go on a vacation, but you do need to follow a few guidelines to make sure that what you bring is acceptable. Treatment centers are open to people from a wide variety of backgrounds, and the majority of the rules about what you can bring are designed to make sure that everyone feels comfortable. There are also specific rules regarding the items that you can bring that could pose a risk for temptation. After all, there is no place for drugs or alcohol in rehab since that defeats the point of people coming to the center. Finding out what clients can bring to addiction treatment helps you plan well for your stay.
The first thing to remember is that every addiction treatment center is different, which means that rules can vary quite a bit from one place to another. For the most part, addiction treatment centers ask you not to use electronics, but you might occasionally be allowed to bring them to use during specific times. The same can also apply to things like books. Some centers provide a supply of approved books to help keep you busy during downtimes. Others will allow you to bring self-help books that you can use along with your addiction treatment.
Depending upon your treatment center’s policies, you might be able to bring your own bedding and comfort items or pack a little cash to use in the vending machines when you want a snack. Checking the guidelines first is always recommended to make sure that you don’t leave out something that you’ll want or bring something that is prohibited. If it makes you feel better, prohibited items are usually stored or returned in some way. For instance, a t-shirt that doesn’t fit the dress code might be put into a locker or sent home with whoever brought you to the center.
Feel Prepared as You Begin Your New Sober Lifestyle
There are some things that most addiction treatment programs recommend bringing. Obviously, you’ll need some clothing to wear during your stay. Dress codes in rehabs are usually fairly lenient. They just typically ask that you think about how other people might feel viewing a particular item. For example, it is best to avoid wearing anything that has offensive language or images. As a general rule, casual wear is the norm in rehab. Jeans, joggers and other comfortable pants are great to pack as well as t-shirts. Make sure that you pack enough clothes to last three to seven days depending upon the laundry facilities at your center. If your facility has a pool or workout room, then you’ll also want to plan clothing for your leisure activities.
Most people also need to bring a few essential items that will help with their stay. These include the following:
- contact information for important people in your life
- prescription medications (ask if they need to be packaged or labeled a specific way)
- insurance cards and a photo ID (if you have them)
- checkbook, debit or credit cards, cash if needed
- stamps and envelopes if you plan to send handwritten letters
- pictures of loved ones for comfort and motivation
Once you get to rehab, your bags will be checked to make sure that everything fits into the program. Most rehabs offer some type of safe storage system for items that you need to bring but might not want available to the other clients. For example, they may offer to keep your credit and debit cards in a locked storage area until you are ready to depart the center. This provides you with a worry-free stay. If packing makes you a little nervous, then it may also help to remember that almost everything you need is provided by the treatment center. If you happen to forget a journal or your favorite pillow, it’s no big deal. The most important thing is to arrive with a positive attitude and open mind that helps you get the most out of every moment of your stay.
Do you need to know exactly what you can bring to a treatment program? Or, do you have special things that you need to bring? We can help you plan your stay when you call us at 833-610-1174 today!