Can you leave rehab whenever you want? Many people wonder about this question. They may have pictures in their mind of psychiatric wards where people are wrestled to the ground when they try to leave. But that just isn’t the reality of addiction and mental health treatment today. Checking yourself into rehab is entirely voluntary. So too is leaving. Each client has the power to leave rehab whenever they desire.
So can you leave rehab whenever you want? Yes. But should you? That answer is more complex. More often than not, leaving rehab before completing your treatment plan is unlikely to produce the kind of lasting results that you sought upon entering rehab in the first place.
Contact 855.732.4842 to learn more about addiction treatment center programs that can benefit you or a loved one.
Can You Leave Rehab Whenever You Want?
The intro hopefully made it abundantly clear that you can leave inpatient rehab whenever you want. You began rehab under your own power and can thus choose to end rehab whenever you decide. Rehab is not an easy process. It is natural to bump up against challenges and barriers that may seem impossible. But leaving rehab prematurely is often a rash decision that people make without considering the pros and cons.
Before leaving rehab, make sure to talk the decision through with your therapist. You may also reach out to people who are farther along in their recovery journey to get their input. Chances are they have been where you are now and can offer advice about the importance of seeing rehab through. In addition, if group therapy is part of your treatment plan, that is a great setting to air your concerns. Others in your group may have similar doubts or concerns about staying in rehab, while some group members may have already gotten past their stage of wanting to leave.
Common Reasons for Leaving Rehab
Each person’s experience in addiction rehab is unique. Nonetheless, most people note one of two reasons as their rationale for wanting to end rehab. The first of these is experiencing withdrawal. Rehab centers work hard and put a lot of safeguards in place to ensure withdrawal is safe and as comfortable as possible.
Yet the reality is that withdrawal from many drugs is a very difficult process. It doesn’t help that these hard days are basically the first few weeks of rehab. If you are considering leaving rehab because withdrawal is hard, remind yourself that it is temporary. On top of that, it is likely short-lived. Withdrawal typically lasts a few weeks at the most and can be as short as a few days. Sticking with rehab means you will only have to experience withdrawal once.
The second reason many people cite for leaving rehab early is that they simply aren’t enjoying the process. Rehab takes time, effort, and perseverance. Enjoying the process isn’t the point. Rather, the point is long-term sobriety and recovery. Rehab itself may not be fun, but the end result will drastically improve quality of life and be worth it many times over.
The Impact of Leaving Rehab Early
Can you leave inpatient rehab whenever you want? To echo an earlier answer, yes, you can. Perhaps a better question is, do you want to overcome your addiction and live a healthier life? If the answer to that is yes, then leaving rehab early just isn’t the right answer. Rehab is a process and not a quick fix. Leaving before that process is complete will derail any progress that has been made and leave you much more open to relapse triggers.
One of the most important things rehab provides is the tools and know-how to avoid and combat relapse triggers. A few of the most common relapse triggers are:
- Stress
- Environmental factors like specific locations where you used to use or get drugs
- Negative emotions
- Parties or celebratory events
- Boredom
Even people who complete rehab still struggle with these triggers. But because they have completed rehab, they are much more equipped to navigate them in a healthy manner without slipping back into behavior that will fuel their addiction.
Access Rehab Services at Rockland Recovery
Rockland Recovery offers comprehensive rehab services designed to meet each of our clients’ needs. Contact 855.732.4842 to learn how Rockland Recovery can help jumpstart your recovery from addiction today.
