How Do I Know I’m Ready to Leave My Treatment Center?

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, “Individuals progress through drug addiction treatment at various rates, so there is no predetermined length of treatment. However, research has shown unequivocally that good outcomes are contingent on adequate treatment length.”

You should always try to stay in treatment as long as your program lasts and not leave early. However, there are ways to know that you are nearing the point where you can begin your next phase of recovery and leave your rehab center.

Talk to Your Physician

It is extremely important to create a good rapport with your doctor and to be able to discuss your needs and progress through treatment with them. You should never leave your treatment program against the recommendation of your doctor, but they will likely be able to let you know how you are progressing and whether or not you may be close to your end date. As long as you have a good clinician-patient relationship with your doctor and you respect them, this conversation should be easy to have and you should feel their opinion reflects what you already know to be true.

Assess Your Time in Treatment

You should get your doctor’s opinion before leaving treatment.

Consider what you have been through during your treatment program and how you have changed. Then ask yourself a few simple questions.

• Do I feel I’ve gotten all that I can from my time in this particular treatment program?
• Are there people willing to help me make the transition back to my normal life after leaving the center?
• Do I have aftercare options in mind for my further recovery?
• Do I feel stronger than I was before and more able to fight cravings, avoid triggers, and abstain from substance abuse?
• Have any other issues associated with my mental and physical health been addressed?

If you answered yes to these questions, it is probably true that you are ready to leave your treatment center and begin the next phase of your recovery. However, you should always wait for your physician’s approval before you do so.

Am I Ready to Leave?

If you are still unsure, it may benefit you to stay in the program, but you shouldn’t continue with a treatment from which you have already received all you need out of fear. Transitioning out of your treatment center and into your daily life will always be difficult, but there are ways to make it easier.

• You can attend an aftercare option like outpatient treatment, support group meetings, etc.
• You can also live in a sober home where you will be surrounded by others also living an alcohol- and drug-free life.
• You can ask friends and family to stay with you during your early transition.

How to go through Drug Addiction Treatment Successfully

You will start to see that you are ready to leave when the program itself has helped you, and you have become more stabilized in your recovery. It is important never to leave treatment too early, but once you have received everything you can from a particular program, it will benefit you greatly to move into the next phase of recovery.

If you have more questions about rehab treatment or would like to find a center in your area, call 800-256-3490.