Part 4: Preparing for Treatment and Life in Recovery
Admissions Process in a Chattanooga Alcohol Treatment Program
Once you have selected a program that will work with your insurance plan and/or financial resources, the next step is planning for admission to your Chattanooga alcohol treatment program. After insurance benefits are verified and/or you know that the program you’ve chosen is accessible to you, the intake is the next step. Most Chattanooga alcohol treatment programs will conduct a preliminary clinical intake interview over the phone first. During the interview, the admissions staff will get to know you and begin laying the groundwork for your treatment plan. You will want to be completely honest and transparent with them about your drinking. Remember, their job is to help you. If you minimize or downplay the extent of your drinking or leave out important details from your story, it can impact their ability to get you the help you need. Don’t forget, these are professionals who have heard it all before and many of them are in long-term recovery themselves. You have nothing at all to be ashamed of. The purpose of the clinical intake is to make certain you are an appropriate candidate for treatment and to make sure the facility understands what you need help with. This is the time to let it all hang out as far as the gory details go. Tell the truth about how much you drink and about the consequences you have faced as a result. If you have symptoms of a mental health disorder, you will want to share these as well. Depression, anxiety, PTSD, anything of that nature should be on the table and discussed. This is about getting you as much help as possible after all.
The Admissions Process in a Nutshell
- Insurance Verification.
- Clinical Intake (over the phone).
- Approval and Packing for Treatment.
- Travel
- Admission to the Program.
Packing for Your Trip to an Alcohol Rehab
After the clinical interview is complete and you have been approved for admission, the next step will be packing for treatment and arranging travel. Packing for treatment is relatively simple. A good rule of thumb is to pack clothing as if you are going on a 10-day trip. You will be able to do laundry at the facilities so don’t worry about bringing more than 7-10 days worth of clothing. It’s also key to remember that knowing what NOT to bring is just as important. You should bring any prescribed medications, in their original bottle always. You should not bring any revealing clothing, or T-shirts that promote drugs or alcohol. It’s best to leave expensive and easily lost items like jewelry at home. Keep it simple. Comfortable casual clothes that are easy to care for.
Here is a basic list of what to bring to treatment:
- 7-10 days’ worth of comfortable, easy to care for clothing.
- Medications, in their original bottles.
- An MP3 player or radio with headphones (but without a camera or Internet access)
- Comfortable shoes and plenty of cotton socks and underwear.
- Toothbrush, toothpaste, usual toiletries (nothing with alcohol like mouthwash or colognes though)
- State-issued photo ID and health insurance card.
- Cellphone (for use while traveling and after treatment)
Be certain to check the Chattanooga alcohol treatment center’s Admissions Page for a more thorough list. You should also always be sure to check in with the admissions department to be absolutely sure about what to bring or not bring.
Traveling to Alcohol Treatment in Chattanooga
If you’re already within driving distance to Chattanooga, travel will be simple. Harmony Oaks Recovery Center recommends that a family member or friend drive you to treatment if possible. We can also help set up local ground transportation for you. Patients should not drive to treatment in their own vehicle. If you are visiting the Chattanooga alcohol treatment center from outside the area, not to worry. Harmony Oaks Recovery Center is only 5 miles from Chattanooga Airport. Amtrak will only get you as far as Memphis or Birmingham, AL, but there is a Greyhound station ride beside the airport if you prefer not to fly. If you take a bus or fly, Harmony Oaks Recovery Center can pick you up and deliver you right to the facility. The staff will coordinate times of travel with you and make sure everything goes smoothly.
What Happens During and After Alcohol Treatment?
The alcohol treatment process can be truly cathartic and life-changing for you or the one you love. If you would like more program details, a great place to start is the Harmony Oaks Recovery Center Treatment Programs Page. There you will find a lot of helpful information about Harmony’s Chattanooga alcohol treatment programs. You can explore the beautiful accommodations on the Sober Living Page. Most patients will begin their treatment at Harmony Oaks in the PHP phase, read more about that on the Partial-Hospitalization Program Page. After completing alcohol treatment, patients benefit from Harmony Oaks Recovery Center’s outstanding outpatient and aftercare planning. You will be able to continue outpatient treatment after Intensive Outpatient, if you choose. When all your treatment here is complete you begin the aftercare plan. That will give you a blueprint for recovery success to follow. It may include outpatient or remote counseling from home, recommendations for group therapy, 12-step fellowship meetings or alternatives, and more. We hope this has been a helpful and enlightening read for you. Most of all, we want you to feel empowered to get the help at a Chattanooga alcohol treatment program that you or your loved one need and deserve. Our goal has been to facilitate that by providing you the facts and some important questions to ask yourself. If you have any questions at all about Harmony Oaks Recovery Center or Chattanooga alcohol treatment, please give Harmony Oaks Recovery Center a call at (423) 708-4961 or connect with us via our contact page.