5 Reasons I Don’t Hate Rehab Now

Read about this guest's first few days in rehab. Things changed for him pretty quick! Here's an update:

It would be an understatement to say that I initially felt reluctant about entering an addiction rehab center. I only agreed to treatment because of an ultimatum from my family, and I had as much enthusiasm for entering the program as a felon going to prison.My first few days in rehab were tough because I so didn’t want to be there. I found it hard to maintain my cynicism towards recovery though, as I started to notice the amazing transformation of many of the other clients. I began to wonder if perhaps my life could be better as well, and I started to have hope.Here are 5 reasons I don’t hate rehab now:

1. I No Longer Wake Up with a Feeling of Dread

There was always a brief period just after I woke up when my brain hadn't completely come back online. For those few seconds, I didn’t remember who I was, or what I had done, but I still experienced an intense sense of dread. As my mind would wake up, it would fill in the details and that sense of dread would be replaced with shame and self-loathing. Since I’ve started making an effort at rehab, the sense of dread in the mornings has disappeared, and it is replaced by something far more optimistic.

2. I Have Higher Expectations for Myself

I was willing to put up with all the negative effects of addiction because I didn’t believe my life could be any different. I had used the excuse ‘it’s just the way I am’ so many times that I fully believed it. The therapists and clients at rehab have helped me develop higher expectations, and I am now seeing the evidence that real change is possible for me.

3. I Can Now Look People in the Eye

I can be so full of arrogance and bravado, but I now see this has been an attempt to hide my feelings of shame and low-esteem. For years, I have found it hard to look people in the eye because I suspect they see me as somehow dirty or broken. Now I have started to move my life in a positive directly, I no longer have any reason to feel ashamed.

4. The Therapists Saw My Potential

During the first week or so of the rehab program, the therapists and counselors held a far more optimistic view of my future than I did. I had given up on myself but thankfully these people hadn't – probably because they have seen so many other guests recover from the same state as I was in. I didn't know it at the time, but I really needed someone to believe in me, and it made a huge difference to my motivation. The therapists didn't just accept my excuses but instead encouraged me to at least try a new approach to life. I’m so grateful these people had faith in me when I didn't.

5. The Other Clients Got Me

I’ve spent my whole life feeling like an outsider, but in rehab I met people who could understand me. This annoyed me in the beginning because it meant they could see through my excuses and bluster – you can’t kid a kidder, as they say. After my initial reluctance, it soon became obvious that there is something wonderful about having other people who understand your pain and confusion. The clients at rehab, referred to as guests here at Serenity Vista, all come from different backgrounds, but I sort of feel like I've found my tribe.

Private Pay Affordable Luxury Drug Rehab in Panama

Serenity Vista Addiction Recovery Retreat and Counselling is located in the amazing little mountain town of Boquete in beautiful tropical Panama. An ex-pat haven, it hosts a robust recovery community that complements the other holistic therapies at the rehab facility. Now is your time for healing in paradise. If you have suffered enough due to your addiction and addictive behaviors, come and find out about a new way to live sober. Get a new vista on life. A Serenity Vista!