Rehab

The Oxford English Dictionary describes ‘rehab’ as the restoration of a person to health or fitness; esp. the intensive treatment of an addict in a specialized residential clinic. I would say this a fairly accurate assessment based on the general perception of a rehab in our culture. They are institutions established for helping those who need it and may otherwise seem hopeless or need help getting back on their feet. The word generally applies to two areas: medical/fitness and drug addiction.

In the medical field, someone goes to rehab at an orthopedics office after damaging a muscle of some sort. The most common application is a hurt athlete who wants to regain his strength quickly so he can return to playing for his team as soon as possible. It may take a long time to heal, but the doctors would nurse him back to health in the most efficient and healthy way possible, making sure he was able to return at his best without causing anymore damage to himself.

The context used in my research is for helping drug addicts. Rehabs try to support the users as they go through withdrawals and attempt to wane off drugs while under the supervision of professionals. Drug addiction has been inaccurately labeled a disease of the brain. This misunderstanding has led rehabs to inaccurately treat their problems and may be making them worse. They brainwash those who come to them with this philosophy: “Your addiction is not your fault”. This takes the responsibility off of the user and gives them a scapegoat for any issue that may arise. The truth is that the brain responds to drugs as any other habit. By no means am I downplaying addiction. It is a terrible habit. The users feel trapped which causes insane amounts of emotional instability and depression. But someone can just as easily be addicted to pornography or drinking water and the brain responds the same way. Its only called addiction when it has negative effects. If the user feels that the benefit of a habit outweighs the consequences, he will not stop. The point where consequences outweigh the benefit in the users mind is where they will stop. The problem with rehab is that it does not break the habit; it changes the consequences. They attempt to wane the user off rather then put them through a ‘cold turkey’ quit. This is understandable because they want to make it a comfortable transition, but it can’t be. This only enables the user.