Starting rehab for drug or alcohol addiction can be a stressful time as the transition to sobriety is a complete change to your lifestyle. Even with world-class support from experienced clinicians and therapists at America’s Rehab Campus, it’s important that you still have options to unwind and decompress throughout your individualized treatment program.
To accommodate our guests as much as possible, you’ll have access to designated smoking areas right on campus, away from others so as to not disturb them and give everyone the environment they need. While smoking is not encouraged, we understand there are more pressing matters and your decision to quit smoking can be made after your drug or alcohol abuse is addressed.
Regulations Around Smoking in Rehab
Currently there’s no federal stance on smoking in rehab which leaves it to each state to determine how they wish to handle cigarettes in addiction treatment. For addiction rehabs in Arizona, no state laws are in place to prohibit tobacco use on-campus and America’s Rehab Campus has opted to allow our guests to continue smoking during treatment.
Cigarettes are often seen as less harmful form of an addiction and are used as a coping mechanism during stressful times or periods of high anxiety. Since tobacco is easily accessible, even rehab centers that prohibit smoking often find that their alumni continue the habit after treatment.
The Role Cigarettes Play During Treatment
As with any unhealthy habit, smoking cigarettes should be on the coping mechanism chopping block during your recovery. The timing of quitting shouldn’t take priority over the rest of treatment though, making quitting during treatment a choice left up to you. Doing so is always supported, but that decision can wait until it feels less overwhelming to add onto your other recovery work.
During treatment, nicotine from cigarettes can help you transition to sobriety from drugs and alcohol since you’ll be able to maintain smoking as a stress reliever. The withdrawals felt from detoxing from cigarettes can also stack on top of drug or alcohol withdrawals, creating a more challenging detox process which is required as the first step of treatment.
Get Help for All of Your Addictions at ARC
If you’re committed to treatment and also want to end your smoking habit all at once, you’ll find nothing but support and compassionate care at ARC. As you work on your mental health with our therapists and counselors, you’ll start feeling a reduced urge to smoke as a form of coping. To help with the transition, we offer smoking cessation products such as nicotine patches and gum that can wean your body off of nicotine and reduce withdrawal symptoms.
When you’re ready to jump start your addiction rehab journey, reach out to the ARC team to schedule transportation, intake, or to ask questions on insurance or available treatment programs.
