If you’ve made the decision to seek out treatment at a rehab facility then you’ve already taken the first step towards sobriety. Going into recovery can be difficult to start which is why we’ve put together a quick guide on how to prepare for rehab and what you should leave at home. Since you’ll be staying in rehab for several weeks or months, let’s start with what you should pack.
Rehab Packing Checklist
There are multiple tiers of treatment that will vary in intensity so the exact guidelines of what you’ll need or should leave behind will differ slightly. A good baseline to start with though is:
- Clothing and jewelry appropriate for the setting and weather
- Sealed toiletry items such as toothpaste and hair products
- Prescription medications along with accompanying documentation
- Other important documents such as identification and medical history if needed
- Photos of loved ones or pets to use for motivation during treatment
What To Leave at Home
You’ll see that the list of items to bring is much shorter than the one for items being left behind. The reason is that recovery requires minimizing distractions to let you focus solely on growth and healing in treatment. Drugs and alcohol are an assumed restriction in rehab, but other items you may not be able to bring include:
- Items with alcohol such as hand sanitizer, nail polish removed, and certain mouthwashes.
- Non-prescription supplements such as multi-vitamins.
- Aerosol cans such as hair and body spray.
- Electronic devices including laptops, cameras, and smart watches. Phones may be allowed at certain times or upon leaving the facility but check with your admissions specialist to verify.
- Inappropriate clothing containing references to violence, drugs, alcohol, or illegal activities.
- Weapons which includes pocket knives or anything with a blade.
- Outside food and beverages
Items You May Be Able To Bring
Depending on your individualized treatment plan and current rehab guidelines, there are some items that you could bring as long as you check with your team before packing. Possible allowed items include:
- Cigarettes, chewing tobacco and other non-vaporized forms of nicotine if smoking isn’t what you’re trying to quit. You should still take advantage of your treatment and work on leaving nicotine behind.
- Bedding and pillows from home may be brought to provide you with extra comfort.
- Hygiene products such as razors and nail trimmers that will be checked out to you to use during a shower. These may also be provided for you during your stay.
- Personal music devices that don’t have a camera or internet connection. Examples include MP3 and CD players, non-touch iPods, and small stereos or boomboxes. Just be sure not to disrupt those around you and respect any curfew rules in place.
Everything Else, You Can Find at ARC
Item restrictions are used solely for the purpose of increasing your chances of success during rehab. America’s Rehab Campus has helped thousands of Arizona residents overcome their addiction to drugs or alcohol while still letting them be who they are during treatment. We supply you with everything to exercise your mind and body through recreational activities and hobbyist classes such as volleyball or music lessons respectively.
If you’re looking for a compassionate and immersive addiction treatment program, reach out to ARC today to learn more about how we can help.
