While You Wait: Taking Care of Details Before Alcohol Rehab

July 29, 2011

There’s a lot to think about before you head off to alcohol rehab: childcare if you have small ones at home, pet care if you own animals, home care if you own your home and payment of bills if you are living in a rental. There’s also the issues of work, ongoing subscriptions, your mail, et cetera. The problem is that you’re most likely not in a position to focus on details and may be worried that something will fall through the cracks. Here’s a list of to-dos to help you prepare yourself before heading off to alcohol rehab:

Ask for time off at work. If you have a job, you don’t necessarily have to lose it in order to go to alcohol rehab. Ask to take a month or so off, depending upon the amount of time you intend to spend in treatment, and do your best to preserve your job. You may or may not divulge your reason for leaving. It will depend upon your level of trust with your employer. In some cases, there may be rules at your workplace to protect your job in the event that you need to leave for medical treatment, and so divulging your destination may help you hold onto your job.
Take care of your bills. Few people will be able to make payments in advance on their rent and other bills, but in many cases, it can help if you contact the company to explain your circumstance. If you have the money to pay your bills on time, you can opt for an automatic withdrawal to pay the bills. If you won’t have the money because you won’t be working, explaining that you have a medical emergency may grant you a few months’ reprieve on paying credit card bills.
Suspend services. If you live alone, you may be able to put your accounts “on vacation” for water and utilities. If not, your bills should be minimal and interest fees for non-payment for a month or so won’t be difficult to handle when you return.
Consider safety. You don’t want to advertise the fact that you will be away from home for a long period so if you don’t live with roommates or family, have your mail held at the post office, set automatic sprinklers or lights, and have a friend stop by to water plants and take care of the yard so that your home doesn’t become a target of crime.

More Alcohol Information

Check out earlier posts in the series: