What Happens in Rehab? How Drug & Alcohol Rehab Works

Making the decision to get help for addiction is never easy. You may feel anxious about leaving behind familiar routines, unsure about what daily life will look like, or even worried about whether treatment will really work.

These feelings are normal, and many people hesitate to take the next step simply because they do not know what happens when you go to rehab. In this article, we break it all down for you—using The Dawn, our inpatient rehab centre in Thailand that supports international clients in recovery, as an example of what you might experience.

By the end, you will understand what rehab involves, what to expect when you first arrive, the different phases of treatment, how long rehab usually lasts, and what daily life looks like inside a centre.

What to Expect When You First Arrive at Rehab

For anyone wondering what happens in rehab, the first focus is always on understanding your needs.  But before that work begins, it is up to you to choose where you will start this journey. For many, that means creating space, physical and emotional, to step away from old routines. 

That is why people choose rehab abroad, with centres like The Dawn in Thailand offering the calm, focused setting recovery often requires, all while maintaining the same standards of care as leading Western facilities.

If you are considering taking that step, here is what the process looks like at The Dawn, from first contact to arrival at our centre:

Pre-Arrival

Taking the first step and contacting a rehab centre can feel daunting, which is why the process at The Dawn begins with compassion and clear guidance from the very first call or email. 

Our admissions team will answer all your questions and make sure you feel supported. We will also take time to learn more about your background and explain how our programmes work.

After you have confirmed intent to begin treatment, one of our clinicians will follow up with you for a more detailed discussion. They will review your medical and mental health history and gather information about your current challenges. Everything you share is handled with complete confidentiality. 

This early assessment helps us confirm that we can meet your needs and prepares us to create the right personalised treatment plan for you.

When it is time to travel, our staff can assist with practical arrangements like flight planning, visa support, and airport transfers. 

Arrival

Because arriving in a new country can feel overwhelming, we make sure a member of our support team is there to meet you on arrival and bring you straight to our riverside centre in Thailand, where our team will help you get oriented and begin the intake process.

The intake process is thorough and carried out carefully to ensure a complete understanding of your medical history, your addiction, and any co-occurring conditions such as anxiety, depression, or trauma. This gives our clinicians a clear picture of your needs.

With this information, our clinical team collaborates with you to design a personalised treatment plan tailored to your situation and recovery goals. This plan will guide your care from day one, making sure both your immediate needs and deeper challenges are addressed.

Many people also wonder about phone use during treatment. At The Dawn, we do not take your phone away completely. Instead, your therapist will work with you to set the level of access that supports your recovery. This allows you to stay connected to family, work, and personal commitments while also creating healthy boundaries around technology use.

Phases of Treatment: How Does Drug and Alcohol Rehab Work? 

Rehab usually moves in stages, beginning with detox, then building skills to cope with triggers and cravings, and finally addressing the root causes behind substance use.

At The Dawn, these stages are mapped out in our Treatment Roadmap, which forms the basis of your personalised treatment plan and guides you step by step through recovery. Each stage builds on the last, helping you make steady progress at a pace that feels manageable for you.

The full programme typically spans around twelve weeks, though some clients may stay longer depending on their needs and the complexity of their addiction.

Because knowing what to expect in drug and alcohol rehab can make it easier to take that first step and commit to recovery, here’s a detailed breakdown of what happens at each stage:

Phase 1: Professionally Managed Withdrawal

Timeframe: Weeks 1 to 2

If medical detox is needed, it begins in our peaceful riverside setting under the care of our experienced medical team. 

For substances like alcohol, benzodiazepines, and opioids, this medical supervision is especially important to ensure withdrawal is managed safely and as comfortably as possible.

Throughout this phase, our team provides 24-hour care, with hospital support available nearby if additional medical attention is needed.

The goal is to help your body adjust and prepare you for the next stages of recovery.

Phase 2: Managing Triggers and Cravings

Timeframe: Week 2 to 5

Once you are stable, the focus shifts to learning tools that help you manage cravings and daily challenges. Treatment typically includes:

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT): Helps you identify and change negative thought patterns.
• Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT): Uses mindfulness techniques to help you stay present and respond to stress without falling back into old patterns.
• Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT): Equips you with skills for emotional regulation and coping with distress.
• Holistic Wellness Programme: Activities like meditation, yoga, and massage to support relaxation and overall wellbeing.

Through this combination of proven Western therapies and holistic Eastern practices, this phase addresses every aspect of your wellbeing, strengthening mental resilience while supporting physical healing.

You will also work with our team to build your own Relapse Prevention Plan, giving you clear, personalised strategies to manage risks and stay on track long after you leave our facility.

Phase 3: Addressing Root Causes

Timeframe: Week 5 to 12

This phase is critical for lasting recovery. It goes beyond easing symptoms and managing triggers to work through the underlying issues that contribute to addiction.

Many people enter rehab without realising how much unresolved trauma, stress, or mental health challenges have shaped their substance use. By addressing these root causes, we ensure long-term healing rather than short-term relief.

A core part of this stage is our Trauma Programme, which gives you a safe space to process adverse life experiences. 

You will work through trauma in multiple ways, including individual therapy, group sessions, and somatic practices designed for trauma recovery. Depending on your needs, this may include:

• Trauma-Focused CBT (TF-CBT): Tools to reframe and manage painful memories.
• Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR): A proven method that reduces the emotional impact of trauma and strengthens coping.
• Exposure Therapy: Creates a safe space to gradually face and work through fears linked to past trauma.
• Trauma Releasing Exercises (TRE): Techniques that help the body release stress and restore calm.
• Polyvagal Therapy: Breathing and social engagement practices that reduce anxiety and support emotional stability.
• Psychoeducation Groups: Practical insights and strategies for managing trauma more effectively.

After completing this phase, many of our clients describe a genuine breakthrough that marks the beginning of a more stable, fulfilling life.

How Long Is Drug and Alcohol Rehab?

In most inpatient rehabs, programme lengths are offered in 1-month, 3-month, or 6-month options, each designed to meet different levels of need and commitment.

At The Dawn, we recommend a minimum stay of 12 weeks. This length allows clients to move through our full Treatment Roadmap: two weeks for stabilisation, weeks two to five for managing symptoms and cravings, and weeks five to twelve for addressing the root causes of addiction.

That said, every situation is different. Some clients may only need a shorter stay, while others benefit from longer treatment if trauma or complex issues are involved. Commitments at home, work responsibilities, and personal circumstances also play a role in deciding how long to stay.

Since what you do in drug rehab depends a lot on how long you are here, here are the typical programme lengths at The Dawn and what each one involves:

• 1 Month: Focuses on detox and early stabilisation, especially important for substances like alcohol, benzodiazepines, and opioids where medical supervision is essential. Once detox is complete, therapy begins with a focus on symptom management and coping skills.
• 3 Months (Recommended): Provides enough time to move beyond early stabilisation and begin addressing the deeper issues that contribute to substance use. Research shows it takes about two months to form a habit and three months to make it part of everyday life, which is why a 90-day stay is widely considered the standard for sustainable recovery.
• 6 Months: Best for long-term or severe addictions and complex trauma. Longer stays combine intensive therapy with gradual steps toward independence, giving you the chance to practise new coping strategies in real-world settings while still having access to therapists and recovery resources.

After your initial assessment, our team will work closely with you to decide on the length of stay that best fits your needs and circumstances. 

It is worth noting that clients who complete our full three-month programme benefit from our relapse warranty, which allows them to return for 28 days of additional treatment at no cost if they relapse within a year.

For a deeper dive into different rehab lengths and how to decide what’s right for you, we recommend reading our full article here.