866-797-7962Can My Family Come to Visit Me During Rehab in North Carolina?
Medically Verified: 2/1/24
Medical Reviewer
Chief Editor
All of the information on this page has been reviewed and verified by a certified addiction professional.
If you have family members who are eager to come to visit you while you are in rehab, you are incredibly blessed. Having the support of family members and loved ones can help motivate you to stay sober and continue your journey of self-growth. Although addiction treatment is an individual process, your family is encouraged to come to visit you during rehab in North Carolina. In fact, you may even have an opportunity to invite your loved one to participate in a family therapy session with you–allowing both you and your family member(s) to heal.
Each addiction treatment facility is unique and operates on its own set of rules and regulations. While your loved ones can certainly visit you, visiting hours may be limited, and visits must be planned ahead of time. As long as the person who is coming to see you is a positive influence in your life, you should have no problem arranging a visit and a therapy session.
“At Carolina Center for Recovery, we know that a patient’s prospects for recovery significantly improve when the family is involved in the process. Our family support program is rooted in this understanding. Not only is the suffering person scared, frustrated, and hopeless but so are their concerned family members and friends.”
The Essential Role of Family Support During Rehab
Addiction is a far-reaching condition that usually affects the entire family. Researchers estimate there are more than 100 million family members who consider themselves negatively affected by a relative’s addiction.[1]
Your relationships with your loved ones may be lacking trust or temporarily strained in some way. At the same time, your family members care deeply about you, and they want to know that you are OK. Many of them will be eager to support you in the recovery process.
This is great news because your family can and should be a part of your drug rehab program.
Studies have shown that family involvement in addiction treatment can not only improve treatment entry rates but also improve treatment completion rates and overall treatment outcomes. Family support can help reduce addiction-related harms for both you and your affected family members.[1]
There are many ways your family can support you during rehab in North Carolina such as:
- Visiting you during designated hours
- Writing and receiving letters
- Practicing forgiveness in regard to past mistakes
- Becoming educated on the disease of addiction
- Getting rid of judgments and preconceived ideas about addiction
- Participating in family addiction therapy sessions
Are Visitors Allowed During Rehab in North Carolina?
Most addiction treatment centers require you to go through a 5-7 day “blackout period” that helps you adjust to the rehab facility. During this period, you are not allowed to make any contact with the outside world (with emergencies being an exception). You cannot call home, write or receive letters, or have visitors. This is because the first week of rehab is often when people beg their loved ones to pick them up or help them leave treatment early. Instead, the blackout period helps you settle in.
After the first week, you will start being allowed to make phone calls, write letters, and even have your family members come to visit you.
The only circumstances during which you may be denied visitation include situations like:
- Your loved one who wants to come to visit is addicted to drugs or alcohol themselves and unwilling to get help.
- You have a toxic or unhealthy relationship with the person you want to visit
- The facility is on lockdown due to health or security reasons (such as a COVID-19 outbreak)
- Your therapist thinks it is too early or you are not emotionally ready to get your family involved
In most cases, you must get approval from your primary therapist before a family member can visit you during rehab in North Carolina. This way, a professional can evaluate your relationship with the person visiting to decide whether or not it is a good idea for your recovery.
What Should I Expect When My Family Is Visiting Me During Rehab?
Depending on the specific facility, various things can happen when your family comes to visit you during rehab. The first is a basic visit where your family comes to talk with you, see how you are doing, eat lunch with you, and perhaps even tour the treatment facility with you. This is a very casual visit and doesn’t involve a therapy session.
The next is a family therapy visit where your family comes with the intention of participating in a therapy session with you. Family therapy sessions can be private between just you and your family members or they can be combined with other families who struggle with similar challenges. This type of visit can be more intense and emotional.
Finally, if you have been at the treatment program for a while and have demonstrated motivation and willingness to stay sober, you may be granted permission to leave the treatment program to go out and spend time with your family as you please. You may visit home, go out to a restaurant, see a movie, or go to a local park. This type of leisurely family visit may not be offered to all patients. If you leave the facility for a family visit, you will likely be drug tested and breathalyzed upon your return.
Start Your Recovery Journey Today
Here at Carolina Center for Recovery, we are family-owned and operated, and we understand the importance of being able to have family members come to visit you during rehab. That’s why our North Carolina addiction treatment program encourages all types of family involvement during the treatment process.
If you or a loved one are struggling with addiction and ready to begin your recovery journey, give us a call today.
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