Dangers Of Leaving Rehab AMA

Like all life changes, the addiction recovery process isn’t easy, with people experiencing varying levels of discomfort at first. This may have to do with withdrawal symptoms, a new living situation and schedule, and confronting contributing factors to how the substance use disorder (SUD) developed in the first place. These and other challenges cause some people to leave rehab against medical advice (AMA). The Journal of the American Medical Association reported that in 2023, about 17% of clients with opioid use disorders left hospitals before doctors’ recommendations.

Leaving rehab AMA exposes people to many dangers, including a higher risk of relapse, overdose, and readmission into a treatment facility. They may also face legal and financial troubles down the road as they continue using drugs or alcohol. However, there are specific ways that treatment professionals can motivate clients to complete treatment and continue seeking long-term recovery.

What Can Happen When Leaving Rehab Against Medical Advice?

For people with SUDs, recovering often requires seeking professional treatment and ongoing care and being personally committed to achieving recovery. Many people start their recovery journeys in a residential treatment facility, where they live with others facing addiction and participate in daily group therapy and other recovery-focused activities. Though staff understand the difficulties that people are facing at this time and provide encouragement to complete treatment, people sometimes leave AMA. This increases their chances of experiencing significant risks, according to PLOS One and many similar studies. A study in Journal of General Internal Medicine found that clients who left rehab AMA had a higher 30-day mortality rate than clients who finished treatment.

Withdrawal Complications

People beginning addiction recovery experience highly uncomfortable and potentially dangerous physical and mental withdrawal symptoms, which begin shortly after substance use stops. This can include nausea, vomiting, anxiety, problems sleeping, dehydration, strong drug cravings, and more. Addictions involving alcohol and benzodiazepines can produce particularly severe withdrawal symptoms, which in rare cases can be fatal if not treated properly.

Withdrawal management care, such as medical monitoring and medication-assisted treatment (MAT), help keep clients safe and much more comfortable during this period. If a client decides to leave AMA, before being stabilized, they’ll be left to complete withdrawal on their own, with serious risks to their health and well-being.

Increased Risk Of Relapse

Once stabilized, people facing addiction require treatment to address the underlying causes of their addiction, receiving individualized care and support. Living in an addiction treatment facility for a period of time provides clients with a safe, encouraging, substance-free environment and 24/7 access to professional care.

When a client leaves rehab AMA, they lose this essential care and support. Having not had the appropriate time to develop healthy coping skills and establish a support network, they are more likely to return to using drugs or alcohol.

Vulnerability To Overdose

Someone with an SUD who has been sober for a period of time may still feel an overwhelming urge to drink or use. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) reports that people caught in the cycle of addiction have undergone significant brain changes that cause them to fantasize about drinking and seek alcohol even after a period of abstinence.

People who leave rehab AMA may return to using drugs or alcohol at the same rate as before treatment but, with a now-lower tolerance, this can lead to an overdose, which can be fatal.

Emotional Consequences

People may begin treatment with a strong desire to stay sober and finish treatment, but early recovery especially involves many ups and downs. Addiction specialists can help clients ride the wave of recovery with cognitive behavioral therapy, group counseling, and fun sober activities.

However, if someone leaves rehab AMA, they’ll be away from the support system they’ve established in treatment. They may feel extreme disappointment, lethargy, and low self-esteem. Without the support of those who want to see them succeed, they can fall back into drug use through shame, guilt, and stress.

Financial And Legal Trouble

Some people begin addiction treatment because of a court decision. Many states have offered people convicted of drug-related crimes the chance to enter a treatment program instead of facing a jail sentence. In many cases, the terms of court-mandated treatment include drug rehab completion. If a person in this situation ends up leaving rehab AMA, they may be in violation of these conditions, leaving them open to re-arrest, jail time, and other penalties.

Addiction can also affect a person’s ability to remain employed, and leaving rehab AMA can mean a return to substance abuse and ongoing financial struggles down the road.

Possible Barriers To Re-Entering Treatment

Leaving rehab AMA can set an unsatisfactory precedent in one’s recovery journey. Repeatedly leaving rehab before completing treatment can tell treatment staff, peer groups, and family members and other loved ones that you aren’t serious about getting sober. Treatment providers may be hesitant to re-admit someone who left prematurely, and the readmission process can be time-consuming or require additional steps. Plus, not all facilities allow readmission.

Why People Leave Rehab AMA

People leave rehab AMA due to many reasons, such as the arduous withdrawal process, resistance to treatment, and not receiving care for co-occurring mental health disorders.

Difficult Withdrawal Symptoms

Drug and alcohol withdrawal can be very uncomfortable both psychologically and physically, and though staff are trained to help ease the process, some people find it too hard to bear.

Resistance To Treatment

Drug and alcohol addiction are all-encompassing and require a drastic shift in mind, body, and spirit. This takes time and a personal commitment to recovery. Especially at first, clients may feel resistance to the rigorous daily therapy schedule, the close living quarters, and the lack of contact with the outside world.

Unaddressed Co-Occurring Mental Health Issues

If a treatment center doesn’t offer dual diagnosis treatment – or treatment of depression, bipolar disorder, PTSD, or another mental health disorder alongside an SUD – clients with these co-occurring disorders may not be able to fully participate in treatment. Treating both disorders at the same time is proven to deliver the best results, and not having the right treatment options can lead to less-than-ideal outcomes for clients.

Evidence-Based Approaches That Encourage Treatment Completion

People experiencing frustration in the recovery process are encouraged never to give up. The following treatment approaches can help provide the support that clients need to complete treatment and build a solid foundation for recovery.

Motivational Interviewing

Motivational interviewing (MI) is a client-centered counseling technique designed to strengthen a person’s motivation and commitment to change. In addiction treatment, MI helps clients explore their goals, values, and own reasons for recovery while addressing ambivalence about staying in treatment. Rather than imposing change, MI encourages clients to take ownership of their recovery journey while making them feel heard.

Psychoeducation

Psychoeducation involves teaching clients about their addiction, its effects on the brain and body, and the recovery process. Clients receive clear, evidence-based information, helping them better understand their condition and the purpose of treatment. Psychoeducation also reduces feelings of fear or shame by normalizing their experiences and creating a sense of control. Clients who understand the reasoning behind treatment are more likely to stay and to correct the addiction.

Dual Diagnosis Treatment

Integrated dual diagnosis care helps clients feel validated and supported, as their mental health struggles are treated alongside addiction, rather than ignored. This comprehensive approach can reduce relapse triggers and improve overall well-being. Clients don’t have to put aside any part of their mental health; instead, they explore addiction and mental health and see their similarities, differences, and how one affects the other on the road to recovery.

Family Support / Involvement

Supportive family members can provide emotional encouragement, practical assistance, and accountability, all of which help clients stay motivated. Through family therapy or education sessions, loved ones learn how to offer constructive support while understanding the challenges of addiction. Knowing family members are on their side during the recovery process helps clients stay inspired to continue the journey, despite any obstacles that may arise.

Treatment At Bedrock Recovery Center

Bedrock Recovery Center offers MI, dual diagnosis care, psychoeducation, and more as part of our comprehensive addiction treatment services while encouraging supportive family members to get involved in their loved one’s recovery. Call us today to learn more.