Committing to Rehab: A Journey of Hesitation and Hope
For many people, committing to rehab isn’t a single decision. It’s a long, uncertain path, often marked by hesitation, fear, false starts, and emotional overwhelm. At Bali Harmony Rehab, we see this journey every day. And we honour it, because readiness doesn't arrive on a schedule.
This is the story of Alan (name changed for privacy), a man from Perth whose path to recovery wasn’t direct, but ultimately, incredibly powerful.
The First Call: A Family Reaches Out
It began, as many journeys do, with a phone call from a concerned family. Alan's family contacted us, worried about his escalating drinking and emotional distance. He had been battling alcohol dependency quietly for years, but things had reached a critical point.
After several conversations with his family and a phone call with Adam himself, we discussed the possibility of treatment at Bali Harmony rehab. He agreed. He even booked a flight. But when the day came to travel, he didn’t show up at the airport. He got 2 klm from his house and turned the taxi around.
Flight One. Then Flight Two. Then Flight Three.
A few weeks after flight one, he booked a second flight, but again couldn’t bring himself to get to the airport.
the following week he booked a 3rd flight, sent us his flight details and we agreed to pick him up at the airport. We went to the airport and waited, later learning that again he couldn’t bring himself to get on the plane.
We understand that it wasn’t that he didn’t want help. It was that the moment came, and the fear was louder than the hope.
This is more common than people realise. Committing to rehab can feel like a total surrender, giving up control, facing the unknown, leaving behind your coping mechanisms, even if they’re destructive.
We didn’t judge. We stayed in light contact with the family. Sometimes people just need to know we’re still here, when they’re ready.
The Psychology of Resistance: Why People Struggle to Commit
Why do so many people hesitate when they’re so close to getting help?
Because the decision to enter rehab isn’t just about logistics, it’s about identity. When someone checks into treatment, they’re not just admitting they need help. They’re confronting years of pain, shame, grief, and unresolved trauma.
For many, the thought of facing all that, without alcohol, drugs, or other coping behaviours, is terrifying.
Some delay the process until they hit a new low. Some wait until a crisis. And for some, it takes a combination of both. And unfortunately some never make it at all.
The Turning Point: An Unexpected Call
Weeks passed. Then months.
Earlier this month, we received another call, this time, from Alan’s wife. She wasn’t calling from Perth. She was in Bali.
She and Alan had flown over for a holiday. A change of scenery. Maybe even a chance for Alan to regain some control on his own and to help a struggling marriage.
But the drinking hadn’t stopped. In fact, it had escalated. He had been drinking heavily since they arrived, often to the point of passing out. His behaviour became erratic. His wife was scared, not just for him, but for herself.
She didn’t know what to do, so she called and she asked If we could help?
From Resort to Recovery
We didn’t hesitate.
We got in the car and drove an hour and a half across Bali to meet them at their resort. When we arrived, we found Alan sitting quietly. Tired. Defensive, but not angry. Mostly, he looked defeated. But beneath that, there was something else, openness. Maybe for the first time, the fear of change had been overtaken by the pain of staying the same.
We gently spoke with him, letting him know he wasn’t broken. That he was safe. And that, if he was ready, we could begin the process of helping him heal.
He agreed and actually asked us directly “Can you help me”?
We helped him pack his things, brought him back to Harmony, and began medically supported detox that same day.
The First Days: What Detox Really Looks Like
Detox is often imagined as the hardest part of recovery, and for many, it’s deeply uncomfortable. But it’s also just the beginning.
Alan experienced withdrawal symptoms, physical discomfort, anxiety, insomnia, but he was supported 24/7 by our medical team. What made the biggest difference wasn’t just the medication or the safety, but the gentle structure: nutritious meals, quiet time, check-ins, and reassurance.
Even in those first few days, we saw glimmers of hope in Alan’s eyes. He started talking, Laughing, Sleeping, and acknowledged he starting to feel better and feel some relief.
He was finally in a space where healing could begin.
The Breakthrough: Gratitude in the Present
It’s now been several weeks since Alan entered treatment. He is no longer the man we met in that resort room.
He’s attending group therapy. He’s writing in a journal. He’s calling his wife with calm and kindness. He’s beginning to understand his patterns, and to believe in his capacity to change. And most importantly, he’s expressed genuine gratitude, not just for the treatment, but for the chaos that led him here.
That moment, the one that felt like rock bottom, was actually the doorway into something better.
Why We Tell This Story
We share Alan’s story (with permission and altered details) not to dramatise it, but to humanise it. Because for every Alan, there are thousands of others stuck between wanting help and being too afraid to reach for it.
And if you’re one of them, or you’re supporting someone who is, we want you to know:
You’re not broken.
It’s okay to hesitate.
And it’s never too late to say yes.
Committing to Rehab Isn’t a Single Moment, It’s a Process
We often think of getting into to rehab as a one-time decision. But in reality, it’s made in stages:
The first phone call.
The silent hope.
The near-misses.
The final “yes.”
And every one of those steps matters.
At Bali Harmony Rehab, we’re not just here for the admissions. We’re here for the delays, the fears, the relapses, and the recoveries.
We’re here to walk beside you, however long it takes.
What Our Clients Say
“Getting to rehab took a few gos. The reality is that I wasn’t ready until I was. Once I finally made the decision, what really helped was knowing Bali Harmony wasn’t judging me for not being ready the first time.”
— Anon Client, Perth, Australia
Ready When You Are
If you or someone you love is struggling to commit to rehab, we invite you to reach out, even if it’s just for a conversation.
We’re not here to push or pressure. Just to help.
Reviewed by:
Dr. Amelia DN Sugiharta
Consulting Psychiatric Doctor, Bali Harmony Rehab
Last medically reviewed: July 2025