Drug Rehabilitation in Bulgaria

Drug rehabilitation, or drug rehab, is a process to help a person recover from addictions of psychoactive substances, such as alcohol, prescription drugs, as well as street drugs, such as amphetamines, cannabis, heroin, or cocaine. 

Rehabilitation consists of individualized treatment plans, individual therapy, group counseling, support groups, family therapy, and aftercare planning. It usually involves detox treatment, which is the process where the patient detox the addictive substance from their body. Patients may be prescribed medicine and undergo counseling to help change their behavior as well. Healthy coping skills, emotional regulation, impulse control, and drug-refusal strategies will be taught to help patients avoid relapse in the long run. 

How Long Should I Stay in Bulgaria?

The length of stay varies widely since the treatment plan is highly individualized. For example, one person may need hospital treatment, while another may be able to undergo intensive outpatient treatment instead. Either way, you are free to leave Bulgaria anytime you choose to, although it is better to stay until you finish your rehabilitation program, which can take around 30 to 90 days.

What's the Expected Recovery Time?

After completing your rehabilitation program, you should be able to return to normal life. This includes returning to work, socializing with friends and family.

What Aftercare is Required?

You will be given an aftercare plan to minimize the risk of falling back into addictive behavior. You may need to re-adjust your lifestyle and learn about your triggers. It is also recommended that you attend counseling and support groups, which you can do in your home country.

What's the Success Rate?

The success rate of drug rehabilitation depends largely on the completion of the program and the patient’s willingness to change their addictive habits. By only counting those who complete their rehab program, the success rate is approximately 30%.

Are there Alternatives?

An alternative to drug rehabilitation includes community addiction treatment, rapid detox, and having regular exercise and a healthy diet. However, it is best to consult your doctor first.

Drug Rehabilitation in and around Bulgaria

Introduction

Bulgaria has plenty to offer and tourists are going to be very impressed with the country’s mountainous landscapes, beautiful Black Sea beaches, fascinating history, friendly locals, lively nightlife, and affordability. Although the country’s holiday tourism is very much on the radar, it is also actually quite popular with medical tourists, due to its modern medical centers, highly trained medical professionals, state-of-the-art equipment, affordable healthcare, and mineral baths, thousands of medical tourists visit this country each year. Most of the medical tourists come for dental treatment, orthopedic surgery, elective surgery, neurosurgery, as well as health screening.

Popular Cities and Regions in Bulgaria

Bulgaria’s laid-back capital city, Sofia, is truly a must-visit. It is full of museums, Ottoman mosques, communist architecture, chic galleries, Eastern Orthodox churches, amazing restaurants, and upbeat clubs. One of the most popular landmarks in the country is the Aleksander Nevski Cathedral, which is an awe-inspiring church built between 1882 and 1912 to honor 200,000 Russian soldiers who died fighting for the independence of Bulgaria during the Russo-Turkish war. If you want to relax on beautiful beaches visit Varna, which is a major tourist destination during the summer. The second-largest, city in Bulgaria is Plovdiv and it is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Europe. Tourists are attracted by the Roman Amphitheatre, Archeological Museum, and Tsar Simeon Central Garden. 

Transport in Bulgaria

Most international tourists will arrive at Sofia Airport, which serves flights to most numerous major cities in Europe and the Middle East. There are several budget airlines that operate flights from this airport, including Ryanair and Wizz Air. Domestic flights are available, but they tend to be expensive. Therefore, to travel from one city to another, trains and buses are the best option. Buses and trains are punctual and affordable. However, if you are in a hurry, you should avoid trains as they can be a little slow. To travel around big cities, taxis are widely available and are really cheap. Just make sure you choose a licensed taxi to avoid being overcharged.

Visas in Bulgaria

While Bulgaria is not yet a part of the Schengen Area, it has a visa policy that is based on the Schengen system. Therefore, holders of Schengen Visa are allowed to enter the country. Additionally, citizens of 62 countries, including the US, Australia, and the UAE, can stay in the country for up to 90 days without a visa.

Weather in Bulgaria

From June to August, Bulgaria experiences summer. The weather can get a bit hot and humid, with an average temperature of 19°C to 21°C. July is the wettest month in the country. Winter, from December to February, is usually freezing. Autumn and Spring bring pleasant weather.

Additional Info

1. Local Currency: The official currency is the Bulgarian Lev (BGN). 1 USD will get you approx. 1.8 BGN.
2. Money & Payments: You can find ATMs in every city in the country. Credit cards are accepted in bigger restaurants and hotels. Tipping is sometimes expected.
3. Local Language: Bulgarian is the official language in Bulgaria. Turkish and Roma are spoken by a minority of people. English is becoming more and more common in the country, but it is not widely spoken. 
4. Local Culture and Religion: Christianity dominates the population of Bulgaria, followed by Islam and Judaism.
5. Public holidays: Bulgaria celebrates several historical and religious holidays, such as Orthodox Good Friday, Orthodox Easter Day, Independence Day, Culture and Literacy Day, Christmas Day, and Liberation Day.