Detox Recovery

Posts Tagged ‘rehab programs’

Detoxing from alcohol and drugs is something that should be done with medical advice and care, and should be backed up with counseling in order to help the alcoholic get past the psychological dependence as well as the physical dependence on alcohol. The first goal in an alcohol and drug detox program will be to help the person get through the symptoms they will experience from withdrawal, including any psychiatric problems they may experience. This is usually the first step in a total detox program and can be very effective if done under the right circumstances.

Everyone goes through detox differently and what any one individual may go through will depend largely on a person’s age, frequency and amount of use, as well as any underlying medical issues they may have. For the most part, one can expect to experience withdrawal symptoms such a nausea, vomiting, tremors, sweats and anxiety. In extreme cases some people also may have convulsions or seizures. These are just a few of the reasons why it’s important to have proper medical support in order to help with an alcohol and drug detox program. Many of these effects can be lessened with medications and with proper supervision. On the other hand, some people get through it with very few symptoms. There is no way to tell how any one person will react. Supervised detox is always the best approach. It helps knowing that you have support there if you need it.

Once you have gone through the detox part of the program it’s important to realize that this is just the first step. You’ve managed to eliminate alcohol and drugs from your body but there are still steps that need to be done to ensure that you don’t return to drinking or using again. In order to have a complete recovery it’s important to understand that you now will need to make lifestyle changes in order to increase your odds for a sustained recovery. Learning to live without alcohol as a crutch can be very difficult, but the longer-term benefits of a new and happier life are well worth it.

During the first 30-90 days of a detox program is the time when people are most vulnerable. This is why it’s important to effect changes in your lifestyle as well as getting psychological support. Lifestyle changes can mean staying away from friends who are heavy drinkers, and who may not understand what you have gone through and what you are now trying to accomplish. Staying away from bars or other places where alcohol is served, including your home. Your family will be able to understand the need for you to not be around other people who are drinking. It’s also important to understand the meaning of a dry drunk. This is a person who has ceased drinking and eliminated alcohol from their system, but has done nothing to change the emotional aspects of abuse. This is another aspect of how your lifestyle must change. The more you work with a counselor, the more you will understand that it also takes emotional changes in order to remain sober.

Emotional support from friends and family is also crucial when you are going through alcohol detox. Rehab treatment centers that help people detox also provide support for them through counseling or through a 12-step program such as AA. It is important for the alcoholic to take actions to help in their recovery, and going to counseling regularly is a part of that. If you are on medications you need to take them as directed and never stop it without consulting a doctor. It’s also important to include the family of anyone going through alcohol detox, and allow him or her to offer support and help and be a part of the recovery process. In the end though it is up to the alcoholic to do the necessary work to effect a complete recovery, and then take the needed steps to remain in recovery.

Inpatient detox is the best solution for anyone who has an addiction to drugs or alcohol.  I have tried more than once to attend an outpatient detox and the results were not positive for my family or me.  There are many detox centers and drug rehabs that will try to convince you that their services will help you and that they are the best choice.  Very few drug abusers succeed when they choose an outpatient detox because there is a lack of structure and the addicted individual is left in their using environment.  This makes it very difficult to change behaviors and often times the temptation to use drugs is too great and the addict relapses.

If you have been using pain medication, benzodiazepines, heroin or any other addictive street drugs than I suggest that you check into an inpatient detox center where you will receive 24 hour medical attention from a trained nursing staff.  It is essential to have the help of a doctor who can slowly wean you off of the addictive substance that you have in your body in a closed environment.  I know that for me the temptation of using drugs was too great when in an outpatient detox center.  I would begin to feel the slightest withdrawal symptoms and my mind would convince me that I could use just one more time to help myself through the detox.  Of course this was part of my sick thinking as an addict not only our bodies become ill but our minds as well.  Inpatient detox’s are equipped to handle people who are suffering from withdrawal symptoms and adjust their detox medication dosages accordingly.

Inpatient detox is much more effective because of the daily structure and comprehensive medical care that is provided. Inpatient detox comes with round the clock nursing and physician assistance while in an outpatient detox program you can only see a doctor by appointment and you are on your own when you return home every evening. In addition to the lack of structure people in outpatient detox are exposed to the same elements as when they were using. In an inpatient detox program, the only people you see are approved by your therapist with your consent. Always look towards inpatient drug detox when looking to discontinue your drug use.

There is hope! With the proper medical care and the right attitude anyone can get clean.  If you want it bad enough then nothing will stop you from achieving your goal.  Just remember to take each day at a time and that if I could do it so can you.

Recent research indicates that as many as 50 million Americans suffer from drug addiction and/or alcoholism. Many of these people seek help in rehab programs and addiction recovery centers, but the rate of success is unfortunately quite low. The reasons behind this unfortunate truth are vast and varied, but typically it comes down to two fundamental factors: the level of commitment to healing from the patients, and the totality of the treatment they receive.

There isn’t much that can be done to alter the attitude of addicts; they cannot truly be helped until they decide they are ready. But once they adopt this mindset (usually after they have hit rock bottom), they must receive comprehensive care that treats all of their issues, from the core cause through to the symptom. Quick fixes simply do not work.

Medical detox is an important first step in addiction recovery. When a person has been habitually exposing his body to certain substances over a long period of time he can become chemically dependent on them. When he is denied his fix he will get extremely sick; vomiting, excessive sweating, seizures, muscle pain, anxiety and insomnia are common symptoms of this withdrawal. This process is so unbearable that addicts who try to quit on their own almost always relapse. That is why it is crucial for patients to enter a medical detox facility where they can be helped through this ordeal under the supervision of trained health professionals.

Once the drugs have been cleansed from the addict’s system, he must undergo psychological analysis to determine the cause of his addiction. 75% of people who become dependent on drugs or alcohol do so because they have an accompanying mental disorder of some type. This is known as a dual diagnosis. Dual diagnosis treatment is critical because without proper identification of the root of the problem, recovery is impossible. For instance, a patient may discover he has subconsciously turned to marijuana as a way of self-medicating his anxiety disorder. When he learns how to deal with his fears and emotions in a healthy way, the chances are good he will no longer need to rely on the drug.

Dual diagnosis treatment is critical because without proper identification of the root of the problem, recovery is impossible. For instance, a patient may discover he has subconsciously turned to marijuana as a way of self-medicating his anxiety disorder. When he learns how to deal with his fears and emotions in a healthy way, the chances are good he will no longer need to rely on the drug.

When a comprehensive approach to treatment, one that considers all scientific, medical and mental variables is followed, effective addiction recovery can be possible.

by Allison Savage