Detoxification During Drug Rehab

Drug rehab programs help thousands of addicts across the country make lasting recoveries every year. Although most laypeople and even medical professionals once viewed addiction as a matter of willpower, drug rehab specialists now recognize that it is a neurological disease which requires clinical treatment. It is not curable, but addicts can stay sober for years and even decades with proper treatment and continued support.

The three most common programs for addiction treatment are inpatient therapy, partial hospitalization, and outpatient rehab. Inpatient programs require addicts to live at their treatment facilities for one to three months, while outpatient treatment involves just a few hours of clinical attendance per day. Partial hospitalization is an intermediate program in which drug rehab patients are allowed to return to their homes at night under the supervision of clinic staff.

Since inpatient programs are usually used for people seeking first-time help with severe drug dependencies, detoxification is almost always a necessary first step. Even the most willing and enthusiastic rehab patients cannot productively engage their therapies while they still suffer from the constant compulsions to obtain and use drugs. Detox is designed to mitigate these compulsions enough for patients to undergo longer-term therapies.

For most addicts, detox lasts five to fourteen days. It is a simple process of deprivation designed to wean substance abusers off of drugs and alcohol. Addiction causes the human brain to make neurological changes and incorporate certain drugs into its everyday functions. Many of these changes are permanent, but prolonged drug deprivation can mitigate their effects.

Detox is often painful for addicts because of withdrawal a condition which almost all rehab patients experience. Symptoms of withdrawal can include depression, anxiety, exhaustion, pain sensitivity, and impaired brain functioning. Detox can be a trying experience, but it is essential for addicts lasting recoveries.

Thankfully, many drug rehab centers take steps to mitigate withdrawal symptoms, especially when the process takes longer than usual. Clinicians may encourage withdrawal sufferers to engage in spiritual practices, gain comfort from friends and family, and begin developing better nutritional and exercise habits. They may also use medications to alleviate mental and physical pain, especially in patients who also suffer from chronic depression or anxiety.

Some addictions involve especially dangerous withdrawal symptoms. For instance, heroin addicts have been known to experience breathing troubles, irregular heartbeats, and even heart attacks as they are deprived of all opiates. To mitigate these dangerous symptoms, some rehab specialists have begun using rapid detox methods.

Rapid detox takes opiate users, meth addicts, and other severely addicted people through days of withdrawal in just hours. Medical professionals accomplish this by using specialized drugs which accelerate detoxification. Though rapid detox carries dangers of its own, it is often a safer method for people who are dependent on the most physically damaging substances.

Detox can be frightening, but the pain is well worth the reward of sobriety and a second change at life. If you or someone you love is struggling with an addiction, click the links below to find a treatment center near you. A proven drug rehab program can help you take back control of your life.