Deciding to go to a drug and alcohol detox program is never an easy decision for someone in active addiction, but it can be a crucial step towards achieving sobriety and starting a journey of long-term recovery from alcoholism and addiction. Choosing to enter a drug and alcohol detox is also an important first step in improving an individual’s overall health, wellness, and well-being.
Active addiction takes a toll on a person. They have put their bodies through hell and are often in poor health physically and a poor place emotionally and mentally. However, while this may be difficult for the average person to understand, making the decision to stop using drugs and alcohol and enter a detox or rehab is not an easy one. For individuals in active addiction, drugs and alcohol are their solution. Drugs and alcohol numb both physical and psychological pain, helps them avoid uncomfortable situations, aids them in not having to deal with trauma, and often is the only life they know. Even though people in active addiction may recognize that drugs and alcohol are harming them or ruining their life, they may be unable to comprehend a life without drugs and alcohol or may feel so much guilt and shame that they either believe they are not worthy of a happy and sober life or that they are not capable of doing the things necessary to overcome their addiction. Fortunately, this is untrue. Everyone is worthy of a happy and sober life, and recovery from addiction is available to everyone who seeks it.
That being said, it is still a difficult decision to make, and often those in active addiction are not even capable of making that rational decision. They are suffering from a brain disease, which has hijacked their reward system and the pleasure center in their brain, where they simply cannot rationalize through getting sober and only are able to survive via avoiding or numbing pain and discomfort. This is not uncommon and most everyone who has found recovery has gone through that difficult process. On top of that, the fear of withdrawals is intense and can keep someone in active addiction using drugs and alcohol for years. Which is why is it so important when someone wants to get sober and find recovery from addiction, that they take then necessary steps and receive the necessary help to continue moving forward.
Here are 5 important reasons to go to a drug and alcohol detox:
Safety and Medical Supervision
Detoxing from drugs and alcohol can lead to severe withdrawal symptoms. These withdrawal symptoms can be both physically and psychologically challenging. In a professional detox program staffed 24/7 with medical professionals, a patient will have 24/7 medical care and supervision to manage and mitigate withdrawal symptoms. Medical professionals are able to provide the necessary care, medications, titration medication protocols, and support to ensure that a patient is detoxed effectively, safely, and comfortably through the process.
Effective Medical Withdrawal Management
Withdrawal symptoms from drugs and alcohol can vary widely depending on the substances being used or misused and the individual factors in a patient’s situation, including age, length of time of drug and alcohol use, mental health diagnoses, and other medical conditions. In a medical detox program, a patient will receive personalized and evidence-based treatment to manage their withdrawal symptoms. This medical care and support increase the likelihood of a successful and comfortable detox and reduces the risk of complications.
Reduced Relapse Risk
Addiction and substance use disorder is often called a relapsing disease, meaning that many people that receive treatment are still at risk of relapse. This is especially true if an individual chooses to detox themselves. The detox process addresses the physical dependence a person often has on drugs and alcohol while in active addiction, which is a crucial first step towards recovery. Successfully completing detox will help the patient feel better physically, but also can offer an extended stabilization period to help the patient get their mental health issues managed, and in a place emotionally to make rational decisions that are in their best interest. Detox sets the stage for further addiction treatment and necessary recovery support by reducing the immediate physical and mental cravings and psychical dependency that often can lead to relapse.
Clinical Support and Education
In a medical detox program, there is 24/7 medical care and support from doctors and nurses. There is also regular care to address a patient’s mental health and emotional support, from psychiatrists, therapists, counselors, and recovery support staff. This clinical support helps to begin the treatment necessary to overcome addiction once the patient feels better physically once going through detox and provides necessary emotional support and guidance. These clinical professionals can help the patient understand the underlying factors contributing to their addiction, identify ongoing clinical needs that must be addressed to stay sober, and provide helpful and healthy coping strategies for managing craving, triggers, and stress to keep them continuing the road to recovery.
Transition to Treatment
As mentioned, detox is often a vital first step and one of the most important reasons to enter a drug and alcohol detox. However, in order to best be set up for success and long-term recovery, a comprehensive addiction treatment and recovery support plan is needed. At a medical detox, the medical, clinical, and continuing care staff will help a patient create that comprehensive plan and transition seamlessly into further treatment options, such as inpatient or a residential rehab, an extended care treatment program, a PHP or IOP treatment program, a recovery house, or working with an individual therapist, counselor, or psychiatrist. The continuity of care ensures that the patient will receive the necessary and vital ongoing care and support they need to address the psychological and behavioral aspects of addiction and keep them engaged in long-term recovery.
There is nothing more important to remember that detox is just the first step in the recovery process, which often includes ongoing treatment in a continuum of care. For long-term success, it is always recommended that a patient engage in a comprehensive treatment plan that will support them and help them address the physical, psychological, and social aspects of addiction.
If you or someone you know needs help with addiction or co-occurring disorders, please give us a call. Innovo Detox offers the latest in evidence-based medical, psychiatric, and clinical care for those in need of detox and medical stabilization in Pennsylvania and the surrounding Mid-Atlantic area. If we aren’t the best fit for you or a loved one, we will take the necessary time to work with you to find a detox, rehab, treatment center or provider that better fits your needs. Please give us a call at (717) 619-3260 or email our team at info@innovodetox.com. For more information on our company or services, please visit our website at www.innovodetox.com.