When you are ready to stop using drugs once and for all, the first step is going through detox. Since this is the most vulnerable time in your recovery, you cannot attempt to detox on your own.
1. Better Chance At Completing Detox
Many people try to detox on their own and fail. Not only is drug abuse difficult to overcome, but it is also even harder to abstain from drugs when you are experiencing withdrawal symptoms. Part of your objective of living a drug-free life is to do whatever is within your power to increase your odds of success. When you enter a detox program, not only do you have the support necessary to detox in a controlled setting, but you also have the resources necessary for emotional support. Throughout the withdrawal process, having regular interactions with people who are encouraging you to continue abstaining from drugs can make you feel supported and more confident that you can beat the odds.
2. Reducing Safety Concerns
Although detoxing from most drugs can be miserable for days or weeks at a time, some drugs can cause life-threatening withdrawal symptoms. You need ongoing monitoring when you are detoxing from drugs, even if they are not known to cause serious symptoms. For example, withdrawal from opioids is not considered to be life-threatening, but some instances could lead to serious complications. Since people who withdraw from opioids can have severe diarrhea and vomiting, this can lead to dehydration and warrant hospitalization. In the case of drugs, such as alcohol or benzodiazepines, you risk having seizures if you stop abruptly. When someone goes into a detox program for one of these drugs, they might be placed on anti-seizure medications as a preventative strategy.
3. Medication Availability
Many detox programs prescribe their clients medications to help ease the symptoms during withdrawal. In addition to supportive care, such as medications for nausea, you might also be prescribed treatments that are designed to reduce drug cravings. The less intense cravings you have, the easier it will be to make it through withdrawal without relapse and enter the next phase of your recovery.
When you are less concerned about taking drugs, it is also easier to be receptive to a treatment program. Once clients move from the detox phase to the treatment phase of recovery, they frequently attend therapy sessions and work in groups to address their concerns. Taking medications to reduce symptoms and cravings is just one less stressor that can propel you into a relapse.
Although many people think they can detox from drugs on their own, few successfully abstain from drugs. To increase your chances of a successful recovery, you need the support of a detox program like The Lakes Treatment Center.
Share21 September 2018
I suffered depression for much of my life, and I lived with it for years before seeking help. I visited a psychiatrist and received an antidepressant prescription along with a referral to a counselor. I filled my prescription, but I put off making an appointment with the counselor. The medication began to help, so I decided that I didn't need to see a counselor after all -- or so I thought at the time. After a couple of months of medication, a close friend of mine died of an illness. I then learned that even though the medication helped my depression, I still had not learned the coping skills I needed to deal with traumatic life experiences. That even motivated me to seek counseling, and it helped me immensely. I created this blog to remind others that medication can help when suffering with depression, but counseling is also extremely important.