Addiction treatment is not a one-step procedure, and instead requires a comprehensive continuum of care to ensure the maximum probability of a successful recovery. People who seek professional help for substance abuse and addiction will typically start off with medically supervised withdrawal management services before they begin the next phase of treatment. A safe medical detox is a crucial aspect to addiction treatment as it allows to manage the physical dependency from drugs and alcohol in a safe setting.
It is important to understand that attempting an ‘at home’ detox or to simply go ‘cold-turkey’ can have devastating, and in some cases, life-threatening consequences. If you are suffering, please seek out the help of a professional alcohol and drug detox center to begin your process of recovery.
Steps to Recovery offers withdrawal management services during our inpatient detox program. Medically supervised with around the clock care by physicians, nurses & therapists, our goal is to provide the most comfortable setting to what can be a very uncomfortable process. When someone with a physical dependency abruptly stops using that substance, it is inevitable that he or she will begin to experience unpleasant withdrawal symptoms which can be both physical and mental. With the aid of substance abuse & mental health professionals, along with personalized medication regimen, clients become free of the physical need to use in order to avoid painful withdrawals. Although drug detox and drug treatment are not one in the same, inpatient detox is often a vital first phase of addiction treatment.
Why it is dangerous to detox at home
Withdrawing from any substance of addiction can be dangerous but even more so if done without proper medical supervision. During the detox process, it can be very easy to underestimate the physical withdrawal symptoms and then completely overlook the severity of the psychological symptoms associated with the discontinuation of substance use. Depending on the drug, the withdrawal symptoms that arise can quickly become life-threatening. An inpatient detox program with appropriate medical supervision is the safest way to discontinue a pattern of substance abuse.
Additionally, most clients strongly associate their home environment with drug or alcohol use, thereby leading to overwhelming temptation to end the physical pain and return to using the substance of which they are dependent. It has been shown that addicts who relapse during the course of detox are at an increased risk of accidental overdose. Although the body’s tolerance levels may have changed, an addict is prone to revert to taking the same or similar doses as they were taking before detox, resulting in a possible overdose with a now lower tolerance. Inpatient detox programs followed up a continuation of drug treatment is the best way to begin a life of recovery.
Detox Treatment Centers not only provide the proper medical and therapeutic interventions but allow for a safe space for those in early recovery to focus on the beginning phase of addiction treatment. If you are struggling to stop using, please call us today for a comprehensive assessment with one of our addiction professionals.