Although you may consider that using marijuana, ecstasy, LSD or prescription painkillers recreationally is less of an issue than drinking heavily or abusing heroin, cocaine or crystal meth, all of these substances are potentially addictive and can all adversely affect your health. For instance, smoking cannabis can damage your lungs and also place you at risk of poor mental health, while long-term use of club drugs can also damage your organs and take their toll on your mental wellness. For this reason, whatever your substance of choice is it is important you receive help to give up your habit before it takes over your life and leaves you with irreversible health problems. A detox is the first stage in the recovery process and we offer supervised withdrawal programs within reach of Plymouth Meeting.
Preparing for Detox
It is important to be aware that detoxing is not a pleasant experience, as you will develop a range of withdrawal symptoms once your body is denied a supply of the substance it has become dependent upon. However, if you are aware of what to expect when you undergo substance withdrawal, it will not come as quite so much of a shock. While the particular symptoms you experience depend on whether you abused alcohol or another drug, the information below gives you an idea of some of the problems you may experience during withdrawal:
- Alcohol – shaking, sweating, digestive upset, anxiety, trouble sleeping, hallucinations and seizures
- Opiates – insomnia, agitation, anxiety, aching muscles, sweating and digestive discomfort
- Cocaine – restless behavior, fatigue, low mood, nightmares and feeling generally unwell
- Methamphetamine – insomnia, poor appetite and depression
- Amphetamines – irritability, low mood, aches and extreme tiredness
- Marijuana – mood swings, disturbed sleep and headaches
The severity of symptoms and their duration depends on your level of dependency, but the withdrawal symptoms naturally last longer for some substances than others. Thankfully, when you seek specialist help to detox, this not only makes sure that you can withdraw from alcohol and drugs safely, but also lets you receive medication that can offer you relief during this difficult period. As suddenly quitting alcohol or drugs can be dangerous, you should always take part in a supervised detox and Steps to Recovery offers withdrawal programs near Plymouth Meeting to help you do so.
Rehabilitation After Drug and Alcohol Detox
Following your withdrawal from drink or drugs, the next step is to take part in a structured rehab program, as this will help you break your old habits to achieve lasting abstinence. A variety of forms of substance abuse rehabilitation are available, which range from intensive inpatient treatment to more flexible outpatient programs. Your needs and preferences will determine which setting you choose to receive therapy. Generally, if there are concerns about your home environment and a lack of support, a residential stay is sensible, though this option is also suitable if you have previously failed to stay sober or you would prefer to have the level of therapy on offer. Instead, if you have structure and support at home, and also have other commitments to keep up, outpatient therapy is ideal. An option in between these two is partial hospitalization, which lets you benefit from intensive therapy, but still allows you to live at home during the course of treatment. If you would like advice on the different programs offered by Steps to Recovery near Plymouth Meeting, our helpful staff are only too happy to guide you through the options available.
Therapy Programs After Detox
Whichever style of program you decide upon, Steps to Recovery makes sure that every client receives a custom-made treatment plan so that the therapy they receive is best suited to your needs. By assessing your particular situation from the beginning, it ensures you receive the therapy that will give you most benefit, so you are more likely to stay abstinent in the long-term. The fact that more of our clients successfully quit drink or drugs the first time they try is testament to the effectiveness of personalized treatment during addiction recovery.
Talking Therapy During Rehabilitation
A large part of your rehab with us is based on talking therapies, both on a one to one basis with a counselor and as part of a group. When you receive private counseling sessions each week, these are designed to give you time to work through those problems that are personal to your circumstances, so the counselor will help you to develop an action plan for how you will personally manage triggers for alcohol and drug abuse. With these strategies planned out you are less likely to relapse after treatment. Meanwhile, during interactive therapy sessions a counselor will facilitate group discussions, which can focus around any issues important to members of the group, and the chances are these will be relevant to you as well. In a similar way, you will develop ideas for how to cope with these difficulties, but this time you will work as a group to put a plan together. Group therapy additionally offers you peer support and encouragement, which puts you a step closer to giving up your destructive habits for good.
Family therapy is also available to help restore your relationship with loved ones so that you can benefit from their support after completing rehab in the Plymouth Meeting area.
Developing Practical and Transferrable Skills
While talking therapy can help you develop coping skills for when you are faced with difficult circumstances, it is also important that you develop other skills that will help you succeed in areas such as your personal relationships and employment. When you have these additional skills behind you, your chances of relapse are reduced even further. Whether you need to improve your skills in communication or group work, our program of activities will help you to work on these areas without even realizing you are doing so. However, we can also help you with practical skills in the kitchen and give you the confidence to apply for work and attend interviews. Whatever help with skills development you need, we will do our best to help you fill the gap and put you a step closer to lasting recovery.
