Q & A’s
You may have wanted to overcome your addiction for some time but have not sought treatment because of fear. You may have heard stories from your friends or media accounts of how difficult and painful detox can be, or due to a lack of information, you may understandably fear the unknown.
While you will inevitably face unique challenges during your detox, you can successfully break free from drugs and alcohol like thousands of others have with the help of The Serenity Recovery Center.
Here we would like to answer some of the most common questions we receive about detox and recovery from drugs and alcohol to help alleviate some of your concerns and encourage you to get the help you need.
What is detox?
Detox, also referred to as detoxification, refers to the process of purging your substance of choice from your body along with any toxins present as a result of your substance use. While primarily a process of chemical separation from your drug, detox can have a significant impact on your physical, psychological and emotional well-being which will vary depending on the drug or drugs you’ve used, the quantities you’ve taken and how long you’ve used. Since the withdrawal symptoms and side effects of detox can be both painful and dangerous to your physical safety, a medically-supervised detox presents you with the safest way to avoid physical harm and relapse and ensure your comfort.
Why is detox so important?
A successful detox can be one of the strongest indicators of long-term sobriety. After detox, you will have no traces of your drug of choice left in your system, and with the help of medications as needed, you should now have minimal to no cravings for the drug. Breaking your chemical dependency itself is a major step towards long-term sobriety, but it is not the only necessary step.
With detox completed, you can now begin addiction treatment and address the root causes of your addiction — why you used in the first place and why you continued to use. The success of your addiction treatment largely depends on a successful detox.
An incomplete detox can undermine further treatment and lead to relapse and continued drug use, causing further harm to your health and inviting the possibility of overdose and even accidental death. Detox is not the only step you will need to take to overcome your dependence on drugs and alcohol, but it is one of the most crucial.
How does detox differ from substance to substance?
The quality of your detox experience can vary widely depending on the drug or combination of drugs you’ve taken, how long you’ve taken them and the quantities you’ve taken. Further, even if you’ve used the same drugs in the same way as another individual, you may not experience detox the same way as they do. All individuals differ, and all detox experiences will differ as well.
However, while some drugs — such as alcohol, benzodiazepines and opioids — pose a more difficult challenge during detox than others, you can still safely detox provided you have the right support environment which means a medically-supervised detox. This can include a sub-acute detox if your drug and the symptoms of abuse require less intense medical supervision or an acute detox if you need 24×7 supervision and hospitalization.
How long does detox take?
Many factors will determine how long you will spend in the detox phase of addiction recovery. The length of your habit, your drug of choice and your use pattern will all influence the kind of care you will need to end your dependency, as will additional criteria such as pre-existing medical conditions and whether you have a dual diagnosis or co-occurring disorder. Detox at The Serenity Recovery Center does not follow a strict schedule.
While for most detox can last anywhere from a few days to ten days, some guests will need more time in detox than others to break their chemical dependence fully. Since this stage has such a great influence on the success of later stages of your recovery, we want you to complete your detox — even if it takes more time — to ensure your long-term well-being.
Why should I detox at The Serenity Recovery Center?
At The Serenity Recovery Center, you can begin all aspects of your recovery from drugs and alcohol from almost the moment you arrive. Because of our integrated approach to addiction treatment, after your initial assessment by our qualified addiction specialists, you will immediately begin your detox which will also directly impact the kind of treatment you will receive afterward. Our doctors, nurses and behavior specialists will begin crafting your therapy program based on information gathered during your detox.
The close relationship between our medical and therapeutic teams ensures that you will get the best and most appropriate treatment for your personality, style of addiction and other incipient factors. This integrated approach will give you a substantially improved treatment experience which often translates into the results you want most — long-term sobriety. An integrated, holistic approach to addiction — which treats all aspects of your addiction, medically, psychologically, emotionally and spiritually — can give you the best chance of beating addiction for good.
To speak with one of our addiction specialists about how an integrated approach to recovery can help you overcome addiction, or if you have questions you still want answered, call The Serenity Recovery Center today at 866.294.9401. We’re here, and we want to help.