Posts Tagged "Detox"

Do I need to go to rehab?

This is a question many facing drug addiction and alcoholism try to figure out on their own.  But every individual is different and may need to be assessed with a treatment counselor to assess their current situation and whether they need to be in a residential rehab setting.
Scientific research since the mid–1970s shows that treatment can help patients addicted to drugs and alcohol to stop using and drinking to avoid relapse, and successfully recover their lives. Based research, key principles have emerged that form the basis of effective treatment programs:

•    Addiction is a complex but treatable disease that affects brain function and behavior.

•    No single treatment is appropriate for everyone.

•    Treatment needs to be readily available.

•    Effective treatment attends to multiple needs of the individual, not just his or her drug abuse.

•    Remaining in treatment for an adequate period of time is critical.

•    Counseling—individual and/or group—and other behavioral therapies are the most commonly used forms of drug abuse treatment.

•    Medications are an important element of treatment for many patients, especially when combined with counseling and other behavioral therapies.

•    An individual’s treatment and services plan must be assessed continually and modified as necessary to ensure that it meets his or her changing needs.

•    Many drug–addicted individuals also have other mental disorders.

•    Medically assisted detoxification is only the first stage of addiction treatment and by itself does little to change long–term drug abuse.

•    Treatment does not need to be voluntary to be effective.

•    Drug use during treatment must be monitored continuously, as lapses during treatment do occur.

Residential treatment programs can also be very effective, especially for those with more severe problems. For example, residential facilities are highly structured programs in which patients remain at a residence, typically for 30 days to 12 months. Treatment centers differ from other treatment approaches principally in their use of the community—treatment staff and those in recovery—as a key agent of change to influence patient attitudes, perceptions, and behaviors associated with drug use. The focus of rehab is on the re-socialization of the patient to a drug-free, crime–free lifestyle.  Please call today to discuss your needs for treatment.

Pain Management Programs

How do you manage your pain without being reliant on addictive pain medications and the effects they produce?  How do you restore your sleep, manage your physical pain that will allow you to a fulfilling life once again?  A residential pain management program may be the answer.  Thousands of people suffer from chronic pain but feel trapped by the effects of the medications they are prescribed.

Addiction to pain medication is a common diagnosis and focus of many treatment centers. Physical pain, if not well managed, often acts as a primary trigger for addictive processes. The connection between pain management and addiction requires a high level of medical expertise to generate consistently successful outcomes. A pain management program utilizes various proven therapeutic modalities to target the causes of pain. Thus, the patient receives the most comprehensive treatment available. Treatment seeks to use the fewest medications possible, and abstinence is always preferred. If medication is required, non-addictive medications with fewer side effects are considered first. Occasionally, opiates may be indicated for effective pain management. At Recovery Hub we have many highly qualified treatment centers that are experts in developing individualized medication management plans for patients dealing with chronic pain.  Please call today to discuss your options for yourself or your loved one.

Effective Treatment Approaches

According to the  National Institute of Drugs and Alcohol medication and behavioral therapy are part of the treatment for recovery from addictions, often this begins with detoxification, followed by treatment and relapse prevention. Easing withdrawal symptoms can be important in the initiation of effective treatment; preventing relapse is necessary for maintaining its effects. And sometimes, as with other chronic conditions, episodes of relapse may require a return to prior treatment components. A continuum of care that includes a customized treatment regimen, addressing all aspects of an individual’s life, including medical and mental health services, and follow up options (e.g., community- or family-based recovery support systems) can be crucial to a person’s success in achieving and maintaining a drug-free lifestyle.

Things You Should Know About Alcohol and Drug Detox

First off, when attempting to get off alcohol or drugs, be advised that medical personnel should always monitor any kind of detoxification in order to provide prompt and educated aid to those striving to rid their bodies of the effects of chronic alcohol and drug abuse. An alcohol detox program is only the first of many steps that alcoholics will take on the road to recovery.

Withdrawal is the first process that an alcoholic must take to begin the cleansing process that will ultimately remove all traces of alcohol from their body systems. With alcoholism or drug abuse, the body becomes dependent on those drugs or alcohol, and during an alcohol detox, withdrawal is the process by which drug or alcohol induced toxins are exorcised from the body. It isn’t easy, and many people aren’t mentally or physically prepared for the process. But with an alcohol detox program, that’s only the first step. The next step, therapeutic and emotional counseling, are only begun after the person has completed the alcohol withdrawal process. Some well meaning people try to skip to the second step first, but such an endeavor is useless, as any remnant of alcohol in the body will continue to induce cravings for it, thereby defeating any and all arguments to the contrary.

The term, alcohol detox, is officially defined as the period of time it takes someone to overcome his or her physical dependence and need for alcohol. In an alcohol detox rehab center, this process is carefully and closely monitored by trained medical personnel experienced in dealing with the moods and temperaments of alcoholics on the road to recovery. The end goal of an alcohol detox program is to free the alcoholic of the addictive effect of alcohol on their body, in addition to helping them get through that most difficult process as pain free as possible. An alcohol detox center will offer expert guidance and advice to those wishing to enroll in their program and to help people get a good start on the road to a long-term recovery. For the most part, an alcohol detox program is completed within an in-patient, medical type setting so that patients can be closely monitored and helped.

Experiencing alcohol detox isn’t pleasant and can produce symptoms that express both physically and emotionally. Many who have completed an alcohol detox program claim the experience, though necessary, was traumatic and withdrawal from alcohol or drugs can produce both physical and mental manifestations that range from mild to alarmingly severe. That’s why it’s so important for people to go through an alcohol detox process in a licensed facility with fully trained medical staff on hand to oversee the process. Some people experience headaches, the ‘shakes’, vomiting, insomnia and even delirium tremors, more commonly known as the ‘DTs’ and even seizures. Supervised alcohol detox is recommended, especially since one in four patients may experience severe withdrawal symptoms like seizures and convulsions.

An alcohol detox program can take within three to seven days in most cases, and then the rehabilitation process begins. It’s not an easy battle, but with the help of an alcohol detox program, a person has a high chance of not only a healthy recovery, but also a less stressful one.

Drug Detox With Professional Support and Compassion

A drug rehab program is ultimately what you make of it. That’s what your counselor will tell you, on your first day in treatment…and the lesson will make a world of difference.  In most cases treatment begins with alcohol or drug detox.

Drug rehabilitation isn’t easy. No drug rehab facility can make drug detox a pleasant process. In the end, those drug rehabilitation clients who get sober for good are the ones who get engaged with their programs, and who resolve to face the challenges of the drug rehab process, from drug detox on down, with courage and commitment. In the end, anything less just won’t get the job done.

Recovery Hub treatment centers are the most luxurious drug rehab centers on the planet, but that doesn’t mean clients don’t have a steep hill to climb. Again, drug rehabilitation is ultimately what you make of it. If you’re going to get better, it’s going to be because you make it happen. Drug detox and drug rehab will try even the strongest souls. To get through rehab in one piece, you’re going to have to be ready for a fight.  With the support and research we have done at Recovery Hub, you can begin your recovery.