thedrugrehab: May 2013

Drug detoxification is the first step of a rehab program. It is the process of “getting clean” or removing the drugs from a person’s system. Detox is necessary when it comes to beating addiction. There are many misunderstandings about detox and how it is done. Here are five myths about detox, along with the truth:

Detox Myths

Myth 1: Once you have gone through detox, your rehab is complete.
Truth: The rehab process is much bigger than detox alone. A full detoxification is only the first step of rehab. Drug rehab includes the detox process, but then goes on to help the person find out why and how they became addicted in the first place. It then helps them work out what they can do to change their behavior, how they can avoid or change their reactions to drug-abuse triggers, and more. Rehab centers also usually have a follow up program for after the person has graduated to ensure they are continuing to do well in life.

Myth 2: Detox is pure hell.
Truth: Removing toxins from your body can be an uncomfortable process – there is no doubt about that. However, there are things that can be done to make the process more comfortable. Additionally, while the withdrawal symptoms for some drugs can include life-threatening seizures, if you are in a properly supervised program with medical staff to help you through the worst of your symptoms, withdrawal can be done safely. Professionally supervised medical detoxification is one option to make detox as comfortable and safe as possible. Additionally, proper nutrition, sleep, massage, chiropractic, and other therapies can help make the process a healing one.

Myth 3: You can detox as an out-patient procedure.
Truth: Any addict has the option to attempt to get themselves off drugs at any point in time. However, it is always recommended that detox is done under the close supervision of trained staff. When a person is detoxing, withdrawal symptoms are a continuous concern and must be monitored. This means that detox is best done as an in-patient procedure.

Myth 4: Your only option in detox is going “cold turkey.”
Truth: Going cold turkey is only one option in detox. You can also participate in a medical detox, which consists of easing the addict off their drug of choice slowly in a supervised manner, as well as using prescribed medication. This option can be much more comfortable than going cold turkey. Just know that going cold turkey isn’t your only option. For a number of drugs, such as heroin, alcohol, and benzodiazepines (anti-anxiety drugs), cold turkey is extremely dangerous. Consulting with an addiction specialist is a good first step.

Myth 5: Detox plus an entire rehab program can be completed in 28-30 days.
Truth: The 30-day system doesn’t always guarantee results. If you have been addicted for years, it isn’t realistic that all your problems will be solved in 30 days. The detox process, along with effective rehab, can take much longer than this. In fact, most graduates of rehab continue to work with 12 Step or other support groups after they have completed their rehab program. Comprehensive aftercare is essential to the rehab process.

The truth is that you can beat addiction with complete detox and effective rehab. It takes time, energy, the help of professionals, proper nutrition, and more, but the end result is a drug-free life.

Sources

www.DrugAbuse.gov
www.BestDrugRehabilitation.com

Drug Abuse and Environment

What type of environment is prone to produce a drug addict? Are the poor or the rich more susceptible? What is it in a person’s vicinity that can trigger drug use? The fact of the matter is that drugs pervade all levels of society – from the homeless to the Ivy League. A man on the street, once a successful family man, is now a skid-row alcoholic. A university student uses cocaine to stay up all night studying for exams, and gradually sinks deeper and deeper into psychological addiction. If you believe in an imminent or eventual Apocalypse, look no further than drug abuse as one of the chief horsemen leading the charge.

How many crimes do you think have some connection to drug or alcohol abuse – either directly or indirectly? Specifically: assaults, homicides and suicides entwined with drugs and alcohol, or connected to drug dealing and trafficking. Or traffic accidents that are the direct result of a DUI? A large number of health risks and diseases are also inextricably linked to drug and alcohol abuse. And don’t think it’s just the illicit drugs; prescription drug abuse now claims responsibility for drug-related deaths surpassing traffic fatalities, with a large percentage of those traffic accidents being drug and alcohol-related. Probably you get the point.

People react differently to their environment. But it is true that certain environments or circumstances are known to motivate drug abuse. In the case of a child, how they are brought up in their own home will play a large role in how they react to their surroundings. Will everyone respond the same? No, but understanding some of the forces at work enables us to better deal with the problem:

Familial Environment

If one’s parents or siblings are drug users, the likelihood of the person turning to drugs will increase. Children look up to their parents as role models. There are also studies which suggest some genetic factors may be at work in drug addiction.

Personal Problems; Stress; Trauma

Associated with drug abuse and addiction is the mind-set or attitude that one must escape or forget about personal problems. One can also experience stress, profound loss, abuse, or trauma to such an extent that drugs appear the only answer.

Atmosphere of Hopelessness

Some people live in parts of America – or parts of the world – where there seems little to no hope for future advancement. Factors such as poverty, low life expectancy, economic collapse, and urban decay can all contribute to a sort of “contagion of apathy.” One example close to home is small towns in America that have been hit hard by wide distribution and use of methamphetamine.

Peer Pressure

Teenagers in particular are subject to intense peer pressure. A teen who has a circle of friends who drink and use drugs will feel quite pressured to participate or feel like an outsider and outcast. They want to fit in, so drinking – in particular binge-drinking – and drug use seems like the way to do it.

Appeal of the “Drug Culture”

The mantra of “sex, drugs, and rock & roll” has an appealing ring to many young people. The drug culture, or counter-culture, looks like a good alternative to the stiff dead-end lives of their parents. After all, their parents did it when they were kids, right?

Availability

Some people get into drugs just because they are around – at home, on the street, at their friends’ houses, or in school. Drug pushers like to do business at clubs and raves where they’ll find potential customers literally waiting in line.

Answers to Drug Abuse

Education is a significant part of the solution to drug abuse. Youth who learn the truth about drugs, the physical damage, the abysmal lows that inevitably accompany the euphoric highs, etc., will be less likely to experiment with them. Similarly, they should be provided an environment where they can grow and learn and develop as individuals. Not an easy task – but an important one. There are individuals and groups working to provide alternatives to the dead-end of drug and alcohol abuse – groups that get kids off the streets and into the gym or on the playing field, into creating art, or building a future. These programs illustrate the positive side of the picture.

Drug rehabilitation is the process by which someone who has been addicted can get off drugs and pursue their goals without a chemical crutch. Through education, rehabilitation, and of course the family, the tide of drug abuse can be turned. The more people that get involved, the better our chances. If you are concerned about it, look up organizations in your area and get involved. If you or someone you know is addicted, contact an addition specialist at Best Drug Rehabilitation.