When an addict enters rehab, the first step of the rehabilitation process is detox. The detox process occurs when the body is ridding itself of the toxins created from excessive drug or alcohol use. This is generally the most difficult part of the rehabilitation process because there can be countless side effects during this portion of the treatment experience. After ingesting a substance every day for an extended period of time, the chemicals in your body change and you become dependent on the drug. This is true for opiate addiction, cocaine addiction, adderall addiction, alcohol addiction, methadone addiction, and more. The side effects of detox can vary depending on the drug and level of dependency reached, but it’s not usually a pleasant or comfortable experience. Many rehab programs try to keep addicts distracted during this process with plenty of group and individual therapy and counseling sessions, activities, games, but it can still be extremely difficult to tolerate this phase of recovery.
In some cases, addicts must be medically monitored to assure their lives are not in danger. The chemical changes the body undergoes through this process can be extremely volatile and require close medical supervision.
The length of detox varies on a case-by-case basis depending on age, level of dependency, type of drug dependency, and other factors, but it averages between four and five days for alcohol addiction, a week for opiate addition, and 10-12 for benzodiazepine addiction.
If you happen to have a dependency on multiple substances, the detox process can be much more difficult. 2.6 million people with addictions have a dependence on both alcohol and illicit drugs, making the detox process a vital step of recovery.
If a patient has what they consider a mild dependency as opposed to an extreme one, outpatient therapy and detox is also available. This allows patients to live at home and possibly even continue to work during the detox process. This is generally paired with certain medications that are designed to alleviate unpleasant symptoms of detox and withdrawal, such as ibogaine therapy. The effectiveness of outpatient detox is still up for debate: adversaries claim that it is unrealistic to count on someone to take their medications regularly who is going through the unpleasant side effects of detox. Outpatient programs have a much lower success rate and are generally not recommended.
Overall, the first step to addiction recovery is seeking help. The detox process may be unpleasant, but it’s absolutely worth it if it means getting your life back and once again living with purpose.