Substance abuse. Without treatment, detox never works. Avoid Wasting Your Time and Suffering.
Too many people mistakenly believe that recovery ends after a physical addiction is overcome and a period of abstinence from drugs or alcohol is finished. As a result, too many people must face the discomfort of detox on multiple occasions.
Detoxification at alcohol treatment centers phoenix – what is it?
Detoxification is the process of ridding the body of the drug’s physical byproducts, and while the process can take anywhere from a few days to a week, most users find that this is long enough for the majority of their symptoms to subside. Real detox actually lasts for months as the body gradually heals from addiction and restores its damaged systems; some withdrawal and detoxification symptoms may linger throughout this time (Detox symptoms of common drugs).
Detox is not a form of therapy, and in reality, very few people are in any genuine condition to acquire the kinds of lessons that must be absorbed for any meaningful chance at sobriety during the days of detox.
Why detoxing alone never suffices
Although detox is a physical process, treatment is primarily mental and spiritual. In order to have any chance of maintaining their abstinence and sobriety, recovering addicts must understand why they abuse drugs, what risk factors cause them to crave drugs or alcohol, and have strategies and tools at the ready to combat these temptations and cravings when they inevitably do arise.
Detox is an important first step towards sobriety, and completing detox without using drugs or alcohol is an excellent achievement. However, recovering addicts aren’t ready to begin attending peer support groups, creating relapse prevention plans with therapists, or participating in cognitive educational seminars until they have completed detox. These seminars give addicts the tools they need to avoid situations that might lead to temptation and to know what to do when it does.
Because detox can be dangerous, it is always preferable to have it done in a facility that is far from where drugs or alcohol can be accessed. This way, the detox has a much higher chance of success. It should also always be done under direct medical supervision with the prescription of the necessary medications for safety.
Alcoholics and drug addicts dread the days of detox and physical suffering. While overcoming the initial stage of physical addiction is a victory, it is only the beginning of a long road to sobriety. Those who skip out on real treatment after detox are robbing themselves of the best opportunity for success and sobriety.