Rehab Detox CentersBeginning a New Life
Unfortunately, as the world turns, rehab detox centers have become part of the lives of many people, for either their own selves or for someone near and dear.
Many people classified as addicts these days are there as a result of prescription drugs given for relief from chronic or severe pain, or for relief from anxiety and depression. On any given day, approximately 5,000 people will make a trip to an emergency room because of some type of drug or alcohol addiction. As a matter of fact, the number one addiction problem in the United States right now is considered to be alcohol. Statistics show that people most likely to become addicted to alcohol are between the ages of 18 and 29. Those lease likely are 65 and over.
People using alcohol and drugs for pain management will often easily become addicted. Obviously, this creates a whole new set of problems. Detox from any drug is imperative before any kind of rehabilitation can begin. In the worst cases, detoxing from a drug will come with severe symptoms, such as goosebumps and fever. It is estimated that 95% of people who try to detox will suffer relapse. There are rehab detox centers where patients can go through their detoxification with the help and guidance of trained staff and with on site medical professionals.
People will enter rehab detox centers for detox from different addictions. A patient addicted to opiads will experience the worst of their withdrawal symptoms between one and three days after they enter the facility. Within a week the worst of the symptoms will dissipate. Discomforts such as anxiety and insomnia could last throughout the following weeks or even months. Someone with a heroin addiction typically will begin detox within six to 12 hours after they take their last dose. Detox from alcohol addiction brings with it delerium tremens, or DT’s. This is a serious condition that could be life threatening. It causes sudden nervous system or mental changes that usually begin within the first 48 to 96 hours after the patient has had their last drink. It could continue for up to ten days.
Rehab detox centers provide their patients with certain steps to recovery. First is intake. This is the process of questions and answers, and the determination of whether or not the particular center is a good fit for the patient. Family history, severity of the addiction, and even financial ability to pay for the program will be discussed. When the right facility is chosen, detoxification will begin. This is the process of removing every trace of alcohol or drugs from the patient’s body. Sometimes, depending upon the severity of the process, the staff might administer certain medications that will relieve some of the worst detox symptoms.
Under the proper supervision, detoxing is usually a safe process. There are many symptoms of detoxing that could occur. A patient will normally experience some, but not all of these symptoms. They could sense extreme depression, fatigue, or the inability to sleep. Physically, they may go through cramping, headaches, runny nose, or trembling. Patients have even been known to have a stroke or heart attack during their withdrawal.
Once the detoxification process has been successfully completed, the patient will begin rehabilitation. Individual behavioral therapy and family therapy are two important aspects of rehab. Group therapy is often used as well. In individual therapy some patients will begin to explore their background to try to remember when and why they began using the addictive drug and when it became out of control. Family members are the people, outside of the individual him or herself, who are most distressed and overwhelmed by the addiction, and are the ones who will play a major role in the patient’s recovery. Group therapy gives the individual a sense of community in that they are not going through this process alone, that there are others experiencing exactly what they are. They can relate to each other, which instills a feeling of kinship and strength.
Recovery, the final step in the process of detox and rehabilitation can, in some cases, be a lifelong journey. With the proper help and support, it can be a victorious road.
