When living with a drug or alcohol substance abuse disorder, there can be risks to stopping cold turkey. When you stop taking drugs or drinking alcohol, your body and brain may have withdrawal symptoms. It’s important to understand that there is a safe way to break the habit. Medical detox allows you to accomplish your goals without jeopardizing your health. At our P.A.T.H. Centers of Excellence, we provide outpatient detox services that can help you get on track with your recovery.
Who Needs Drug Detox Programs?
Are you dependent on any of the following drugs:
- Alcohol
- Prescription stimulants: Ritalin and Adderall
- Opioids: heroin, oxycodone and hydrocodone
- Drugs with THC: hashish and marijuana
- Stimulants: crystal meth and cocaine
- Benzodiazepines: Xanax, Valium, Ativan and Halcion
- Synthetic drugs: K2, spice and bath salts
After you use drugs and alcohol for an extended period, your body becomes acclimated to having them, which leads to daily dependence. This ultimately leads you to build up a tolerance, and your brain gets used to the drugs’ effect. As a result, you have to take more drugs or drink more alcohol to achieve the same effect. This can make quitting seem impossible, but there is still hope.
Drug and Alcohol Dependence
Drug and alcohol tolerance eventually become drug dependence. When your body depends on drugs or alcohol, it cannot function normally without them. This is when withdrawal symptoms begin to develop. These symptoms include:
- Vomiting
- Headaches
- Fevers
- Cravings for the substance
When you go through withdrawal symptoms and cravings, it’s challenging to resist using drugs and alcohol. Participating in a medically assisted outpatient detox program gives you access to doctors, nurses and therapists who specialize in helping clients get through the first stage of recovery. Over time, your body beings to readjust and function without drugs.
What to Expect During The P.A.T.H. Detox Program
The three stages of drug detox are assessment, stabilization, and preparation. Additionally, clients may attend support groups and therapy sessions while in detox.
Assessment
During our diagnostic assessment, you will fill out a questionnaire and undergo a physical exam. You also receive a screening to identify mental health disorders. Therapists determine your psychological fitness, then a physician builds you an individual treatment plan.
Stabilization
At this critical stage, you stop using drugs and our compassionate, knowledgeable staff members help you maintain sobriety. Some substances — such as alcohol, certain drugs, and tobacco — require medication to blunt the effects of withdrawal symptoms. Stabilization lasts up to three weeks.
Preparation
Continued treatment helps support you as you prepare for the future. Detox gets you through the worst withdrawal symptoms. But you will need help facing life without drugs. This includes attending a recovery program, such as our P.A.T.H. outpatient treatment, entering a 12-step program and other positive steps that prevent relapse.
What Comes Next?
After detox, you must keep on track towards a life of sobriety. At our P.A.T.H. locations, we can help you maintain your sobriety and teach you healthy ways to cope with cravings as you move through your recovery and our continuum of care.
Our outpatient drug rehab programs choices are:
- Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP)
- Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) – in-person or virtual
- Non 12 step-based meetings
- Rooted Alumni Program
Drug Detox Programs
If you are ready to leave drugs and alcohol behind but are afraid to do it alone, our drug detox program can help. Give us a call at 713.528.3709. We can guide you through the assessment and help you better understand how detox might be the right route for you and your sobriety.