Drugs and alcohol remain a major struggle for individuals around the country. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), 4% of Americans had met the criteria for drug use disorder in the year of the survey, while another 10% surveyed a drug use disorder at some point in their life. At the same time, 14.5 million people age 12 and older have an alcohol use disorder, according to the NIAAA.
Many of these individuals will struggle to get help for their addiction. But, when they make the decision that help is necessary, one of their first steps will be detoxification or detox.
If you are struggling with a substance abuse disorder, here are 5 reasons why seeking professional detoxification help when beginning a journey to a sober, happy and healthy future.
It helps you get a better understanding of your situation. During the intake process at a detoxification facility, the care team will do a full review of your medical, psychiatric, and addiction history.
Enter a detox facility eliminates temptation. When you enter a detoxification facility you are getting away from the triggers and access that fueled your addiction. At the same time, these facilities help eliminate some stressors, including work or family drama, that could make concentrating on your recovery difficult.
They are trained to help you deal with the side effects. During the course of your detoxification, you will experience a range of withdrawal side effects that are not always able to manage on your own, including anxiety, hallucinations, convulsions, tremors, nausea, vomiting, insomnia, sweating, hypertension, and even heart failure. To help you manage these side effects, many of these detox treatment facilities will be able to provide you with nonaddictive drugs and other forms of treatment to make the process easier.
They often provide holistic treatment options. Helping you kick your substance abuse is the most important part of entering a detox facility, but they often offer so much more. Many of these treatment centers concentrate on holistic therapy that can relieve some physical and mental symptoms that are part of the withdrawal process. These therapies may include but are not limited to acupuncture, counseling or group counseling sessions, exercise classes, and yoga.
They make your friends and family part of the process. Detoxing from drugs and alcohol is not something you can or should do alone. Instead, you need to make those loved ones who have your best interests in mind part of the process — and most treatment facilities will know this. They will not only collaborate with your during the process but your family as well, helping them understand what the aftercare process should look like and bringing them in for therapy session if it’s deemed necessary.
They will help you plan the next steps of your care. Detoxification is only the first step in the substance abuse treatment process. At the detoxification center, your team will help you figure out your next steps, including outpatient treatment, inpatient treatment, sober living, etc.
If you are struggling with a substance abuse disorder and are finally ready to get help, facilities like drug and alcohol detox center Ascendant New York can help you get started with getting clean.