How the Detox Process Works Addiction may have claimed a chapter of your life, but it does not have to define the rest of your life. The idea of detoxing, whether it's by choice or under pressure from someone else, can be scary. But knowing what to expect makes it easier to make the decision to go though with it. Yes, detox is uncomfortable, and there is work involved, but it is doable, especially when you have help and support to get through it. This is how the entire process works. Evaluating the Patient and Developing a Treatment Plan Years ago, health professionals thought a cookie-cutter style of treatment worked. Each patient was put through the same steps, some with success and some not. Today, medical professionals at reputable Orange County rehab centers realize that there is no one-sizefits-all method of detox. 1 Each patient is assessed upon arrival at the treatment center. Caregivers conduct a simple series of tests to determine what substances the patient is on, the amount of the substance the patient is using, and any underlying causes contributing to the addiction, such as an undiagnosed or untreated mental illness.2 Using the results of these tests, caregivers develop a treatment plan. The patient is fully informed on what the plan involves, so there are no surprises. The Physical Detoxification Process The detox process can take from a few days to a few weeks, depending on the substances the patient has abused, the length of time they have been addicted, and the amount of drugs and/or alcohol they've been using. Most patients have physically detoxified within ten days. There are two ways to approach detox: cold turkey versus a medicated detox. While the medicated way seems more comfortable and easier, the medications used are nonnarcotic and can only be used for ten days in order to avoid developing another addiction. So medicated detox is only recommended in the most severe cases. There are several ways to make cold turkey detox more comfortable. Patients have found that resting in a caring, accepting environment with trained and compassionate caregivers makes the process much easier. During this period, patients will be treated to a healthy diet, restful sleep, and nurturing.3 Most addicts have been sadly without nourishing meals, comfortable sleep, and other body- and mind-soothing routines while they spent time and energy seeking and using drugs or alcohol. This is a time for physical healing. The Mental Detoxification Process 1
http://www.rehabs.com/about/the-addiction-rehabilitation-process/ http://psychcentral.com/lib/detoxing-from-drugs-and-alcohol/0001036 3 http://blog.stopyouraddiction.com/detox/how-does-drug-detox-work/ 2
Once the body has rid itself of the toxins that built up in the body during drug and alcohol abuse, they can turn their focus to healing the mind and spirit. This involves getting to the underlying causes of the addiction. Common reasons for people to turn to substance abuse are pain (either mental or physical or both), hurt, rejection, fear of failure, mental illnesses like bipolar disorder or schizophrenia, depression, stress, and even boredom.4 Mental detox involves discovering the underlying causes of the addiction and beginning to address those issues through counseling. Depending on the reasons the patient fell into addiction, a treatment program can consist of individual therapy, group therapy, family therapy, or any combination of these. Therapies and additional treatments, as recommended by the medical staff, begins at the detox treatment facility and continues into a residential Orange County rehab program, and eventually as ongoing outpatient treatment. After Detox The best way to prevent relapse is to find healthy, positive activities to fill the time once spent seeking or using drugs or alcohol. That's why Yellowstone Recovery doesn't stop working with their patients once the physical and mental detox starts working. At Yellowstone, patients are connected with other recovering addicts through fun and exciting activities like playing sports, learning skills like art, working with animals, and other interesting ways to exercise their minds and bodies. This keeps patients from feeling lonely and bored, which can often lead them back to friends and places where the addiction is too powerful a lure. Yellowstone Recovery also believes that detox programs should be affordable. Visit the website today or call 888-941-9048 to see the treatment plans available and the competitive pricing offered for Orange County residents in need of addiction recovery services. Company Bio Yellowstone Recovery is based on the 12-step recovery plan that has been the key to helping countless addicts overcome their addictions for decades. Beginning with physical detox and progressing to treatments to heal the mind, emotions, and spirit, Yellowstone Recovery doesn't just help patients get off drugs and alcohol -- they help them stay clean and sober with job placement assistance, group activities, and nurturing support.
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http://thejenniferact.com/2011/05/12/reasons-why-people-use-drugs/