What happens if you quit taking drugs? Will you be okay if you stop using drugs abruptly? Drugs have a significant impact on the body, and when drugs are taken frequently and subsequently discontinued, the person will suffer withdrawal symptoms. It may be a scary experience for the person who is withdrawing. Drug and alcohol experts recommend that you seek professional assistance at a facility specializing in substance detox. You’ll have a better experience in transitioning to sobriety when you receive treatment from a center that understands the detox process. You’ll be taken care of by experienced professionals who guide you towards your new lifestyle.
Detox clinics help people with drug and alcohol addictions alleviate acute withdrawal symptoms. Having facilities to detox correctly often encourages sobriety since a supportive detox removes the fear of experiencing physical pain and discomfort during the recovery process.
In most cases of substance use disorders (SUDs), the user is both physiologically and psychologically dependent on the drug. When someone is chemically dependent, it’s challenging to begin recovery. It’s even more challenging if they don’t start sobriety in a safe environment like an inpatient detox facility. An inpatient detox clinic keeps the patient safe from a potentially dangerous detox experience.
Detox: The First Step to Recovery
Going to a detox clinic is a necessary part of recovery, but it is only the first step. Detox is a time of transition that helps end the unbearable cravings and compulsions to drink or use drugs. You’ll experience a more grounded recovery when you start your journey without the discomfort of uncontrolled urges. The most successful recovery experiences address the root of an addiction problem. Just going through detox is not enough to fully recover from a drug or alcohol use disorder. Recovery goes beyond removing substances and dives deeper into the “why” of addiction and uncovers the psychological wounds the substance was numbing. After detox, where can you go to maintain an active and successful recovery?
Intensive Outpatient Programs
If you’re looking for optimal results and a solid foundation for recovery, you need a treatment program like Boardwalk Recovery Center. Our center offers an Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP), which “provides structure and support for those working to maintain their early recovery while rebuilding their lives in a healthy manner.” IOPs focus on healing, education, and transitioning patients to real-world sobriety. Round-the-clock supervision is not required as part of an IOP, so a sense of independence is ingrained in participants. Because the detox process has already been completed, IOP patients can prioritize recovery from a place of stability.
IOPs allow people to slowly integrate back into their community while continuing the work of recovery. The commitment to sobriety is still there, but patients are able to work, live at home, and spend time with friends and family.
Sober Living Homes and Support Groups
Most clients at Boardwalk Recovery Center choose to live in our sober living houses. This gives them the opportunity to bond with other people going through the recovery process and receive mutual support. Most importantly, IOP patients can hold each other accountable. In the beginning stages of recovery, it helps to be in an environment free of temptation. It is proven that living in a shared home with sober peers that are engaging in the 12-Step Program can be helpful in preventing relapse. In most cases, if you are living in a sober home, you are required to be actively searching for work or a “Get Well Job,” and you must be consistently committing to attending meetings.
Regardless of your stage of recovery, be it immediately after detox or after months of sobriety, experts strongly advise that you participate in Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous. These programs have been proven effective over and over again, no matter what stage of recovery you are in.
Inpatient vs Outpatient Rehab
Outpatient treatment centers differ from residential treatment centers, where patients may need a tougher approach and strict routine. Neither option is better. It depends on each individual’s recovery, how confident they feel in their sobriety, and their ability to abstain from drugs and alcohol while continuing to focus on their personal life. While inpatient and outpatient treatment differ, they can intersect at some points; “IOPs are sometimes used in conjunction with inpatient programs as a way of helping clients to more smoothly and seamlessly adapt back into their families and communities.”¹
All of these post-detox programs are focused on preventing relapse and establishing coping skills. They help to return a patient’s confidence. While detox starts the process of sobriety and tackles tough withdrawal symptoms, there may also be post-acute withdrawal symptoms (PAWS) which may arise after detox and pose emotional challenges like anxiety and depression. Even after detox, physical symptoms such as shakiness, nausea, and insomnia can occur, making it just as important to seek support and clinical care after detox. One cause of PAWS is that the brain does not heal from the damage caused by chemical dependency immediately after detox. Because of the substance’s ability to alter brain function and the disproportionate ratio of neurochemicals, the brain is neurochemically disoriented for a period of time after initial abstinence. Given that the brain remains unhealed after detox, inpatient or outpatient substance use disorder treatment centers are critical to complete healing because they provide a safe and supportive environment for growth.
Individual and Group Therapy
Going to a treatment center of some kind after detox is beneficial because it provides a sense of community and reassurance that you are not alone on this journey. While 12-Step programs offer this sense of community, individual and group therapy at treatment centers can be transformative. The impact of therapy sessions at a treatment center is due to the fact that the environment is conducive to honesty and is judgment-free, allowing clients to share their authentic experiences and resonate with the feelings of their peers. Having this safe space to express themselves allows clients to feel validated and understood, possibly for the first time in their lives.
Because the recovery process has only just begun with detox, it is critical to maintain momentum and continue uncovering layers and understandings about yourself and what led you to rely on a substance. At Boardwalk Recovery Center, we have the services you need to transition from sobriety to a healthy and sustainable lifestyle. At our facility, we teach you the skills you need to stay sober for the rest of your life by developing non-destructive coping mechanisms and educating our clients about addiction, recovery, and substance abuse. Our facility’s lessons and friendships will help you stay sober, not to mention our world-class professional staff who will assist you in designing a new blueprint for your life.
Additional Sources
- https://americanaddictioncenters.org/intensive-outpatient-programs
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