What is Drug Detox?

Drug addiction comes in many forms, whether you are using illicit street drugs or abusing prescription medications, the impacts of drug addiction can have significant effects on an individual’s physical, emotional, and mental health. When you are in the midst of an active addiction to drugs, you undoubtedly have had thoughts about what life could be like if you were to quit your use of drugs and begin to live a sober lifestyle. The hard truth about drug addiction is that it can feel challenging to quit on your own without the proper tools and supports in place. For some substance abusers, you may have attempted to quit on your own before but experienced failed attempts at doing so due to the withdrawal symptoms or strong drug cravings or temptations that you experienced. In these moments, it is important that you remember that this does not reflect on you as a person. Your intentions are true and your desire to quit substance abuse is there, however, overcoming drug addiction often needs the support of a drug detox program that will ensure your safety and comfort are being met and upheld. 

A drug detox program provides individuals with a safe, supportive environment to overcome your physical dependence to drugs while releasing any harmful toxins and influences of drugs within your system. Patients will be invited to reside within the treatment center to undergo drug detox where you will have the ongoing support and supervision of medical professionals and addiction therapists. As you move through your drug detox program, your body will be adjusting to functioning without the presence of drugs in your system while flushing out the harmful toxins from substance abuse. During this process, individuals will begin to experience side effects known as withdrawal symptoms that can create uncomfortable, sometimes painful, side effects along with impacts on mental health functioning. Many will also experience strong drug cravings during this time which are one of the leading reasons for relapse in early addiction recovery. As you experience withdrawal symptoms, you will be provided with leading medical treatments including medication-assisted treatment that will work to minimize the severity of your withdrawal symptoms and help to significantly reduce the onset of drug cravings allowing you to remain focused and present in your addiction recovery process. During drug detox, patients will also be provided with ongoing psychological support through addiction therapy methods that will help you process any emotions that are arising and maintain stable mental health functioning. The goal of a drug detox program is to help patients stabilize and heal from the physical and psychological impacts of drug addiction in order to set you up for success in your addiction recovery process.

If you or a loved one is suffering from any form of addiction or abuse, please call Sylvan Detox at (818) 308-3099.

When is Drug Detox Necessary?

Drug detoxification is the first step in a person’s addiction recovery process. However, there are often questions about whether or not attending a drug detox program is a necessary step for your addiction recovery process. Drug detox is often recommended for individuals that are living with a severe addiction to drugs, have been engaging in drug abuse for a prolonged period of time, use drugs in large quantities, or have been using drugs on a more consistent basis. There are some substance abusers who may also be living with a co-occurring disorder of either mental health, behavioral health, or physical health condition that will need to be monitored and treated while you undergo a drug detox process. A drug detox program will help to treat your symptoms of a co-occurring disorder through natural, holistic treatments that will help you keep physically and psychologically healthy and stable. Others may choose to engage in a drug detox program if you have a history of relapse or are concerned about your current living environment having triggers present that will be difficult to overcome. Residing within a safe and secure detox and treatment facility will allow you to focus on your recovery process without being tempted by others or outside distractions, therefore, increasing your success rates in safely and successfully overcoming your drug addiction. Attending a drug detox can be a necessary and beneficial step for many embarking on an addiction recovery process. Attempting to treat withdrawal symptoms on your own can be challenging if you do not have the proper tools and support to do so. Drug detox allows you to safely treat your withdrawal symptoms and maintain your overall health and well-being during this crucial component of your addiction recovery process. 

5 Things to Expect When Receiving Drug Detox

If you are taking the courageous step to receive help within a drug detox program, you will probably have questions about what a drug detox process will entail and what you can expect while you are participating in the detox process. It is important to remember that your safety and well-being are always the highest priority when you are going through drug detox. Here are some things that you can expect when you arrive at detox and during your detox program:

  • Assessments- When you first arrive at drug detox, you will meet with medical professionals and addiction therapists to complete admission paperwork and initial assessments to help identify your unique circumstances with drug addiction. By gaining an understanding of your specific history with drug abuse, any pre-existing medical concerns, and co-occurring disorders, will help the team be able to create a specific treatment plan for you that will ensure you can safely wean off of drugs without having any adverse or harmful side effects while keeping you comfortable and safe 
  • Medical supervision- During drug detox, you will be monitored by licensed healthcare professionals that will assess your progress and overall health during your drug detox. As you experience withdrawal symptoms, you will be provided with appropriate and effective medical treatments and interventions to mitigate any symptoms you are experiencing and maintain comfort. 
  • Full psychiatric evaluation- Along with being provided exceptional medical care, patients are invited to engage in a psychiatric evaluation. This allows our team to gain perspective on how drug addiction may have impacted your psychological health including experiencing drug-induced psychosis or the onset of symptoms for a mental health disorder. By knowing this information, our team will be able to provide you with appropriate evidence-based therapy methods that will treat your mental health disorders and symptoms to ensure that your psychological health is being taken care of and monitored. 
  • Medication management- For some substances such as opioids, benzos, or alcohol, there can be severe physical dependencies and addictions created from these substances that often result in serious side effects and implications when you attempt to quit using on your own. A medication management program will support you in safely ending your use of drugs and alcohol with the support of specific medications. Taking these medications will help to reduce the severity of withdrawal symptoms while significantly decreasing the onset of drug cravings.
  • Meeting with a therapist- While in detox, you will meet with your primary therapist at least once a week to begin the healing process of exploring your emotions, thoughts, and behaviors that have been contributing and impacting your addictive behaviors. These sessions will allow you a safe space to express your current emotions and help you overcome any emotional barriers to your success. 

Sylvan Detox Can Help with Your Road to Recovery

At Sylvan Detox, we strive to provide a healing environment for Thousand Oaks residents to safely overcome your drug addiction. Our luxury rehab facility offers patients a comfortable, modern environment to address your history of drug addiction and begin to embark on your new life journey of addiction recovery. With access to luxury amenities throughout your stay, patients are able to feel rested and comfortable as you go through this life-changing transformation. We believe that healing from your drug addiction requires a comprehensive treatment plan which is why you will be offered top-of-the-line therapy methods from alternative therapies, holistic treatments, and evidence-based therapy approaches that will support you in healing from your addiction within your body, mind, and spirit while maintaining your safety and wellbeing. Call us today to have any of your questions answered and begin your road to recovery now.