When you (or your loved one) is suffering from substance use disorder and realize it’s time to stop, you might have questions about the process. What is detox and do you need it? What are the benefits of San Fernando Valley drug detox? Is detox the only thing you need to do, or is there more to the story? Where do you go for detox if you seek San Fernando Valley addiction recovery?
The good news is that you’re in the right place. Once you understand what drug detox is and how it works, you can decide whether or not you need to go and how to find help. Detox is the first step in recovery, but not everyone needs to go to a recovery center to do it.
San Fernando Valley Addiction Recovery: When Is Drug Detox Necessary?
Detoxification is the process of ridding your body and brain of the toxins not just from the drug itself but from the residue it leaves behind. As part of the metabolic process, your body breaks drugs down into smaller pieces known as metabolites. These particles can also be dangerous to your health.
You can’t get clean and sober when you still have the drug in your body. That’s why San Fernando Valley drug detox is the first step in recovery, but not the only one. Once the drug no longer clouds your mind and body, you can think clearly about what led to your addiction and how to learn life skills so you never have to pick up a drink or drug again.
All drugs cause your brain to make changes, especially in how it makes certain neurochemicals. These alterations may be short-term, leading to a buzz or feeling of euphoria. But as you keep drinking and using, your brain gets used to the presence of the substance and it makes long-term changes. When you stop, your brain has to adapt to the lack of drugs and alcohol, which causes withdrawal symptoms.
Withdrawal can be uncomfortable but not life-threatening when you have a mild to moderate form of substance use disorder. You may be tempted to relapse, but with encouragement, you may be able to manage it on your own. You might not need to go to any facility at all, or you may go to urgent care or your doctor’s office for a few visits during the process.
However, if you’re taking certain drugs that can cause serious cravings or are at the severe stage of your substance use disorder, you likely need to go to detox to be comfortable and safe during withdrawal. If you have psychiatric or physical health issues, detox can help you address them too.
Do you need to go to detox at a treatment facility? If any of the following apply to you, it’s probably a good idea.
- You have a co-occurring mental health disorder such as borderline personality disorder, schizophrenia, or clinical depression.
- When you go too long without a dose, you experience withdrawal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, headaches, hallucinations, or psychosis. Your drug of choice is known to cause strong cravings during withdrawal.
- The drug itself or your using history requires a gradual taper because quitting suddenly is too dangerous to your health.
- You’re underweight, malnourished, or dehydrated.
- Your entire life is dedicated to obtaining your drug and using it.
- You’ve tried to get clean and sober before and couldn’t be successful.
4 Advantages of Medically Supervised Drug Detox
During a medically supervised detox for San Fernando Valley residents, you’ll be under medical care. You might receive medications that help you stay comfortable as well. The benefits of drug detox make it easier for you to avoid relapsing at this critical stage in your journey toward healing.
Advantages of medical detox include:
- Allows you to take your first step toward recovery successfully
- Detects, prevents, and mitigates any life-threatening symptoms that may appear
- It keeps you comfortable through an otherwise uncomfortable process
- Helps the medical staff diagnose a co-occurring disorder you might not know about
How Does Drug Detox Work?
When you arrive at drug detox in San Fernando Valley, the staff there will assess your physical and mental health. You’ll likely be asked about your drug use history and whether you have a dual mental health issue diagnosis, which is very common for those with substance use disorders.
Ensure you tell them the truth about your use when you get to treatment! You may be used to lying about how much and how often you used, and you might have been hiding the evidence from your friends and family as well. Detox is confidential so you can be honest to ensure you get the right treatment.
If you arrive in bad physical condition, you’ll likely receive fluids and nutrients to help your body repair itself. Your brain will need to take some time to get used to the lack of the drug and start making chemicals the right way again. It’s critical to remember that withdrawal too shall pass.
San Fernando Valley Addiction Recovery: How Long Does Drug Detox Take?
Another one of the benefits of drug detox in San Fernando Valley is that it helps you get through the worst part of withdrawals with support and encouragement. You don’t have to white-knuckle it all by yourself. Withdrawal symptoms, or at least the fear of them, often is what stops someone with a drug or alcohol addiction from getting help. Going to detox can relieve that fear.
It depends on the drugs you’ve been taking, but you should generally be past most symptoms in a week to ten days. If your history with drugs is shorter, depending on the drug, it may take about a week. Bear in mind, though, that the uncomfortable symptoms that otherwise often lead to relapse don’t last long. Typically you’ll only experience them for a few days.
While the exact timeline depends on the specific drug and how much and how long you’ve been using, you can generally expect the first withdrawal symptoms to show up within 6 hours to a day of your last dose. These may be uncomfortable, but they won’t be too severe.
The next stage is sometimes called peak withdrawal because this is when things can get dangerous and people most often relapse. It may start a day or two after your last drink or drug and last another day or two. Withdrawal symptoms at this stage can come and go and flip from mild to severe in the blink of an eye, which is why supervision for some people is critical. Afterward, symptoms mostly go back to being mild or moderate until the storm has passed.
San Fernando Valley Addiction Recovery: 7 Benefits of Drug Detox
Once you’re clean, you can start working on your recovery. Here are some of the benefits of drug detox:
- Improved physical and mental health
- Better relationships
- More self-esteem and self-compassion
- Improved ability to learn academic or job skills
- Support system and community to prevent future relapse
- Control of your life instead of having it taken over by drugs and alcohol
- More serenity at home, school, and work
Sylvan Detox Is Ready to Get You Started With Drug Detox Today
Now that you know about the benefits of drug detox in San Fernando Valley, don’t wait any longer to get started on the fulfilling and happy life that you want (and deserve). If you’re serious about living a clean and sober life, we’re dedicated to helping you get there with a luxurious and safe environment. Please call us any time at (818) 308-3099 to take that first critical step toward healing.