Drug alcohol treatment centers are medical and residential facilities that offer programs which specialize in helping you get off drugs and alcohol. A medical staff monitors you and administers medicine to alleviate your withdrawal symptoms so that your detox and recovery are safe and comfortable.
Drug Alcohol Treatment Centers: Alcohol Detox
If you are dependent on alcohol, you will require the help that drug alcohol treatment centers can offer. It’s not safe to suddenly stop drinking – going cold turkey – and without certain medication.
There is a medical condition – alcohol withdrawal syndrome that results when you stop drinking once you are physically dependent on alcohol. The withdrawal symptoms from alcohol can range in severity, from mild such as insomnia and anxiety to severe and life-threatening, such as convulsions, which can lead to death. Alcohol withdrawal syndrome can cause seizures, delirium tremens, also known as “the shakes,” anxiety, panic attacks, and paranoia.
Drug Alcohol Treatment Centers: Drug Detox
Many people in your situation say that one of the biggest obstacles to their recovery is the fear of withdrawal symptoms. And it’s no wonder – drug and alcohol withdrawal symptoms can be very uncomfortable, even painful, and can result in death. The staff at drug alcohol treatment centers can address your withdrawal symptoms from a number of different drugs, not just alcohol.
If you are dependent on benzos, such as Xanax or Valium, or barbiturates, such as Fioricet, a medical drug detox is necessary. This is because the withdrawal syndrome is much like alcohol withdrawal and is potentially fatal. Severe symptoms are seizure, heart failure, stroke, coma, and death.
If you are using opiates, such as the prescription painkillers oxycodone, hydrocodone, methadone or heroin, the withdrawals aren’t life-threatening however, in some cases, people have experienced seizures when they stopped on their own. Drug alcohol treatment centers program can help alleviate your withdrawal symptoms and you will be able to manage them much more comfortably.
If you are an amphetamine user, such as cocaine and crack, and methamphetamine, such as crystal meth, the withdrawals include uncomfortable and frightening psychological symptoms such as hallucinations and extreme paranoia. Drug alcohol treatment centers are equipped for treating these symptoms as well.
Drug Alcohol Treatment Centers
After detox, which may last from 4 to 10 days depending on your progress, you will enter the next level of the program offered at drug alcohol treatment centers. Residential inpatient rehabilitation, or “rehab” for short, lasts up to 30 days and consists of staying in a safe and comfortable environment where all of your needs will be met. You will be kept comfortable, have case management support, and will have medical services provided. You will attend meetings, called groups, where you will learn about substance abuse and be given the tools to use once you complete the program so that you don’t get caught up in drugs and alcohol again. You will also have group and individual therapy sessions where you can address any dual diagnosis, or co-occurring issues such as depression, anxiety, as well as trauma-related issues. If you or a loved one is struggling with substance abuse or addiction and are looking for drug alcohol treatment centers, please call toll-free 1-800-951-6135.