When you are addicted to drugs or alcohol and are seeking help, you want to know what lies ahead for you. The first step is usually detox, so that you can cleanse your system of the harmful substances you’ve been taking and start on the path to your recovery. Then you may wonder, what happens after detox? That’s when the healing starts, for your mind, body, and soul.
The Detox Process
Being addicted means that you require drugs or alcohol for your body to feel normal. That is also one of the main signs that you need help. Realizing that you have to stop using the substance is a good first step, but you should not go through the detox process without professional help.
Detox means that you stop using drugs or drinking alcohol. Withdrawal from these substances can be a major challenge and can actually have significant health implications. However, the right treatment program will guide you through the withdrawal safely so you can get healthy again.
Withdrawal Symptoms
Your withdrawal symptoms can begin just a few hours after your last drink or after the last time you take a drug. Symptoms vary depending on what kind of substance you were using, but generally can include:
- Anxiety
- Delirium tremens (DTs), a life-threatening issue that can make you restless, upset, and confused and cause fever, hallucinations, and seizures
- Depression
- Hallucinations, when you see or hear things that aren’t there
- Problems sleeping
- Shakiness, especially in your hands
- Unstable changes in blood pressure and heart rate
- Sweating
- Nausea and vomiting
- Irritability
- Decreased appetite
- Restlessness
- Muscle and bone pain
The physical symptoms of withdrawal can last for several days. The impact on your mind and emotions can last much longer, which is why you need to continue with your recovery program after detox.
Next Steps
What happens after detox? You’ve cleansed your body of the harmful substances to which you were addicted. Now you will work on breaking your addiction, addressing the underlying issues and moving forward with recovery.
Like other chronic diseases such as heart disease or asthma, treatment for drug addiction usually isn’t a cure. But addictioncanbe managed successfully. Treatment enables you to counteract addiction’s disruptive effects on your brain and behavior and regain control of your life.
One possible next step will be behavioral treatment (also known as “talk therapy”), which will help you engage in the treatment process, change your attitudes and behaviors related to drug use, and increase healthy life skills. These treatments can also enhance the effectiveness of medications and help you stay in treatment longer.
Residential or Outpatient
To be effective, your treatment approach must be tailored to address your specific alcohol or drug use pattern as well as your drug-related medical, psychiatric, and social problems.An outpatient treatment program allows you to continue to perform some of your daily responsibilities. However, some people do better in inpatient (residential) treatment. An addiction specialist can advise you about your best options.
Caring for the Body
Therapies and counseling will help you identify the underlying issues that may have contributed to or caused your addictive behaviors. In addiction treatment, you will need to understand what was behind your addiction in order to successfully overcome it. The focus of your therapy sessions is to improve your mental and emotional health.
You will also need to work on your physical health. During addiction, you were probably not paying much attention to your nutritional needs. Eating well, getting exercise, and taking other steps to improve your physical health are also very important parts of what happens after detox. Addiction can affect many aspects of your life, so your treatment should address the needs of you as a whole person to be successful.
Support Systems
You are not alone in your addiction recovery. The support you receive from friends and family as well as from those who are also going through addiction treatment can make a huge difference to you as you work to take the next steps in your life. 12-Step programs include meetings that provide social and emotional support. These support systems will continue to benefit you long after you detox and after you complete your treatment program.
Orange County Addiction Treatment and Sober Living
Pacific Shores is here to help with your detox and continuing recovery program. We emphasize the importance of caring for the body, mind, and soul. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we continue to serve men and women who seek to lead fulfilling and productive lives in recovery. If you or a loved one struggles with drugs, alcohol, or co-occurring mental illness, pleasecontactPac Shores Recovery today. Let the healing process start now!
