Recovery is different for everyone. No two people experience recovery in the same way — for some triggers easily fought off early on come back with a vengeance six months clean and sober. For others it seems to be smooth sailing after an initial detox. The most important thing to remember about recovery is to never compare your recovery to another’s and to look at your recovery as a custom addiction treatment — because your path should be tailored to you.
After admitting an addiction is present, be it to drugs, alcohol, or anything else, the first step is self-resolution to get better. No recovery can ever truly succeed without the desire to get better. Of course, this self-resolution can be strengthened by several factors and guidelines followed. The first factor is to surround yourself with a strong support system. Many people believe themselves to have many friends who can help them, but support groups and 12-step programs are also important. These groups offer an outside perspective to your addiction and have no personal motivation to help you — so they will hold you stricter than friends, but also generally consist of leaders who have already battled addiction; these leaders hold such high standards due to their empathy. They have been in a situation of addiction, so when they offer advice they speak from their experiences.
After you’ve found a support group or 12-step program, you’ll want to begin setting aside a few minutes every day, and spontaneously when you feel overwhelmed, to stop and gather your thoughts. By pausing, collecting your thoughts, and reminding yourself why you are trying to get better, you’ll be able to set goals and chip away at them each day. A great analogy for this step is to be like water on stone — the river stone is smooth and worn where the water rushes over it, but this didn’t happen in a day. The river stone is smooth and shaped because of the constant action against it by the river. You can shape your goals and recovery just like the river shapes the stone, a little at a time.
As you become more comfortable in your support group and meditation, you’ll see the benefits of starting your program slowly. If possible, taking time off of work can help in the beginning, while you learn new coping skills for when you are triggered. As you are more confident in yourself and your control, begin to ease yourself back into work, and social situations. You should avoid major life changes, like buying or selling a house, changing jobs, marriage, and divorce, so as not to overwhelm yourself by entering extremely stressful and triggering situations.
As you continue and feel a sense of normalcy return, remember to stay committed. Remain in counseling longer than you feel you need it — and stay on any prescribed medications. Following these tips you can still have a large amount of your custom addiction treatment in your control — you’ll feel ready to succeed and that you have your life in your own hands.
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What Is Medical Detoxification Recovery?
Every year, roughly 10 percent of the American population 12 years or older require treatment for the abuse of illicit drugs or alcohol. Addiction to drugs and alcohol is a serious and potentially deadly disease. There is no single treatment that is suitable for all addicts. As such, there are a number of different types of alcohol and drug rehab centers to cater to the varying needs of patients.
Regardless of the drug and alcohol treatment programs, detoxification is the first step to recovery from substance abuse. The detox process is necessary to eliminate all traces of alcohol and drugs from the body; this usually takes between 7 and 10 days to complete. Whenever necessary, detoxification treatment involves administering medicine and monitoring individuals who experience withdrawal symptoms.
Alcohol sedates the brain and as such, it falls in the category of a depressant. When alcohol is heavily consumed over an extended period, the brain becomes adjusted to the downer effect. It does this by gradually producing increased amounts of norepinephrine, which is a chemical similar to adrenaline. This is why larger quantities of alcohol must be consumed by alcoholics over time for them to continue to experience the desired effects.
When the supply of alcohol is suddenly cut off, for the next few days an abnormal quantity of norepinephrine will still be produced by the brain. This results in abstinence syndrome or withdrawal symptoms. During this time, the addicted individual could experience a variety of symptoms based on how frequently they used drugs or alcohol.
Included among the symptoms are:
• Sweating
• Tremors
• Unusually high heart rate
• Nausea
• Headaches
Approximately 5 percent of patients who undergo withdrawal symptoms could experience delirium tremens, which is the most dangerous withdrawal symptom. This results from the inability of the brain to normally adjust to the changing chemistry. This causes hallucinations, confusion and an increased risk of stroke or heart attack.
Safely Transitioning
Due to the distress and struggle associated with alcohol withdrawal, drug and alcohol treatment programs assign medical professionals to provide 24-hour care and medical monitoring. Typically, the medical team at alcohol and drug rehab centers is led by a physician and supported by experienced registered nurses and other medical practitioners. Rehabilitation only takes place after detoxification; however, detox could be all that is required if a patient is only physically dependent on a substance.
Medical detoxification recovery that takes place at alcohol and drug rehab centers provides a caring and stress-free environment. In this environment, patients will feel safe and comfortable, while being attended to by experienced and compassionate members of staff. Often, unsupervised withdrawal is tremendously painful and thus unsuccessful.
A number of drug and alcohol treatment programs use iron supplements, folic acid and vitamin B1 supplements to enhance overall health. In addition, herbal broths and teas are served to patients to take care of their hydration needs. Doctors who oversee the detox process could prescribe medications to assist in reducing cravings and diminishing the superficial pleasure of consuming alcohol.
Article Submitted By Community Writer
