Addiction is an insidious disease. One of the greatest frustrations felt by those who find themselves addicted is that it started so simply. They got home from work on Friday and had a few beers with friends. Soon, they were drinking all weekend and needing a stop for a drink on the way home from work during the week. Soon, their lives were spiraling out of control.
If you’re wondering “Should I go into drug treatment or detox?” the answer is probably that you need help. One of the greatest dangers of addiction is that it pushes into the list of things that we all need to survive. Addiction is in no small way a disease of the brain. Choices that used to be simple, such as doing what is necessary to keep yourself and your family safe and comfortable, suddenly come second to the need for drugs and alcohol.
The products you used to use to relax on the weekends you suddenly need with an aching drive on a Wednesday afternoon. You lose the ability to focus and struggle to prioritize.
Make an Honest Assessment of Where You Are
If you feel that the pull for drugs and alcohol is taking you off a life path that you took pride in, it’s time to act. One of the greatest dangers of the cravings of addiction is that you don’t have to be at rock bottom to do a great deal of damage. If your spouse can no longer rely on you because you can’t handle money, the relationship will need some work. Your children may no longer trust you to behave in safe, logical ways.
Your boss may be unhappy or your parents may be worried about you. All of these changes are symptoms of what addiction is doing to your life. However, because your cravings are driving you, you may not be able to fully understand the source of the problem.
Manage What You Can
The first step to an effective rehab is a monitored detox. You will need to be in the care of trained professionals to successfully undergo this process. Rehab is tough, but detox can be deadly. Because detox is safest away from your family, you may want to look for a program that allows you to do an inpatient detox but an outpatient rehab. Depending on the drugs in your system, you should plan for your detox process to take about 7 days. By the end of this process, you should be able to transition to rehab.
Focus on Healing
Rehab is all about healing, community and finding your place. Your rehab may include
- pain management if you were addicted to opiates
- mental health care if you were treating your own illness with drugs or alcohol
- private and group therapies for you and your family
The decision to enter detox and rehab is an announcement to those around you that you are taking steps to heal. Be aware that, while others may want to support you, they may also need to do their own healing. You may have done some serious damage while you were using. If you’re asking your family, friends and co-workers to give you a bit of grace as you work through rehab, make sure you are also extending it to them.
Addiction is often part of the family dynamic. If your spouse is the child of an addict, your behavior and drug use may have frightened them badly. Do your best to include them in therapies that are direct towards couples that are dealing with addictive behaviors. As you can, encourage your family members who have been scarred by addiction to do their own work. No matter what you’ve been using, detox is the first step.
It is critical that you receive supportive medical care as your body sheds these toxins; withdrawal can be agonizing and dangerous. Your own treatment process will be as unique as your personality. However, the gains from choosing to enter detox and rehab will play out in ways you could never have imagined. Now is the time to act. Our counselors are available 24 hours a day. Call 844-639-8371.