The First Phase Of Treatment: Detox

The disease of addiction forms quietly and elusively, being barely noticable to anyone, especially the person who is becoming the addict themselves. When it comes to any type of using, or drinking, the fact that an addiction is forming keeps itself rather hidden.

The Growing Addiction

When an addiction begins to grow, the problems start small and blend in with the scenery around them, so to speak. Maybe someone starts to get drunk a little more often, or appears to be high more and more, but the people they are partying with are getting crazy too so it’s no big deal.

People start to see less of them but assume they are busy. Meanwhile, the sickening person does not realize that they are getting loaded more often just in order to function. They don’t feel they “need” it quite yet, but are gaining more and more of a dependence on their substance of choice without really realizing it.

Problems Continue

Then the problems start to get worse. A job gets lost, a friend is alienated, a DUI happens, grades start to slip, and the person starts to withdraw more and more from their life. People begin to worry about them, but have a hard time getting through. The sick person seems to be more and more resistent to those who want to try and help them.

Over time, the problems climax and it becomes glaringly obvious to anyone that there is something wrong. Maybe the person has no job now, has crashed a car, no freinds, been kicked out of the house and/or homeless. And yet they still cling on to the fact that nothing is wrong, or, yes, something is wrong, but they “just don’t know what.” Even more sad is the case of the person who knows exactly what is wrong but will not quit, because they feel like they have nothing else or just don’t care. Their health is failing and their money is gone. The power of an addiction is cunning, baffling, and truly powerful.

Going Into Detoxification

When it comes time for the viscous cycle to end, the first step is to get into a detox facility. Some people are so afraid of detox that they will forego it and keep using instead of dealing with the withdrawals. But fear not, detox facilities are made to ease someone through the withdrawal process. There is no way to make it painless, but it will be far less painful than trying to do it on your own. Doing it on your own is very much not recommended. People relapse so often when trying to detox on their own from substances due to the pain that is occuring.

When it comes to the case of alcohol, detoxing can actually be dangerous and needs to be done in the care of a facility. The alcohol is so ingrained in the body that without it, the body starts to go through powerful withdrawals which lead to things like seizures, delerium tremens and sudden death. Detox facilities know how to avoid these things and an alcoholic should get into one as soon as possible.

Not Just The Body

Detoxing is not just for getting the junk out of your system. The disease of addiction is one that can be extremely isolating, and an addict will start to think that no one likes them, that no one cares. In detox, sometimes it goes that it is the first place in a long time that they will find people who care and other who are in the same boat, making them feel less alone. This is extremely theraputic and gives the recovering addict a new sense of hope.

Detox is the first step to recovering from an addiction. When the withdrawals are done and the body is clean, it is time to get the mind and the soul worked on in the world of treatment centers, where caring and community continue. One a final, specific note, those who need to get into detox should avoid places that advertise themselves as “speedy detox.” These places use dangerous practices to get someone through the detox process and should be avoided.

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