What would it look like for you to surrender your life to sobriety? Would you be alright with your current living situation changing? Would you be ready to open your mind to difficult feelings bubbling up to the surface surrounding addiction and substance abuse? Would you be prepared to take full responsibility for your actions and be ready to put efforts forward to make amends with the people you have hurt along the way? Committing to detox – often the first step in treatment – is a serious and intense decision you have to be 100% sure you are ready to make.
What Is Detox?
In theory, detoxification is simple. It is a process of refraining from ingesting drugs or alcohol and allowing the body to rid all current substances from its system. The result of detox is that the body no longer depends on these substances and can now function again on its own – your body is finding its new levels of homeostasis without drugs or alcohol.
Without these substances to aid the body with its daily function, withdrawal symptoms occur. The most common withdrawal symptoms include rapid heartbeat, insomnia, confusion, uncontrollable shaking, a rise in body temperature, physical pain, anxiety, and depression. Withdrawal symptoms will vary depending on what substance you have been using, how long you have been using it, how much you regularly use, and any existing health conditions.
Detox Is the First Step in Sobriety
Becoming overwhelmed by the idea of detox is common, and that is why there is a plethora of help waiting for you. There are ways to manage withdrawal symptoms and make them as tolerable as possible. For example, at an inpatient detox facility, medical staff is available 24/7 to provide medications and help you through the withdrawal process.
Detox is the first step many people must take on their path to sobriety, and just because you have gone through detox, it does not mean you are cured. Detox and substance abuse treatment are different. After detoxing, it is recommended to seek care from a treatment facility to properly treat the actual addiction and the underlying issues that led to substance abuse in the first place. At 449 Recovery, we have professionals ready and willing to help you find yourself again.
Making the Decision to Quit
The first step of sobriety can be the most challenging to overcome: quitting the use of drugs and alcohol. Making the decision to get and stay sober requires you to admit that your life has become unmanageable in active addiction, and you need to make drastic changes. You will need to take full accountability for your actions and understand that the path you were taking was detrimental. You will need the most support you have ever needed from those in your life.
Stages of Withdrawal
Shortly after you commit to giving up your life of substance abuse, the withdrawal symptoms will start to set in. You may feel like you made a mistake and want to revert to your old ways in order to escape the discomfort. However, this is a pivotal moment in your recovery, and you must push forward with detoxing.
After your first stage of withdrawal symptoms, they may continue to intensify. The craving to submerge yourself back into your addiction may grow tremendously, and your physical and mental health may decline further. It’s important to remember that you can make it through to the other side of addiction; you are worth the work it takes to better your life. Keep your loved ones close, and lean on them for support as well as medical professionals.
If you have made it to this next stage, your symptoms are at the highest they have ever been, but it means that you are almost at the end. You got this! You are nearing completion. You have done the brunt of the hard work and have shown yourself as well as everyone else that you have what it takes to stop using drugs and alcohol.
Detox Is Not Always Easy
It can take an immense amount of physical and mental strength to endure detox, but if you make it to the other side, you can make it through anything. Seeking the help of a medical professional during detox is a necessity. Withdrawal symptoms can be dangerous and even life-threatening, and inpatient detox can make sure you are comfortable and safe.
After you complete detox, your brain will still be adjusting to its new normal and discovering how it will function without substances. This is a fragile and vulnerable time for your body. Attending substance abuse treatment after detox can help you get through this time and learn ways to continue your sobriety journey.
Are you ready to take the leap into sobriety? If so, you may need to detox. Detox is the first step in recovery for many people, where they rid their bodies of drugs and alcohol to prepare themselves for their next steps in recovery. Once detox is complete, treatment can truly begin. If you or a loved one are struggling with co-occurring addiction and mental health disorders, 449 Recovery is here to help. After completing detox, our facility can help you learn to live life without the use of drugs and alcohol. Through our various evidence-based treatments, we are prepared to help you overcome the struggles that led you to substance abuse in the first place. 449 Recovery focuses on helping you heal in a safe, family-oriented environment as we provide care for the whole person: body, mind, and spirit. To learn more, call us today at (949) 435-7449.
