Detoxification is one of the first and sometimes most difficult steps in the drug rehab process. To enter a treatment program sober, you must allow your body to withdraw from the chemical substance, and that can be hard. Why is supervised drug detox the best way to go?
Your Brain on Drugs
When a person uses a drug, it has an impact on the chemical processes of the brain, specifically on the reward center. It is the area of the brain that provides a good feeling when you do certain things.
By design, the reward center of the brain encourages you to do things that promote your survival and the survival of the species. You get a feeling of euphoria thanks to a chemical messenger called dopamine. You do something important like exercise, and the brain releases dopamine to make you feel good.
Certain drugs, like opioids, for example, interfere with this process. Opioids can mimic dopamine, so you get the euphoria even though you didn’t exercise. After a while, the brain starts to think you need the drug just like you need exercise. It develops a dependence on that drug.
What Does It Mean to Detox?
The way drugs alter brain chemistry is why addiction is a disease. When you have a dependence on chemical substances, and you stop using, the body responds with uncomfortable and often dangerous side effects. You go through withdrawal.
Detox is that period of unbalance. Your brain thinks you need the drug, and when you don’t get it, its chemistry becomes chaotic. The disturbance in the brain is what makes you feel sick.
Why Supervised Detox Matters?
There are two key aspects to supervised detox: comfort and protection. When you detox in a supervised environment, people are there to make sure you are comfortable. They provide comfort and care that will help diminish some of the harsh withdrawal symptoms, such as:
- Nausea
- Chills
- Fever
- Agitation
- Muscle pain
They are also there to provide medical treatment for life-threatening side effects of drug detox like seizures or delirium tremens (DTs).
What to Expect in Supervised Drug Detox
You’ll stay in a supervised environment with addiction and medical specialists for up to 10 days. During this time, they provide you with care and medication to help ease the symptoms of withdrawal. Once complete, you can transition to a primary treatment program free from drugs and alcohol.
San Antonio Recovery Center provides detox specific to your needs, such as gender-specific detox. We offer unique drug detox for those with heroin or alcohol use disorders, for instance.
At San Antonio Research Center, besides supervised detox, we offer:
- Affordability
- 90-day treatment programs
- Dual diagnosis treatment
- Evidence-based therapies
- Residential treatment
We believe that proper drug treatment requires a spectrum of treatment approaches. It’s never a one-size-fits-all process. We provide individualized care plans along with treatment for the whole person. We work to meet your medical, mental health, and spiritual needs.
San Antonio Recovery Center also follows a 12-step philosophy when creating care plans. We focus on helping you identify the behaviors that can lead to drug use and changing them.
Because we understand that drug addiction impacts the whole household, we encourage family involvement in treatment, too. Family is often the primary support system after you leave rehab, so the more they understand addiction, the better.
It all starts with a supervised drug detox program, though. It’s the first step in a recovery journey designed to support a lifetime of sobriety.
Don’t let the fear of detox keep you from getting the help you need. Give us a call today at San Antonio Recovery Center. You can reach us at 866.957.7885.
