After you finish a drug detox program, you’ll probably experience a powerful mix of emotions: hope, anticipation, fear, grief or even anger. Once the drugs have been eliminated from your system, you’ll have a lot of work to do as you look forward to a future of sobriety. Professional rehabilitation programs are equipped to help you change the habits and thought patterns that encouraged your addiction.
As you learn how to cope with the stressors and social situations of the real world, your addiction treatment team can give you the support you need to stay abstinent. At the same time, your loved ones can learn how to help you avoid a relapse by attending counseling sessions and support groups on addiction. The more help you get in the days after detox, the greater your chances of staying on track with your goals in the months and years ahead.
Is Detox Enough to Keep Me Sober?
Drug detoxification can take place in a lot of different settings: hospitals, private rehab centers, mental health facilities, public health clinics or jails. Some people choose to go through detox independently at home. But going through detox alone can be scary and unpleasant, even dangerous. The more resources you have to make the detoxification experience safe and comfortable, the more likely you are to complete this cleansing process successfully.
Not everyone who gets through detox goes on to complete a comprehensive rehab program. However, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) advises that individuals who attend a long-term treatment program are more likely to stay clean than those who don’t. In fact, the NIDA reports that addicts who go through detox without any rehab treatment are almost as likely to relapse as those who don’t go through detox at all.
Rehabilitation programs provide a lot of relapse prevention resources that aren’t available in the detox stage. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime lists the following core elements of a drug rehab program:
- Individual psychotherapy
- Behavioral modification counseling
- Anti-addiction medication to help control cravings
- Self-help support groups
- Social services and vocational counseling
- Education on the health risks of drug abuse
- Aftercare programs to support your abstinence after rehab
Addiction professionals and mental health specialists agree that detoxification in itself isn’t a long-term solution for addiction. Detox is only the first step in a healing process that can last a lifetime. If you’re committed to building a stable, sober future, rehabilitation is the best way to go about creating the life you want.
What Rehab Options Are Available?
Drug rehab programs are available at inpatient treatment centers, hospitals, outpatient facilities and long-term residential communities. Sober living homes and transitional housing programs are available for recovering addicts who need a secure, structured environment after rehab.
The length of a rehab program will vary from one treatment center to another. Intensive rehab programs may last from two weeks to 30 days, while long-term residential programs may last from 90 days to six months. A study published in the Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment showed that cocaine users who participated in long-term programs lasting six months or more had lower relapse rates, higher employment rates and less criminal involvement than addicts who attended short-term rehabs.
When you’re ready to enter a rehab program, an intake specialist will help you decide which level of care is right for you. Your choice of a treatment plan will be based on a combination of factors, including:
- Your history of substance abuse
- Your physical and/or psychological health
- Your psychosocial needs
- Your previous experiences with rehab
- Your financial resources
Once you’ve completed a rehabilitation program, your treatment center should continue to offer support in the form of aftercare services like counseling, life coaching, self-help support groups or job placement assistance.
What Does the Future Hold for Me?
Getting through detox may be one of the biggest challenges you’ve ever confronted. At the same time, the period after drug detox can be one of the most exciting times of your life. Many addicts report that they feel a new sense of hope and a renewed faith in their personal potential after they make it through detoxification. Rehab gives you the tools you need to fulfill this sense of hope in the months ahead.
Here at Axis, we offer inpatient and outpatient rehab programs that can help you overcome the disease of addiction. If you’re committed to building a more positive life for yourself and the people you love, call our intake team to talk about our exclusive treatment options.
