Patients struggling with a drug addiction can turn their lives around, but doing so may require more than one stop along the way. Often, it takes a combination of drug detox and rehab to achieve successful sobriety, and those two steps may take place in different locations. The majority of patients who ultimately achieve success in rehabilitation start with a drug detox program and then move on to a separate rehab facility.
Drug Detox Can Focus on the Physiological Side of Recovery
It’s common for people to refer to rehab as a catch-all where addicted individuals can go to achieve sobriety. In reality, however, rehab isn’t the first step. To begin the process of recovery, patients with an addiction need to start at a drug detox.
A detox facility is the place where patients can deal with the immediate physical side effects of abstaining from drugs. Withdrawal symptoms can begin to kick in just hours after the last dosage of drugs, which means that patients need access to medical attention and the right resources to handle these often uncomfortable symptoms. Once the physiological withdrawal symptoms have been managed safely during detox, patients can move to a rehab facility to continue with their recovery.
Medical Professionals Can Focus on Their Area of Expertise
Staff at drug detox and rehab facilities are experts in their fields, and it makes sense to visit separate facilities so that professionals can focus on their areas of expertise. At a detox facility, staff are trained to deal with withdrawal symptoms, and they know what kind of symptoms to expect with specific drug addictions, as well as how best to treat those symptoms.
At rehab facilities, on the other hand, professionals on the staff may be more focused on therapy and treatment. Rather than being experts on combating nausea or insomnia during a withdrawal, rehab therapists are trained in things like creating coping strategies, rebuilding relationships with family members and revealing underlying trauma through dual diagnosis treatment.
Drug Detox and Rehab Have Very Different Goals for Patients
Ultimately, the goals of a drug detox facility and a rehab facility are very different. In detox, the goal is to help patients handle withdrawal from drugs in a safe environment. In rehab, the goal is to break the emotional, mental and psychological ties of a drug addiction. By separating those two goals, patients have a greater chance at being successful at both.
The Importance of Both Drug Detox and Rehab
To achieve lasting sobriety, enrolling in detox and rehab programs is crucial. Trying to quit cold turkey can be dangerous, and it also greatly increases the chance of relapse. To find successful rehabilitation, enlisting the help of professionals can go a long way.
Detox and rehab can sometimes be most effective when they take place in separate facilities. Contact Serenity House Detox & Recovery in Florida at 1-866-294-5306 to take back control over your life and get on the path toward beating your drug addiction.
