Drug Detox in The Woodlands, TX

If you are addicted to drugs and you would like to quit, you deserve to feel good about your decision. It's important to do it right, however. Many who get this far seize upon the idea of trying to quit on their own. According to experts in drug detox in The Woodlands, this isn't a particularly sensible idea. In many cases, attempts to beat addiction on one's own, rather than with the help of professional drug detox, does nothing more than to lead a good attempt to failure.

What is Drug Detox?

Detox is short for detoxification, a term coined decades ago when a purge of the system was thought to be a necessary part of quitting addiction. At the time, it was thought that addiction came about through the presence of toxins brought to the intestines by drug use. Treatment for addiction consisted of starving the addict in the hope of purging or detoxifying the system. Modern scientific understanding has proven these ideas to be completely misguided. Nevertheless, the term "detoxification" has stuck.

In the modern context, the term detoxification is used to describe the process of tapering off to help an addict come off addictive substances. When the addicted brain is denied the drugs that it is used to, it responds with serious symptoms over several days, during which period it adjusts to functioning without drugs. The addict may experience anything from flu-like headaches and body aches to insomnia and depression. Epileptic convulsions, delirium tremens and cardiac arrest may follow, as well. These effects can be lethal in some cases.

According to experts at the our center for drug detox in The Woodlands, the natural detoxification process is both painful and dangerous. In most cases, the discomfort turns out to be so great that the addict gives up on the idea of reaching for sobriety, and simply returns to drug use. There are risks involved in taking the painful route out of addiction, other than the possibility of death due to cardiac arrest. When the brain is put through painful symptoms such as epileptic convulsions or seizures, it can have a permanent effect on the brain that makes it much harder for the addict to stay sober, long-term. It is a phenomenon known as kindling and it presents an unacceptable risk.

Detoxification As the Most Effective Method

Drug detox is the method for drug withdrawal treatment in The Woodlands under medical supervision that is offered to addicts quitting drugs. Specialists watch the addict for the appearance of discomfort or dangerous symptoms, and use a variety of medications to help. For the patient who experiences hallucinations, seizures and agitation, benzodiazepines can help. Cardiac arrest can be prevented through the application of medications to stabilize blood pressure.

Cravings are handled with methadone and naltrexone. Just as importantly, the drug detox process includes therapy. Addiction is far more a phenomenon of the mind than it is one of the physical brain or body. It takes tremendous amounts of willpower, focus and motivation for an addict to go through the process of drug detox without wanting to cheat or quit. Therapy can play a significant role in ensuring the success of an attempt to quit drugs.

Choosing Between Inpatient and Outpatient Drug Detox

Drug treatment centers or rehabs that offer drug detox as an outpatient program are technically able to achieve the same results as inpatient centers; they offer the same medications and the same therapy. Many addicts will prefer the outpatient drug rehab option simply because it tends to be far more affordable. While it is an acceptable alternative for those who simply cannot put their lives on hold for a couple of weeks to attend inpatient rehab in The Woodlands, it shouldn't be the choice of those who can afford this kind of time.

Inpatient drug detox centers offer a close, supportive environment that helps the detoxification process in many ways. Placed in a drug-free environment, there is little scope for stress or cheating. It can help patients simply to give up the idea of sneaking hit, and focus on getting better.

With supportive staff, medical professionals and therapists attending to each patient day and night, the support can be a great boost to patient engagement. Inpatient rehab is the only approach that makes sense for any addiction that is complicated by the presence of a mental disorder or poor motivation. For everyone else too, it should be considered the most desirable option if it is at all possible.

If you would like to consider accepting drug detox, we'd like you to call us at our center for drug detox in The Woodlands to speak to one of our experts. You can learn a great deal about the best way to proceed. Call us at (877) 804-1531.