Posts Tagged Drug Rehabilitation

Fast Facts on Drug and Alcohol Detox

Posted by Drug Free in Alcohol Abuse, Drug Addiction, Drug Rehabilitation on October 3rd, 2011

The whole treatment process for alcohol and drug addiction all begins by detoxing. It may sound simple, but in reality, it takes a lot of effort and discipline.

drug detoxificationAny individual who wants to be sober again should first take out all the traces of drugs and alcohol in his body. But when a person’s system becomes dependent on these substances, getting rid of them completely becomes the hardest part in the process.

This is why there are detox centers and doctors who help out people in their quest to quit drugs or alcohol simply because doing it on one’s own can prove to be a challenge. The time it takes to completely clean out the body depends on how intoxicated a person is. It regularly takes about 3 days to 2 weeks to complete the process.

When detoxification takes place on alcoholics, symptoms like headaches, trembling, insomnia, loss of appetite, vomiting, and convulsions may happen. For the drug dependents, they could experience hallucinations, anxiety, sweating, confusion, cramps, and tremors. All these signs make detoxification a very inconvenient procedure and one that is going to take a lot of will and patience for both patients and the medical providers.

After the whole cleansing activity, it could be relatively easy for an individual to stay clean, at least when he’s in isolation. Yet when he goes back to his usual life, the pressure and the temptation could easily lead him back to where he was before. The best remedy for this is to avoid doing the things that one was used to while still an addict. If there is a need to change one’s lifestyle and the surrounding people, then it should be done. Learning to control one’s self is a key to prevent relapsing.

No Comments

Basic Components of Drug Rehabilitation

Posted by Drug Free in Drug Abuse Treatment, Drug Rehabilitation on April 30th, 2010

While we all know how a drug rehabilitation program can be very useful to a drug abuser, we must be aware that there are many methods of treatment being offered by different facilities these days. The decision then becomes a little more difficult than simply entering a rehabilitation center. A professional will be able to help determine which methods will work best for specific circumstances.

drug rehabNo matter what the rehabilitation program is, there are 3 basic components that must be included in it – detoxification, therapy and integration.

Detoxification aims to remove the toxins and chemicals in a drug abuser’s body. This may be the most painful phase in the program since the symptoms of withdrawal may be difficult to bear. The body has been used to the effects of the drugs and the absence of such drugs may lead to chills, vomiting, pain and hallucinations. Drug detoxification can be a lengthy process, and extreme patience is crucial.

Therapy is the process in which the patient tries to learn how to physically and mentally cope with the substance withdrawal. It is an important phase in the rehabilitation process as it is during this that the patient reconciles with his wrong decisions and resolves to avoid drugs.

During the integration phase, the patient prepares himself to go back to society and become a responsible, useful member of the community. This stage aims to help the patient avoid relapses while living a normal life outside the rehabilitation center.

No Comments

Why Drug Rehabilitation Programs Fail

Posted by Drug Free in Drug Abuse Treatment, Drug Rehabilitation on April 29th, 2010

Drug rehabilitation programs are not foolproof. Why does a drug rehabilitation program fail? These are the basic reasons.

1. Not carefully planned rehabilitation programs. Programs must fit the unique needs of every individual seeking treatment. The programs must follow general guidelines that have been tested and proven to work for many past patients, but must also also consider the special needs and circumstances of every new patient.

drug rehab2. Incompetent rehabilitation facility and facilitators. The success of rehabilitation programs heavily rely on how experienced and competent the facilitators and their working tools are. They will guide the patients on the road to recovery and their role is thus very critical.

3. Patient’s weak resolve to undergo treatment. No matter how carefully the program was planned and how competent the program facilitators are, it can fail if the patient himself is not willing to seek help. It is important for the patient to recognize the problem and work towards his full recovery. However, a patient’s willingness to undergo treatment is not a requirement. A drug abuser’s decision-making process may be impaired, and the intervention by family, friends or other groups will be very important.

4. Lack of support from family and friends. In this crucial time, the drug abuser would need all the support he can get. He will not be able to hold strongly to the program if he sees that not all family members or friends find the treatment useful or needed. A support group, composed of family members and friends, united to help the patient overcome drug abuse will be very helpful.

1 Comment

Staying Drug-Free After Rehab

Posted by Drug Free in Drug Rehabilitation on March 20th, 2010

Achieving total drug independence can be a lifelong battle. Often times, the toughest for all drug recovery patients would be the first few weeks after they get out of rehabilitation centers or programs. It is in these crucial weeks that they are tried and tested. Some of them go through it successfully, but there are some who fail the tests and go back to their old ways. Here are a few pointers on how to stay on the path to recovery:

drug freedomEnroll in Follow-Up Programs

Most rehabilitation centers have follow-up programs that aid the recovering patient even after they have been released from rehab. It is important that the patient do not feel complacent. Recovery is an ever-going process. These programs have support groups or counseling sessions that help a recovering addict to deal with the pressures or temptations of day-to-day living. Furthermore, it develops their inner strength to finally kick off the habit.

Make a Plan

Make an action plan just for you. Set new objectives for yourself even after the rehab program is finished. Seeing your road and making a path for yourself will help you visualize your success.

Re-invent your Lifestyle

Whatever your lifestyle was in the past when you used to take drugs, you should do a total revamp. You should let go of the old you and reinvent yourself according to your will to recovery. It’s time for you to evaluate your life and how you want to change things for the better. You should do healthy activities like exercising and adopting proper eating diets. Exercising keeps your mind and body from deteriorating, and eating right helps you keep a healthy body. Embrace your new self and be happy!

No Comments

Utilizing Behavioral Therapy as a Drug Rehabilitation Method

Posted by Drug Free in Drug Abuse Treatment, Drug Rehabilitation on November 12th, 2009

It is a well-known fact that drug abuse can result to high levels of social differentiation and discrimination. People reputed to be users tend to be outcast by those in the majority group, since drug use is not only discouraged, but also greatly frowned upon by most members of society. There are also those that seek medication for this condition by taking “soft” alternatives for their drugs in order to slowly eradicate it from their systems, but the social stigma will still remain.

drug abuserHence, the answer to this predicament is to utilize another form of therapy – in this case, behavioral therapy – to help those under the influence to look at the reasons for their drug addiction, as well as to help them cope in a society that once shunned them for their habit.

So how does behavioral therapy as a drug rehabilitation method help, especially since not everyone is willing to undergo treatment? To properly analyze this, we can look at the benefits that this therapy brings. One, it helps people cope with their sudden and sometimes violent cravings for drugs. It also helps them understand why they act the way they do during these moments, which is most important in establishing and reestablishing deeper ties with their family and friends, effectively improving their communication and, by extension, their social functionality.

Here, the advantages of behavioral therapy lie in its ability to help people cope with themselves as well as with society. But, sometimes, doing this individually has minimal effect on the rehabilitation process. Often, it is also effective to undergo group therapy, since this reinforces the individual’s confidence to finally kick the habit. Through group therapy, an individual realizes that there are other people who have gone through the same predicament.

While medications can help greatly in drug rehabilitation, it won’t be as effective without proper behavioral therapy. The two go together, and in terms of combating the stigma that goes along with being a drug user, behavioral therapy is critical.

5 Comments