You’ve worried about your loved one’s use of drugs and alcohol for so long. Finally, they’ve decided to seek help. That brings up a different concern about what to expect when your loved one is in addiction detox.
Drug and alcohol detox is the first step in recovery. It requires your loved one to make a hard break with the past. It is simply not practical or even possible to continue to drink or use drugs during rehab, as it will interfere with the stages still to come.
Wondering what to expect when a loved one is in addiction detox? You can expect they will be working harder than ever to become a better, healthier, all-around person.
What Is Detox About?
Detox is a fundamental building block in recovery from substance abuse and addiction. It’s based on the notion that continued substance abuse will interfere with key stages of treatment, and no progress can be made.
When you struggle with substance abuse, you effectively rewire your brain chemistry. Your body starts to depend on the chemicals you are adding from drugs and alcohol.
It’s when the drugs or alcohol wear off that your body reacts and responds. This begins the withdrawal phase, which is what drug detox seeks to address.
What to Expect When a Loved One Is in Addiction Detox
Withdrawal is the body’s statement that something’s not right. It’s crying out for more – more drugs, more alcohol. Without supplying more of those substances, the body begins to take one through withdrawal.
Symptoms of withdrawal can be mild or severe. Some can even be life-threatening. Common symptoms can include:
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Agitation or anxiety
- Sleeplessness
- Heart palpitations
- Hallucinations
- Seizures
In residential drug detox, doctors monitor your condition as you work through these symptoms. For instance, they will work to keep you hydrated to replace fluids lost from gastrointestinal issues by providing fluids.
What you can expect when a loved one is in addiction detox depends on different factors. Withdrawal looks different for every individual. It depends on the composition of our bodies as well as the type of compound at the heart of our substance abuse. Because drugs vary in the severity of the withdrawal symptoms, and the rate at which they wear off, there is no specific length of detox for everyone. Withdrawal, and detox, runs on its own schedule.
Don’t Fear Relapse
Substance abuse is a dangerous and incurable disease. One of the realities of treatment is that relapse may occur. So as you ponder what to expect after your loved one goes through addiction detox, note they may have to go through the process more than once. However, this does not mean detox or addiction treatment has failed.
The National Institute of Drug Abuse estimates that between 40 and 60 percent of people who complete rehab will relapse within the first year. It’s not a failure though — it’s just a measure of how difficult addiction is to push into remission.
If your loved one should relapse, don’t despair. Keep providing them with all the love and support you can, as they re-engage in their treatment considerations.
It’s important to note that part of the treatment is aftercare. Aftercare services provide your loved one with follow-up counseling and opportunities to participate in 12-step programs for support. Encourage them to take advantage of these resources.
Loving Support and Excellent Care
Someone you love has decided to take the decisive step of entering rehab. The first stage is a tricky one that can make you worry about what to expect for your loved one during detox.
If you’re partnering with Midwest Detox Center you can expect top-notch care based on the latest evidence-based addiction medicine. Our treatment staff expertly oversee your loved one through the difficult process of withdrawal in our drug detox programs. From there you may participate in the next stages of recovery.
Your worry about your loved one is understandable. We’ve got you covered. Contact us at 833.647.0392 today to understand more about the detox process.
