Alcohol and drug addiction are diseases that change the way you think. It leads to an inability to control you or your loved one’s behavior, and you may find it hard to stop even though it’s causing you harm.
However, you shouldn’t lose hope. Like all diseases, it’s possible to get medical treatment. You can start recovery through drug & alcohol detox!
Medical Detoxification program (medical detox) is the first step to addressing a drug disorder. It lets you better manage withdrawal symptoms. What’s more, you can increase your chances of success by working with professionals!
Read on to learn more about drug & alcohol detox at Long Island Treatment Center.
Table of Contents
- Understanding the Role of Detox in Addiction Treatment
- The Difference Between Drug and Alcohol Detox Programs
- Overview of Long Island Treatment Center
- 5 Components of Drug and Alcohol Detox Programs at Long Island Treatment Center
- Life During Detox at Long Island Treatment Center
- Transitioning From Detox to Continued Treatment
- Our Success Stories
- Conclusion
Understanding the Role of Detox in Addiction Treatment
Why is detox necessary in addiction treatment?
Simply put, detoxification is the process of ridding your body of any substances. This is vital because it lets you wean off drugs in the least painful way.
Drugs and alcohol act like the neurotransmitters of your brain’s reward system. They make you feel good but also make it hard for you to do regular activities.
Once you’re addicted, stopping can bring an onslaught of withdrawal symptoms. In addition to flu-like symptoms, you may encounter the following during withdrawal:
- Depression
- Muscle pain
- Shakiness and tremors
- Difficulty sleeping
- Vomiting and nausea
- Delirium tremens
- Increase in heart rate
The physical side effects make it hard to quit. Plus, some of these symptoms may even lead to life-threatening emergencies!
Managing Withdrawal Symptoms
Some people can stop drug abuse abruptly and deal with withdrawal symptoms alone. This is dangerous because you can develop possible complications!
You should get support, care, and medications from medically trained professionals. A treatment center can respond to your individual needs and watch your condition.
Seeking medical help will keep you safe, and you can get a personalized plan that will minimize your specific symptoms.
The Difference Between Drug and Alcohol Detox Programs
No two drugs are the same, and there are varying ways to treat different substances. For instance, acamprosate and disulfiram are medications for alcohol abuse. Meanwhile, methadone is better for opioids.
Personal factors can affect the treatment program as well. The detox program for seniors isn’t the same as rehab for young adults.
Moreover, people with comorbid PTSD are harder to treat than those with substance abuse disorder alone. Some of the challenges lie in patient self-destructiveness and determining appropriate treatment options.
In short, each detox program is personalized to an individual. It’s best to consult an expert who can address the unique challenges!
The Alcohol Detox Program
Alcohol withdrawal tends to cause anxiety, insomnia, and shaking.
You may experience seizures and hallucinations within 72 hours of your last intake. However, the substance should be out of your system within a week.
Our alcohol detox program tackles these symptoms through inpatient or outpatient alcohol treatment plans. We offer talk therapy, pharmaceutical therapy, and nutritional counseling, among others.
You can also receive treatment for kidney and liver damage.
The Drug Detox Program
Drug detoxes typically last longer than alcohol detoxes.
For severe addictions to opiates, heroin, cocaine, and meth, it could take months before it’s out of your system!
Naturally, treatment is different from alcohol detox. You may get long-term drug rehab program, partial hospitalization programs, and intensive outpatient programs.
Your doctor will recommend the best program for your circumstances.
Overview of Long Island Treatment Center
Why should you consider visiting the Long Island Treatment Center? Here’s what you should know.
- Our teams are led by board-certified psychiatry and addiction medicine doctors.
- We’re recognized for excellence in behavioral health treatment and human services by the Joint Commission.
- The Long Island Treatment Center facility has a serene environment, and we have branches all over New York City.
- We’re an OASAS-certified part 822 facility. We follow the high standards of treatment planning and other programs.
Our mission is to give our patients the tools to achieve lifelong sobriety. We aim to provide customized care and let our clients focus on recovery in a safe environment.
We believe that recovery is possible for everyone. No matter your background, we’ll treat you with inclusion and love.
Plus, we have alumni communities that are passionate about connection and growth!
Our Approach to Drug and Alcohol Detox
Recovery can vary depending on each individual. This is why the approach to drug and alcohol detox at Long Island Treatment Center involves personalized plans.
These plans consider a patient’s circumstances to address both mental health issues and physical. We can adjust treatment based on your needs and financial capacity.
Our trained medical team is highly involved in drug detoxification (detox process) to provide you with a successful path to recovery from drug use, alcohol addiction, and other occurring disorders.
Lastly, each patient experiences a safe and compassionate environment to achieve sobriety, which causes substance use disorder.
5 Components of Drug and Alcohol Detox Programs at Long Island Treatment Center
A good detox program should include treatment for severe withdrawal symptoms and post-acute withdrawal.
Acute withdrawal is your immediate reaction to stopping the consumption of a substance. Meanwhile, post-acute withdrawal and cravings can linger for months after the drug is gone from your system.
These five components of detox programs at Long Island Treatment Center help you through both issues.
1. Detailed Assessment
Assessment is a way for us to identify the presence of a substance abuse problem. Through a detailed assessment, your therapist can see the nature of the disease and determine the best type of treatment.
This is important since you get your specific needs met, and it gives you the best chance of an easy recovery.
The good news is our team uses standardized tools and protocols during the assessment process! These tools allow us to sensitively get accurate results.
2. Continuous Monitoring
Once you start the detox, our team will conduct continuous monitoring of your physical and mental state.
Withdrawal is often underestimated and poorly monitored. This puts you in a potentially dangerous situation.
We mentioned that alcohol withdrawal can lead to seizures and hallucinations. Yet, it can get worse for other drugs. According to the Society for the Study of Addiction, opioid withdrawal can lead to death in certain cases.
At Long Island Treatment Center, we do continuous monitoring to keep all our patients safe and happy!
3. Medical Detoxification
For some drugs, it’s better to do a slow detox versus the cold turkey method. A medical professional can tell you the right steps to get the substance out of your system.
To give you an idea of the process, doctors may intervene to help reduce your symptoms during detox. They can take your blood pressure and provide emergency care.
Treatment facilities can counsel you. Plus, if your case is severe, you can expect to receive medication or supplements.
With help from medical staff, the detoxification process makes withdrawal easier to cope with.
4. Emotional and Psychological Support
Having support is the best way to get through post-acute withdrawal. This is because the state of your mind can influence your chances of succeeding through detoxification.
What’s interesting is research shows addressing psychological issues raises your chance of having a safe detox. It also increases the likelihood that you’ll take part in further treatment.
Our staff provides emotional and psychological support during the detox. We help you stay motivated through the hard days!
5. Nutritional Support and Physical Well-Being
Did you know that people who don’t meet physical activity guidelines are more likely to use risky substances?
Food and exercise are integral parts of drug and alcohol detox. You can have a faster SUD recovery from having good physical well-being!
If you’re participating in our hospitalization programs, we make sure you get delicious and nutritious meals.
What’s more, regular exercise can serve as a stand-in for addictive substances in our brains. Luckily, we have a range of fun activities you can do in our facilities as well!
Life During Detox at Long Island Treatment Center
What does living at the Long Island Treatment Center during detox look like? Let’s find out!
Daily Activities
First, we have plenty of exciting daily activities to keep you occupied during detox.
You’ll enjoy a healthy breakfast and then go to group meetings like yoga, exercise, or guided meditation. You may also get called in for a talking session with a therapist.
After lunch, you’ll have cognitive behavioral therapy or dialectical behavioral therapy. There’s also art therapy, music therapy, and other fitness activities.
Lastly, you can eat a hearty dinner, attend 12-step meetings, or have some free time. We’ll encourage you to get enough sleep so you can start the next day feeling energized!
Accommodations and Facilities
Our facility and accommodations are tailor-fit so you can feel comfortable during your detox.
To add to this, traveling to our location is convenient. We have branches all around New York City, so you can stay close to your work or home.
Our environment is calming, bright, and serene. You can have a private space to heal at Long Island Treatment Center.
Peer Support
Peer support is an exchange of assistance from people with the same circumstances.
Studies show that peer support lowers substance abuse and increases engagement during detox. It reduces your cravings and makes you more self-sufficient!
This is why you’ll receive plenty of peer support throughout your day here at Long Island Treatment Center!
Transitioning From Detox to Continued Treatment
If you recall, we discussed that detox is the first step to recovery. After ridding your body of dangerous substances, it’ll be time for continued treatment!
Continuing care is an effective way to further cut your post-acute withdrawal symptoms. It lowers your risk of relapse through support and other resources!
Since this type of treatment is less intensive than detox, it’s essential to have a seamless transition between the two. You get more freedom to live your life, and we ensure you can cope with your new environment.
Here are some activities that you may encounter during continued treatment:
- Mentoring and life counseling
- Job training
- Group and family therapy sessions
On Sober Living
Perhaps the best way to get used to life after treatment is by staying at a transitional house.
Transitional houses, or sober living homes, give you a safe space outside our facility. This’ll allow you to adjust from rehab and help you to integrate into society.
Long Island Treatment Center has tie-ups with accredited sober living homes to ensure you’re in good hands. We have homes for women, LGBTQ+, and young adults. Luxury houses and family-friendly houses are available as well!
Our Success Stories
Is it worth your time to come to our facility? Yes, it is!
We welcome all the graduates from Long Island Treatment Center to an alumni program. This strong community continues to get together for support and engagement.
Activities include virtual meetings and yearly events. Through these events, you can experience camaraderie and meet other individuals who are clean and sober!
Still not convinced if you should get a drug and alcohol detox? Here are some examples of success stories from Long Island Treatment Center.
- April DiGiulio says coming to our facility changed her life for the better. She recounts the kindness she received and now lives the life she deserves!
- Joel came into our facility without the intention to stay. However, after giving it a try, he continued with treatment and received the support he needed.
- According to Nathan, the staff and counselors are attentive and genuine. He felt nervous coming in at first but soon felt right at home.
- Laurie says at present, she lives a life of gratitude and peace. She’s recreated herself with help from Long Island Treatment Center, and she’s happy with who she is now!
Conclusion
Why is drug & alcohol detox important?
The quick answer is it’ll allow you to rid your system of harmful substances. Medically assisted detox keeps you safe and increases your chances of success and stabilization!
If you need assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us through our helpline. We have a safe environment for people from all walks of life. You’ll surely find a home in the Long Island Treatment Center, a healthcare provider and rehab center specializing in detoxification and substance abuse treatment.
References
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/drug-addiction/symptoms-causes/syc-20365112
- https://www.addictioncenter.com/rehab-questions/how-long-does-detox/
- https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/addiction/addiction-detox-what-to-know
- https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-withdrawal-how-long-does-it-last-63036
- https://nida.nih.gov/videos/why-are-drugs-so-hard-to-quit
- https://www.samhsa.gov/medications-substance-use-disorders
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2845168/
- https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/addiction/alcohol-withdrawal-symptoms-treatments
- https://www.qualitycheck.org/quality-report/?bsnId=674227
- https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/post-acute-withdrawal-syndrome
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK83253/
- https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/add.13512
- https://www.verywellmind.com/what-to-expect-from-a-drug-detox-5703613
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK64110/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4831948/
- https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/addiction/exercise-help-addiction-recovery
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5047716/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7813220/
Further Reading
If you want to learn more about addiction and detoxification, you can look through these articles!
- Alcoholism Treatment
- Addiction Interventions
- Medication-Assisted Treatment
- Relapse Prevention
- Aftercare