What Happens After Drug Detox

Drug detox is the first step in addiction recovery. After detox, you’ll begin a residential treatment program where we incorporate a variety of therapies to help you receive the support you need to become sober. Learn more about what to expect with the detox process and residential treatment program.

What is Detox?

Detox enables your body to physically withdraw from drugs. When you abuse drugs or alcohol for an extended period of time, your brain and body become used to functioning with those substances in your system. When you stop using them, your brain reacts by trying to keep your body in that heightened state. This is what causes the withdrawal symptoms to occur. The detoxprocess, while temporary, can be very uncomfortable and the symptoms can potentially become dangerous. When you detox at a professional addiction treatment facility and drug detox program, you’ll be in a safe environment to ensure everything goes smoothly.

What Happens During Detox?

Once the detox process begins, you might experience all of the below withdrawal symptoms or just some of them. Symptoms often begin within the first 24 to 48 hours from when you last used the drug (depending on the type of drug you’ve been using) and tend to peak around 72 hours.

Withdrawal Symptoms

Withdrawal symptoms can range from mild to severe withdrawal symptoms and include a variety of the following:

• Shaking
• Sweating
• Vomiting
• Nausea
• Stomach cramps
• Anxiety
• Irritability
• Depression
• Seizures
• Hallucinations
• And many others

Detox at a medical detox center enables you to be safely monitored by medical staff while going through the detox and withdrawal symptoms. If an issue should arise, the team is available to immediately respond and provide you with the help needed. Medications can also be prescribed to help reduce the effect of withdrawal symptoms.

How Long Does Detox Last?

The detox process typically lasts up to one week, depending on the severity of the addiction, the type of substance used, the dosages that were taken, and the duration of the drug and/or alcohol abuse.

What Happens After Detox?

What happens after the drug and alcohol detox process is you’ll begin inpatient rehab. This means you’ll live on-site at our treatment facility where you’ll receive 24/7 support and care. In the first several weeks and months of detoxing, it’s common to experience cravings to use drugs or alcohol again. This is why detox alone isn’t enough for addiction treatment. It’s important to understand your addiction, which specific triggers you have for using, and to learn new ways of living and coping with the stressors in life without the use of substances.

Behavioral Therapy During Inpatient Rehab

During your inpatient treatment program, you’ll receive a variety of behavioral therapies to help you identify and change any harmful behaviors. These therapies can include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), and others. You’ll also receive treatment for any co-occurring mental health conditions that might be contributing to your addiction. This can include anxiety, depression, PTSD, eating disorders, and many others. Therapy will take place in the form of:

• Individual therapy
• Group therapy
• Family therapy

You’ll also be able to participate in therapies and activities that further provide you with a sense of grounding, including:

• Art therapy
• Yoga
• Music therapy
• Exercise
• Tai chi
• Culinary therapy

Inpatient Treatment vs. Outpatient Treatment After Detox

After your medically supervised detox for drug abuse, you might be curious if you should begin an inpatient treatment program or an outpatient program. While both might provide assistance with addiction recovery, there are some significant differences (and therefore levels of effectiveness) between the two programs.  An outpatient program means you do not live on-site, but rather live at home and attend therapy sessions at a treatment facility during the day. If you are someone who is participating in a rehab program for the first time or depending on the severity of your addiction and mental health concerns, an outpatient program will not provide you with the support you need. This might also put you at a higher risk of relapse.  An inpatient program provides you with a wide variety of support and care that you need in those first weeks and months of recovery. You’ll be in a nurturing environment that is judgment-free to help increase your chances of life-long sobriety. After completing an inpatient program, some people choose to then join various levels of an outpatient one.

Start Your Addiction Treatment Today at Luxe Treatment Center

At Luxe Treatment Center, we focus on utilizing evidence-based humanistic therapies and treatment plans that take a whole-person approach with our clients, rather than simply treating people with substance abuse. If you’re ready to take the next step toward drug and alcohol addiction recovery, our team is here to help you begin healing.