Committing to a detox center and an addiction recovery plan can be scary. No one wants to expose themselves to judgment, change their lifestyle, or pay tons of money for no reason.
And while detox centers, fortunately, do not deal in judgment, lifestyle changes, or high fees, people assume that they do out of fear. So, let’s work to dispel some of that fear. Here are some of the top 10 frequently asked questions we get on our website about detox centers.
Table of Contents
What is a Detox Center?
A detox center is the place you go to get treatment for drug and alcohol addiction. “Detox” is shot for “detoxification”, which describes the process of ridding your body of the chemical waste produced by long term substance abuse. This is a critical step to recovery from addiction.
However, not every hospital is going to have access to the comprehensive care necessary to deal with this process. Detox centers are highly specialized in providing exactly that care.
Do You Have to Live in a Detox Center?
Many people are under the impression that detox center and rehabs are the same thing. There is a lot of overlap, and you can choose to have an extended stay at a detox center either if you want to or if your doctor believes that your withdrawal will be bad enough to warrant it.
But you do not have to live in a detox center if you do not want to.
Why Live in a Detox Center?
Once people know that they have the option of living in a detox center or not, they begin to evaluate why it might be good for them. The reason most people stay in detox centers during the worst of their detox is because some detox symptoms can be deadly.
If you have seizures or a heart condition, then detox can make these things bad enough to kill you. Detox centers provide around-the-clock medical intervention.
Why Not Live in a Detox Center?
And of course, there are reasons to not live in a detox center as well. The simple answer is that most people want to live as normally as they can. No matter how necessary it is, nobody likes recovering from addiction while it’s happening.
Living away from a detox center, being able to go to work more easily, and not feeling like you’re being watched are all the benefits of not living in a detox center.
Of course, these are all psychological upsides for the most part. But those are important.
How Long Should Someone Stay in a Detox Center?
The longest that most people need to stay in a detox center is a month. Two weeks is the most common stay, though if an addict recovers quickly, it can be as short as three days. A three-day stay is unlikely though, as most doctors will be more cautious than that.
The reason for these lengths of stay is because most detoxes last about two weeks. Only the really serious addictions will require a month of detox though.
Is Addiction Over After Staying at a Detox Center?
No, just because your stay at a detox center is over, that does not mean you are through fighting addiction. The big problem with addiction is that it invades so much of a person’s life.
Dealing with addiction means handling the medical aspects to keep your body healthy, but you also have to clean up the impact it had on your mind, not to mention the environment and social consequences. All of this can result in a relapse if you are not careful as well.
What Services Does a Detox Center Offer?
So far, we have talked rather broadly about what detox centers provide you with. We have mentioned medical care, but not what kind of medical care. Let’s narrow it down.
Detox centers offer medications for enduring withdrawal. That usually means mild painkillers, but it can include everything from heart medication to antipsychotic drugs.
At the same time, they also offer counseling. Don’t underestimate the mental burden that addiction does to you. It will leave you feeling guilty, alienated, and in all other ways depressed. Counseling can help you deal with that.
Are Any of Those Services Mandatory?
It is possible that every component of recovery that a detox center offers you is offensive to you. You can dislike medications, rebuke monitoring, and neglect therapy. Will you still recover? Probably not. But are you allowed to reject any and all outside help? Absolutely.
No single part of recovery is obligated by a detox center. They will not kick you out for refusing everything except the medications. Though remember, they are the professionals there.
Are Electronics Allowed in Detox Centers?
In order to keep people’s lives from being disrupted, most detox centers are not going disallow electronics like phones, tablets, and laptops from being used during treatment.
In general, you can expect a detox center not to make rules about how you deal with your withdrawal. If your phone helps you, then they won’t stop you from using it. If junk food helps you, then eat whatever you want. It’s all about dealing with addiction.
Are Detox Centers Expensive?
One of the greatest reliefs a person can feel when dealing with their addiction is learning that detox centers are designed to be affordable. Addiction recovery treatment is also covered under medical insurance by law in most states, and still covered even in states without the laws.
Conclusion
Addiction recovery is one of the hardest battles a person can fight. But you don’t have to fight it alone. In fact, you shouldn’t; if you are here reading this article, then you are probably uncertain about what a detox center provides and whether it is right for you or a loved one.
But there is no way to deal with addiction without help. So, seek help today.
