You know you need to do something about your substance abuse problem. But, should you tackle it on your own or go to a treatment center?
While you may have heard successful stories of people quitting drugs on their own, this isn’t always the best option. In fact, this option can be downright dangerous. Read on to learn 4 reasons why going to detox is so important.
1. Withdrawal Can Be Dangerous
Drugs cause changes within the chemical pathways of your brains. And sometimes, these changes can be life-threatening.
For example, if some people take certain medication, and then suddenly stop, they may develop seizures. Benzodiazepine is one such example of a drug that can cause this.
And, according to an article published in the Journal of the Oklahoma State Medical Association, these seizures can even take place in people who were using the drug strictly for therapeutic purposes, and not abusing it at all.
Bottom line: you never know what will happen when you go cold turkey off of substances. It is always much safer to have physicians around who can care for you should something life-threatening happen.
2. Education Can Help Ease Your Distress
For many people, withdrawal is the toughest part of the recovery process, and it can often feel endless. Sometimes, the pain can be so severe that it feels like you are going to be spending the rest of your life in discomfort.
If you are in this situation and you are at home, there’s a high likelihood you won’t have the energy to hop on the internet and read articles assuring you that the pain does come to an end.
Serene detox or at a facility in any other state, will surround you with medical professionals who can ease your mind by explaining to you the symptoms of withdrawal, the amount of times the symptoms last, and the benefits of being in a program.
Basically, you will have educational resources available to you 24/7 to let you know that what you are going through is completely normal.
3. Relapse Can Easily Follow Withdrawal
When you are trying to quit drugs once and for all, it is very important to be surrounded by people who are sober.
Relapse happens more often than not, and it is often because people feel pressure from their non-sober friends to continue with their old ways.
Even when the withdrawal process is complete, many people still find themselves with strong cravings for drugs. Being in a sober environment is your best chance at fighting these cravings and getting through this very rough stage of the recovery process.
4. No Worrying About Necessities
People who attempt to tackle the withdrawal process on their own often forget that they still need to worry meeting their basic needs.
Handling both the basics of daily living, such as shopping for food, cooking meals, etc, can be very difficult while also trying to withdraw from substances.
If you are in a treatment center, on the other hand, you will get to make your withdrawal your number one priority. You won’t have to worry about the details of everyday living, as the staff will take care of that for you. And the more energy you have to focus on your withdrawal, the better.
As you can see, there are many benefits to choosing a detox program. If you have any questions about the information in this article, please drop us a comment below.
