At the most basic level, a detox program holds you long enough to get the last physical vestiges of a drug out of your system. This program holds you in one place, making sure that you have food, shelter, and protection until you have dealt with the physical aspects of your addiction. Though detox can be difficult and though getting through is certainly an achievement, it is still important to understand that this is only the first step of your recovery. Take a moment to consider these five steps to make sure that you are getting the most out of your time in a detox center.
1. Use the Counseling
If there is counseling at the place where you are getting detox, use it. It is always a good idea to talk to people about your issues, and you will discover that insights are entirely possible. Use the counseling to get new resources and make sure that you are taking in everything that you can. This can help you move forward more quickly with your recovery.
2. Plan a Network
When you are in detox, there may be rules about whether you are allowed to contact anyone at all. When you are alone, you will find that this is a good time to start planning what kind of network you are going to have when you get out. Think about people who you know are willing to help you, and the people who you will go to first. They may be people who can help you with physical things like food or shelter, or they may be able to help you with the emotional after-effects of detox.
3. Look Towards the Near Future
Plenty of people in detox look forward to a distant future where they have their addiction taken care of and where they are completely healed. While it is important to have distant goals to think about, you should also think about the near future. The part directly after detox is not going to be easy, and in many ways, it is more difficult, more boring, yo might think! and more tedious than what detox was like.
4. Keep a Journal
You can have a lot of revelations about yourself and what you realize about where you have been when you are in detox. Many people with addictions end up doing a lot of back and forth, in that they come to the same conclusions over and over again. The truth is that you can have a lot of revelations about yourself when you are in detox, and you can hang on to them if you write them down. Ask for a journal, or even just some paper to help you get started.
5. Take the Treatment That Is Offered
Professional centers offer various treatment methods that can help ease the discomfort associated with withdrawals, in order to increase the chances of success during detox. These treatment methods can range from yoga, acupuncture, exercise therapy, nutritional therapy, and art therapy. Some clients with severe withdrawal may be offered medication under a doctor’s guidance to ease their symptoms and possibly prevent life-threatening conditions. Some people that enter a detox center are convinced that they should never partake in the treatment methods offered. This can lead to them missing out on opportunities that can be very helpful to them.
If you are in a spot where you need to think about detoxing, remember that there is a whole new world waiting for you afterwards. Some people go straight from detox to a rehabilitation center, and this gives you a lot of the support that you might need to move ahead. Make sure that you know what your plan is before you close the doors of the detox center behind you, and you’ll be in better shape than you might think.