Drug Detox in Pasadena, TX
Drug detox is the process of allowing traces of a drug to leave your body to end a physical dependence on drugs and allow brain function to return to normal. Medical drug detox in Pasadena is a medically supervised process that improves your chances of successful detox.
Drug dependence occurs when brain function changes as a result of chronic drug abuse. When you abuse drugs, your brain compensates by adjusting neurotransmitter activity. This leads to tolerance, which means you need increasingly larger doses of a drug to get the same effects. But the more you use, the more brain function shifts. At some point, your brain may begin to operate more comfortably when drugs are present than when they're not. Then, when you stop using, brain function rebounds, and this causes the onset of withdrawal symptoms.
Withdrawal symptoms are the primary indication that a dependence has developed. Ending dependence requires ending the drug use and letting withdrawal run its course. Drug detox centers are essential for safe, comfortable detox.
Withdrawal Symptoms Associated with Detox
Different drugs produce different withdrawal symptoms, which may range from mild to severe, depending on how long you've been addicted and how much of the drug is in your body at the time of detox. Although not everyone will necessarily experience all of the symptoms of withdrawal associated with a particular drug, nearly everyone will struggle with intense cravings, which can be powerful enough to send you right back to using.
Alcohol withdrawal is characterized by nausea and vomiting, insomnia, anxiety, and tremors. In severe cases, seizures, hallucinations, and a dangerous shift in blood pressure and heart rate may occur, and these are dangerous and potentially fatal.
Opioid withdrawal from heroin and prescription painkillers produces flu-like symptoms that can be excruciating. These include vomiting and diarrhea, body aches, and cold chills. Opioid withdrawal isn't considered to be dangerous, but it can be very intense.
Stimulant withdrawal from meth, cocaine, and prescription medications like Adderall and Ritalin causes a deep depression, anxiety, agitation, and insomnia.
Sedative withdrawal from barbiturates and benzodiazepines like Xanax and Valium can cause dangerous increases in heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature, and these can be dangerous or deadly. Detox from these drugs is a tapering-off process to prevent the onset of these symptoms.
Why Medical Drug Detox Programs Are Essential
Withdrawal can be miserable. Many people who try to detox on their own will turn right back to drugs just to make the discomfort and cravings stop. Additionally, quitting alcohol or sedatives on your own can be dangerous or even fatal.
Drug detox in Pasadena is supervised by medical and mental health professionals who offer a high level of emotional support as well as administer medications as needed to reduce the intensity of withdrawal symptoms and prevent the onset of dangerous medical conditions. In some cases, medication can even shorten the duration of detox.
High quality drug detox centers typically offer a range of programming to improve your detox experience. Yoga and meditation sessions can relieve cravings and stress and improve your overall sense of well-being, while exercise facilities or classes can help improve your mood, reduce cravings, and improve immune function. Drug detox programs dramatically improve your chances of successful detox.
Drug Detox in Pasadena is Not Addiction Treatment
The National Institute on Drug Abuse stresses that detox is only the first step in addiction treatment. It only takes care of the physical dependence on drugs and doesn't address the complex addiction.
Addiction is a chronic disease that changes brain function and affects your thought and behavior patterns. It almost always involves complex underlying causes like chronic stress, a history of trauma, mental illness, or family dysfunction. These must be addressed in order to effectively send an addiction into remission.
Detox alone isn't effective for ending an addiction. Relapse rates for addiction are as high as 60 percent, but addiction treatment reduces your chances of relapse prevention in Pasadena and promotes successful long-term recovery. Addiction treatment, which should take place immediately after drug detox in Pasadena, helps you delve into the issues underlying the addiction and learn healthier ways of thinking and behaving.
Why Most People Don't Seek Treatment
According to the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids, only 11 percent of the 23.5 million Americans suffering from addiction get the help they need to recover for the long-term. The most common reasons why people avoid treatment programs in Pasadena include:
- Fear that treatment won't work for them.
- Fear of what others might think.
- Fear of what life will be like without drugs.
- Fear that they won't be able to afford treatment.
But treatment works for most people who engage in a rehab program. It can transform your life by helping you resolve the underlying problems, find purpose and meaning in a life free of drugs, and improving your relationships with friends and family. High quality drug detox in Pasadena followed by addiction treatment has a proven track record for helping people end an addiction for the long-term, improving their overall quality of life and sense of well-being in the process. Call us now at (877) 804-1531.