When you’re addicted to drugs nothing else matters except finding the next fix, the next high or the next pill. When you realize that you are addicted and you want to get well, chances are you are so unfamiliar with the steps of drug recovery that the entire process may be overwhelming and you may even choose not to try because you just don’t even know where to start. The steps to recovering from drug addiction begin with small day by day baby steps that work their way up to attaining goals meeting and exceeding expectations and ultimately finding the path to long term and lasting sobriety.
Drug recovery steps are different for each individual, each addiction and each recovery program but in general the steps to recovering from addiction begin with detox and end with long term follow up care. What happens in between can include counseling, therapy, inpatient or outpatient treatment or both, and many other actions. Below is a look at the typical breakdown of drug recovery steps for the recovering addict.
The First Step to Drug Recovery is Detox
The first step of any effective drug recovery process is drug detox. Drug detox is the process of helping an addict through the withdrawal phase that comes as a result of the abrupt quitting of the use of drugs. Drug detox can often be dangerous, uncomfortable and even deadly but drug detox centers and treatment centers are able to provide patients with the support, medical monitoring and supervision that is necessary to assure a safe and effective drug detoxification process from start to finish.
Most importantly, do not think that once you have completed drug detox you have thus completed drug recovery. Drug recovery has many steps and drug detox is just the very beginning. Once you have completed drug detox you can begin long term treatment in an inpatient drug rehab center.
Inpatient and Outpatient Drug Treatment
Various types of treatment are offered but the most common types of drug treatment to follow detox include inpatient treatment and outpatient treatment. Inpatient drug treatment is provided to addicts in a residential facility where they will live and work for the duration of the treatment program. Outpatient drug treatment provides many of the same services as an inpatient program but they do not provide housing during the treatment process. Depending on the level of addiction you suffer from, your drug recovery may step from drug detox to inpatient treatment and then to outpatient treatment or you may pass inpatient treatment altogether and move on to outpatient treatment immediately after drug detox.
Follow Up Care
Once you have completed an inpatient or outpatient rehab program and have made progress towards your recovery from addiction you will likely continue to require long term follow up care. Most rehab centers and drug treatment centers provide aftercare or follow up care and there are also many other aftercare programs and support methods to help you maintain lasting sobriety. Some of the most common support groups that many individuals choose to use for long term care include Alcoholic’s Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA). Additional aftercare programs may be provided at the outpatient treatment center or through various community offerings.
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