Detox Process: A Timeline of Treatment for Substance Abuse

Achieving Recovery After Detox

Completing the detox process is a huge accomplishment in and of itself, but it is only the first step down a long road to recovery. Because addiction is a complex and chronic disease, it is important to consider your options carefully after detox. Three of the options you can take include:

• Returning home right away – of all the options, this is the riskiest. Many people mistakenly think they can simply will their way through intense cravings and difficult situations without turning back to substance abuse. This attitude sometimes comes from a lack of understanding about what addiction is. Addiction is not simply a lack of willpower. For many, it is a complicated and deep-seated issue that requires months or even years of treatment to overcome. Drugs and alcohol can make serious, physical changes to the brain, affecting the way you think for the rest of your life, and without proper therapy, medical care, and treatments, you are very likely to relapse if you return home after detoxing.
• Moving into an inpatient addiction treatment program – inpatient rehab is the option recommended to almost everybody after detoxing because, with a customized treatment program that is right for the client, it offers the best possible chance of rehabilitation and long-term recovery. For some, inpatient rehab may not be possible due to work, financial, or family obligations, but it provides the intense, therapeutic care needed to make big changes within the body, the mind, and the spirit.
• Moving into a sober living home – going to outpatient rehab part-time is a happy medium for those who need strong support and care but cannot go into inpatient rehab full-time. A sober living home is a high-accountability residence with a zero-tolerance policy for drugs and alcohol. You live in the sober home, paying rent and often your portion of the bills, along with other sober roommates in early recovery. Many people in sober homes hold a part-time or full-time job or go to school, and they also attend a partial hospitalization program (PHP) or intensive outpatient program (IOP), which are varying levels of care offered on an outpatient basis. In outpatient rehab, you still receive therapy, relapse prevention training, and other helpful services, but you can live outside of the rehab center so you can still see your family or go to your job.

When you move back home after rehab or into a sober home, you can do a few proactive things to help you stay on track with your sobriety. Along with continuing therapy and going to your doctor’s appointments, you can:

• Avoid triggering environments. For some people this may look like moving away from home, for others it may involve finding new hangout spots. Instead of meeting friends at the bar or in a casino, you may wish to go to the movies or invite them to your home.
• Hang out with sober people and make sober friends. Being around people who use drugs will likely be too much of a temptation, and even if they do not use around you, it can be triggering. Conversely, being around like-minded sober people can help you find new ways to enjoy yourself without drugs or alcohol and support you during difficult moments.
• Go to support group meetings. Stay in touch with people like you, offer support to others, and build your recovery community by going to groups like Narcotics Anonymous (NA) or SMART recovery. You will gain a feeling of belonging to a group and will be less alone in the battle to remain sober as you deal with the challenges of living life without turning back to substance abuse.
• Practice self-care. Self-care is not all manicures and sleeping late, even though it may look that way on social media. It is different for everybody, but generally speaking, self-care involves taking actions that improve your mental health, take the stress off your plate, and help reduce anxiety. This could be anything from staying in for the night and watching your favorite movie to sticking to your exercise routine or paying your bills immediately so they don’t become future stress.
• Keep a close eye on yourself and watch for signs of early relapse. Relapsing is a reality for many people in recovery, so it is important to know and understand your triggers and be honest with yourself about how you are feeling, what actions you are taking, and whether you are continuing down the right path. Getting help before you relapse is easier than getting help after returning to drug and alcohol abuse. If you find yourself slipping, romanticizing the past, or not taking care of yourself as you should, you may wish to book a therapy appointment, talk to a friend or your doctor, or attend a support group meeting.

To discover the benefits of addiction treatment at Novo Detox and start the admission process, click here to call (844) 834-1777 today.

How Long Does Your Body Need to Detox?

When someone regularly drinks alcohol or uses drugs, their brain may begin to adjust to the presence of these substances. They may eventually become physiologically dependent on their substance of choice and utterly reliant on it to function and feel “normal.” This is what is called tolerance, leading to compulsive use and other behaviors that cause addiction. Because of the physical, mental, behavioral, and emotional issues that come with substance abuse, the detox process varies depending on a variety of factors including:

• How much of the drug were you using each time?
• How you were using it (snorting, injection, etc.)
• How long have you been using drugs
• Whether you were using the substance with other drugs or alcohol at the same time
• Lifestyle factors
• Your mental health
• Individual factors like genetics, metabolism, weight, age, etc.

Acute detox from drugs and alcohol can be completed as quickly as 3 to 10 days, but for many, there are co-occurring health conditions, rebound symptoms, or severe withdrawal issues that can prolong this timeline. For example, a person quitting heroin may need to enter a medication-assisted treatment (MAT) program that can last for months or even years to safely and effectively be able to quit for good. Others may face a prolonged period of depression or suffer recurring withdrawal symptoms and anxiety for weeks or months after detoxing.

Timeline of Detoxing from Substance Abuse

Each substance has its own detox process and each person’s path to recovery is unique, but very generally speaking, you can begin to experience withdrawal symptoms within a few hours or days after your last use. The first 72 hours of detoxing are often the most intense, peaking within the first 3 to 5 days. After that time, you will feel a little better each day. If you have been using multiple types of substances simultaneously or have co-occurring mental health issues, your detox may take longer as your body and brain work hard to remove the toxins from your system and find a new chemical balance.

What Happens After Detox?

After you have completed the detox process, it is usually recommended that you move directly into a rehabilitation program. This will use your positive forward momentum, keeping you on the path to sober living as you move into a rehab facility for 30 to 90 days. You will live inside the compound day and night, with planned-out days filled with treatments, therapy, and fun activities. You will also have plenty of downtimes to relax, spending time with other residents or in your room. Rehab is a time to work hard to change your habits, learn new skills, and gain an education. The more you throw yourself into your treatments, the better your results will be.

Some of the types of treatment you can expect at Novo Detox include:

• 24/7 medical care and a customized medical detox for safe and effective detox, usually taking 3 to 10 days
• Dual diagnosis treating addiction and co-occurring disorders like trauma or mental health issues at the same time for a better overall chance of getting both issues under control simultaneously
• Behavioral health treatments including cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectical behavior therapy sessions, to help you change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors
• Holistic therapies like acupuncture, herbology, reflexology, detox massages, saltwater therapy, Tai Chi, yoga, and meditation promote not only physical wellness but also psychological peace and spiritual well-being
• Family programs and family sessions to help you rebuild relationships and strengthen your support system at home
• Group therapy, where you learn, share and listen to others under the guidance of one or more counselors
• Interpersonal psychotherapy to help you improve your relationships with other people
• Life skills and social skills training to fill in any gaps you may be missing, including basic hygiene principles, cooking and cleaning, resume building, interviewing, and more
• Physical fitness, strength building, and nutritional counseling to promote an interest in your own health and your body and to add structure and routine into the day
• Aftercare planning, case management services, sober living programs, and relapse prevention programs

Transitioning directly from a detox program into a residential drug and alcohol addiction treatment center will greatly improve your odds of staying sober long-term. The potential for relapse is extremely high directly after detoxing, as addiction is not only physical but also psychological, social, and emotional. If you do not address the underlying issues that caused you to abuse substances in the first place, you will almost certainly succumb to temptation and drink or use drugs again.

If you go to inpatient rehab, even if you want to return to your old habits, you will be inside a completely sober and supportive environment, surrounded by non-judgmental people who understand and want to help you. Of course, you are not locked inside the rehab center, but overcoming the difficult moments of temptation is much easier when you are in rehab, as opposed to being at home.

Rehab is a place where you can learn the necessary sobriety skills that will last you the rest of your life. You will interact with medical and psychological professionals every single day, along with meetings with counselors, addiction professionals, and doctors, all of whom are on the same page and working with you to improve your health and understand more about yourself, your motivations, your goals, and the underlying issues that you need to work on.

You can also gain invaluable relapse prevention techniques that will carry you through difficult times you will come up against in the future. You will also learn your unique triggers and how to avoid them while sharing and listening in individual and group therapy. This type of work takes time, which is why most inpatient rehab programs are a minimum of 30 days long.

There is an entire community of people going through similar issues you are when inside a rehab center, which can help you feel less isolated and alone. You can share things with people who have “been there” that you may not ever tell your loved ones, and you will begin to make new connections and friendships with other sober individuals, a skill you will be able to carry out into the world as you join peer groups and 12-step meetings in your area. You will learn to invest your time wisely in recovery-related activities, and you will begin to value sober friendships, along with having fun and living a good life without drugs and alcohol.

Get the Best Detox and Start Your Journey to Recovery at Novo Detox

At Novo Detox, we provide a safe and effective detox program, followed by a residential inpatient treatment program designed to help you stop using drugs and alcohol and move into long-term recovery. We are accredited by the Joint Commission, and we are also accredited by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). You will enter a structured and scheduled program that promotes a good sleep schedule, healthy living, exercise, and plenty of therapy and wellness activities. Licensed, educated, experienced, and caring staff will provide all care using cutting-edge medical technology and evidence-based therapeutic techniques.

You can begin the detox process inside our clean, safe, and comfortable medical detox center. We offer the best detox services for people quitting drinking and for people who are quitting a variety of drugs, including opioid drugs, benzodiazepines, cocaine, crack, meth, prescription medications, or any other addictive substances.

Our residential detox programs integrate therapy, counseling, 24-hour medical care, prescription medications, and holistic treatments. Everything occurs inside our luxurious 6-bed treatment center full-time. When you first check in to Novo Detox, we will provide you with a thorough physical and mental health screening that includes a bio-genetic metabolic profile. This will allow us to learn more about the drugs you were taking and also helps us customize your medications, medical care, therapy, and diet to help you heal, regain your strength, and remove the toxins from your system.

During detox, we often prescribe medications to help you remain comfortable so you do not suffer discomfort, pain, anxiety, or serious withdrawal symptoms. We also provide personalized treatments and holistic care like acupuncture, saltwater therapy, detox massage, herbology, yoga, Tai Chi, reflexology, nutritional counseling, and meditation. You will have full access to TV, games, fitness classes, housekeeping services, a swimming pool, community areas, and a fully stocked snack bar. Meals are healthy and made from wholesome organic ingredients, with plenty of fresh fruit and smoothies.

If you are detoxing from opioids like heroin, morphine, fentanyl, oxycontin, or other prescription pain medications, or if you are detoxing from benzodiazepine drugs like alprazolam (Xanax) or lorazepam (Ativan), you may need to join a longer-term medication-assisted treatment (MAT) program to help you wean slowly off of the medications using a safe, doctor-monitored tapering schedule. We can begin your MAT program in our facility and we can connect you with long-term methadone clinics or other MAT treatment programs nearby that can provide you with the oversight and medications you need to safely quit these potent drugs.

You will stay inside the medical detox phase of treatment for as long as you need, and when you are ready, you can transition directly into our inpatient rehab program. There is no pressure to hit a specific deadline or heal on a schedule, your body will let you know when you are ready. Using trauma-informed methodologies, we will do all we can to respect your wishes and make you feel safe and comfortable as you recover from the ravages of addiction.

Because addiction involves so much more than physical dependence, we integrate a comprehensive combination of treatments into each client’s plan, including therapies and treatments like behavioral therapy, dual diagnosis treatments, holistic treatments, group therapy, one-on-one therapy, evidence-based treatments, relapse prevention training, and family therapy when appropriate, so you can heal damaged relationships and rebuild your home support team. Staying inside the treatment center as you get the help you need in residential rehab (inpatient rehab) will remove you from your old habits and unhelpful friendships, allowing you to regain your sense of self, see life from an outside perspective, and start working towards building healthier habits and thought processes.

After you finish your 30- to the 90-day inpatient treatment plan, we can offer continued support and care, connecting you to local 12-step programs, outpatient rehab programs, and peer groups. You will never be left alone in your newfound sobriety. You can always come back and speak with us at Novo as well.

If you have completed a detox program, are ready for rehab, or have questions about our services at Novo Detox, do not hesitate to contact us. We are happy to discuss our accommodations, therapies, and customizable programs. We can also help you verify insurance coverage, taking that additional stress off your plate. Call now at (844) 834-1777 to get started. We are here, 24 hours a day, to take your call.