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Rock bottom. If you’ve been there, you know how hopeless it can feel. Losing a job, losing custody of a child, seeing a relationship end, watching your financial or professional life come apart, or experiencing the death of a loved one. These are all examples of when rock bottom can appear. This is a challenging time for anyone, and for those struggling with substance use disorder, rock bottom can lead to increased risk of substance abuse. For those seeking freedom from addiction, an important first step on this journey is often drug detox. Though this might seem scary or overwhelming, arming yourself with a little bit of knowledge can help make this step possible. Sana at Stowe in Vermont provides a calming and serene environment to push through detox and find freedom from substance use disorder. 

What Is Drug Detox?

You may be wondering what to expect from a drug detox. Put simply, drug detox is the process of ridding your body of harmful substances so that the healing process can begin. It can happen in an inpatient or outpatient setting, depending on your goals and conditions. Sana at Stowe offers inpatient care during detox, to help monitor withdrawal symptoms:

  • Muscle cramps and spasms
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Diarrhea 
  • Anxiety
  • Insomnia
  • Agitation and irritability
  • Depression
  • Tremors
  • Sweating

Under the care of a professional, these symptoms can be managed and even alleviated somewhat if medication is deemed necessary. Certain kinds of detox, such as alcohol detoxification, require supervision as they can be life-threatening depending on the strength of the addiction.

Though it may begin with some difficult symptoms, drug detox is vital to get those struggling with addiction on the road to recovery. Once the body is free of toxins, true rehabilitation can begin.

Inpatient vs. Outpatient Drug Detox

For people ready to detox from drugs, there are different options available. The first decision to make is to detox in an inpatient or outpatient program. It’s important to have a drug detox center helping you along the way. 

Inpatient programs can happen at a drug detox center, a hospital or a more luxury-hotel-like residential facility. These programs offer the patient a safe, supportive place to stay during drug detox, with around-the-clock medical care and professional staff trained in detox and withdrawal management. They offer holistic services during and after detox, such as education and counseling, and often have rehab programs for patients to transition into as part of their long-term recovery plan.

Outpatient drug detox programs, on the other hand, offer services for only part of the day so that patients can stay at home and, in many cases, continue working as usual. The number of hours a patient spends daily at an outpatient program, and how many days it lasts, vary depending on many factors, including type of addiction and patient condition. At Sana at Stowe, we recommend and offer residential detox programs to monitor patients and promote optimal health. 

A quality detox program should offer a variety of programs, including education for patients’ families. This helps everyone learn how to help your loved one through detox. Detox can be daunting for those struggling with a substance use disorder. They will need the support of their village to successfully complete detox and continue to the next phase of rehabilitation.

Long-Term Benefits of Drug Detox

You might be wondering, “Will this really work?” According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, statistics show that roughly half of those who complete treatment for a substance use disorder for the first time continue to recover permanently. While this statistic may seem low, there are many factors that contribute to a treatment program’s success.

One of those steps is choosing to detox under a professional’s care. Quitting “cold turkey” or attempting to manage symptoms alone or at home can be unsuccessful or even dangerous. Detox is important no matter the substance being abused, from alcohol to opiates to marijuana addiction. Starting off the road to recovery with a healthy, safe detox is vital to long-term success.

Detoxing under a professional’s care can also make the transition to rehab more successful. This is especially true if you are part of a program that includes rehab. You may be wondering, how long is rehab? Just like with drug detox, the length of your stay at a rehab facility, or participation in an outpatient rehab program, varies depending on type/strength of addiction, length of addiction, and a patient’s mental and physical condition.

Ultimately, the greatest benefit of drug detox is removing harmful toxins so that true recovery can begin.

Next Steps: Drug Detox Near Me in New England

If you or a loved one is ready to take the important first step of drug detox in Vermont, we can help. The licensed professionals at Sana at Stowe can help you with these decisions. Sana at Stowe is a state-of-the-art facility in beautiful Vermont offering holistic treatment programs, focusing on everything from psychological well-being to the importance of sleep in addiction recovery

To learn more about how our facility and addiction recovery services can support you on your healing journey, give us a call at 802-566-5906 today.