Get Started Now: Drug Detox in California
Detoxification is the first step in recovery for almost all drug users. Though someone who uses less dangerous drugs such as marijuana and uses only occasionally may not need to go through detox, anyone who uses drugs consistently will probably go through withdrawal when they stop. This is especially true with the most powerfully addictive drugs such as heroin and other opiates, cocaine (especially crack cocaine), prescription medications and methamphetamines. Without medical supervision, and intervention if needed, withdrawal from these drugs can be extremely distressing and even fatal.
The initial phase of detox involves ridding the body of the drug itself, and can take anywhere from several days to several weeks. The second phase aims to rid the body of the accumulated toxins that have built up in the body, often over years of drug use. This phase can take a year or more.
California Drug Detox Is Only the Beginning
Once the actual drug has passed out of the user’s body, the real treatment can begin. It’s important to realize that detoxification in and of itself will do little to prevent relapse into drug usage. Detox must be followed up with counseling and therapy in order to allow the addict to gain insight into the causes of addiction and learn ways of coping with cravings and the stresses of ordinary life. Facilities for short-term drug detox in California may require only two or three weeks of treatment. More often, an addict will need to stay in residential treatment for 60 to 90 days. Sober living houses and therapeutic communities can continue to support the recovering addict for as long as necessary.