| The first step in recovering from substance abuse is | | | | closely monitored during the first 24 hour period of |
| to get the chemicals that have been poisoning your | | | | sobriety to make sure that their vital signs remain |
| body out. Depending on the substance of abuse, this | | | | stable and they remain abstinent during the most |
| can take several days or as long as a year. The hard | | | | difficult period of withdrawal. After the first 24 hour |
| part is if you have been abusing your drug of choice | | | | period, the addict or alcoholic will receive counseling |
| for an extended period of time, your body has | | | | and therapy and be provided long-term solutions for |
| probably become dependent upon it. So as the | | | | recovery. |
| poison is flushed out of your body, physical | | | | Since most stays in a social model detox are |
| symptoms like craving, "the shakes", and even a | | | | between 5 to 10 days, the staff will have appropriate |
| depressed mental state can occur. It is during this | | | | time to assess the addict's needs and make |
| critical time that most addicts will need support and | | | | recommendations that will maximize the chances of |
| professional help to get over the hump and begin | | | | staying clean and sober long term. The options |
| their journey of recovery. Many addicts when trying | | | | available to the addict after a proper detox include |
| to quit "cold turkey" on their own will revert back to | | | | long term residential treatment, placement in a sober |
| their substance of abuse to ease the pain of | | | | living facility, or outpatient counseling. It is very rare |
| withdrawal, but this option only ends up prolonging | | | | that someone who goes through detox is left to |
| the vicious cycle of their addiction. | | | | fend for themselves in the journey of sobriety unless |
| If professional help is sought, the first step should be | | | | that is a personal choice. |
| detoxification. In social model detox, addicts are | | | | |