About the Detoxification Process

For many addicts, the fear of detox may make them weary about seeking treatment at a rehabilitation facility. Many believe the process will be painful and unpleasant, but in reality, detox treatment is designed to be just the opposite -- as painless and smooth as possible.

So what can you expect when undergoing detox? Here are some answers to some common questions about the process. But remember, each program is designed for the needs of the individual -- and the detox experience can vary greatly from person to person.

Staying Clean, No Matter What

March 20, 2009 was a day in which my life was changed forever. I woke up married and went to bed a widow. No words can adequately describe the range of angst-ridden emotions I had been feeling that week. I had a writing professor in college who claimed the only definition for tragedy was “a fall from greatness.” I’m sure what I had experienced was a tragedy, but I’m not sure it was a fall from greatness.

The downward spiral began when I lost my dream job. I was a well-paid web designer for a prestigious ad agency. I had worked very hard for many years for my success. I had been married for three months at the time of my layoff. My husband, Kenny, was a big part of my downfall. I don’t blame him though, for losing my job. That was my fault.

Why do some people become addicted, while others do not? Studies of identical twins indicate that as much as half of an individual's risk of becoming addicted to alcohol, or other drugs depends on his or her genes. Pinning down the biological basis for this risk is an important avenue of research for scientists trying to solve the problem of drug abuse.

Genes – functional units that make up our DNA – provide the information that directs our bodies' basic cellular activities. Research on the human genome has shown that the DNA sequences of any two individuals are 99.9% identical. However, that 0.1% variation is profoundly important, contributing to visible differences, like height and hair color, and to invisible differences, such as increased risk for heart disease, stroke, diabetes…and addiction.

For many addicts who have made the decision to enter drug rehabilitation after a life filled with pain and misery, they will need to go through a period of safe detox before dealing with other factors associated with the addiction, and it’s important to understand the safe detox process thoroughly.

First, safe detox can be very uncomfortable. The process of safe detox involves removing all of the harmful toxins that are brought into the body by drugs. Withdrawal symptoms are the side effects that occur during the safe detox process, and if left unsupervised by a certified medical professional can be very dangerous.