Medical Detox in Altoona, PA

When you need to end a chemical addiction, you need to think of a comprehensive rehab plan that gives you every tool that you need to get better, and stay sober for life. Medical detox is the first step to take; it is a medically designed method that sees you through detoxification, the process by which the brain learns to adapt to functioning without drugs. The detoxification process requires medical attention, because forcing the brain to adapt to a new chemical environment comes with severe health consequences. Without medical attention, the addict attempting to quit can experience pain and suffering, as well as risk of injury and death. You can call this center for medical detox in Altoona, PA, at any time if you have questions about drug and alcohol medical detox. First, however, you should read on for useful information.

What Exactly Is the Aim of Medical Detox?

Addiction is a disorder that affects the brain both physically and psychologically. It's important to realize what the medical detox process can do for it, and what it can't.

Physical dependency comes about when the brain's chemical functions are disrupted by drugs (including alcohol) over a period of time. In this condition, the brain readjusts its chemical functions in order to be able to function. When you attempt to detoxify or stop taking drugs in this condition, however, the brain is already attuned to the presence of drugs; freedom from drugs, at this time, is the "new" chemical environment that the brain must get used to.

The process can take weeks. It's a period marked by poor chemical stability in the brain. Incorrect brain chemical levels result in severe effects, including mood disorders and pain, and symptoms such as cardiac disturbances, seizures, stroke and hallucinations. It is the aim of medical detox to help the addict through the detoxification process, through the application of medicines. Medical detox helps minimize the harmful effects experienced in detoxification. It is very effective in this role.

What medical detox for drugs and alcohol doesn't do is to help with psychological dependency. This phenomenon occurs alongside of the development of physical dependency, during the course of excessive drug use. It happens when drugs act on the brains reward and learning center. Exposure to drugs causes this area of the brain to learn deep emotional and passionate attachment to addictive behavior. Since the attachment in question is psychological in nature, it cannot simply be changed with medicines. Dealing with it takes psychological therapy of the most intensive kind. When rehabs neglect to treat psychological dependency on drugs, as they often do, addicts out of detox quickly return to addictive behavior.

Both medical detox and the psychological therapy that follows are parts of a comprehensive drug program. Each of these stages of treatment programs in Altoona are important, and have their place. Neither one can be suspended or ignored.

If all of this sounds intriguing, you should call this medical detox in Altoona, PA, with any questions that you may have.

What Happens in Medical Detox?

When you first enter a rehab program, the first move is a thorough individual treatment assessment by several experts. To be effective, medical detox in Altoona needs to be specifically formulated individually for the needs of each patient. It is the way any course of medical treatment would commence, whatever doctor you went to, and it is no different with addiction.

Tests are conducted, and the rehab learns enough about you to have a develop a comprehensive picture of your condition -- your addiction, your mental health, your psychological health and your physical health. If your liver and kidneys are in poor shape as a result of drug use, anxiety disorder and depression, and a deep addiction that has lasted more than a year, these factors will result in the design of a very specific course. A different person with a different length of history of addiction, different mental health or psychological or physical problems, would require a different approach.

In most cases, patients do suffer from mental disorders. In these cases, it's important that treatment at medical detox centers be done in an inpatient setting. You stay in the rehab's facilities, and accept medical and psychological supervision, and therapy. Inpatient treatment tends to result in better outcomes for the simple reason that it comes with close support and supervision. You are more likely to stay with the program and actively engage when you feel well-supported.

With minimal pain and suffering involved and plenty of support, professional, inpatient medical detox quickly achieves its goal of freeing you from your painful symptoms. In under a month, usually, your brain and body are no longer wracked by difficult symptoms and constant cravings.

Continuing with Relapse Prevention

The mind's psychological dependence on drugs requires long-term therapeutic assistance called relapse prevention in Altoona. Since you are likely to have experienced a good deal of therapeutic assistance through medical detox, you're likely to be familiar with your needs, and you can either continue at the same rehab, or find another place. What's important, however, is to ensure that you do continue with therapy. Therapy equips you with the mental tools that you need to avoid using drugs again.

Call this center for medical detox in Altoona, PA when you feel you need information. There are experts always waiting to help. Call now (877) 804-1531.