Drug Detox vs Drug Rehab

For many people, the terms, drug detox and drug rehab are interchangeable. They believe that they are one and the same. This could not be further from the truth. Drug detox typically involves some sort of medical supervision and sometimes intervention so that users can get off of drugs safely while rehab will often offer counseling, various classes and activities to help individuals stay off drugs for the long term.

There are some individuals whose addictions are so bad, that they would not be able to suddenly stop using without serious risks to their health, including death. As a result, they may need to be monitored 24 hours a day until they are able to safely make it through the detox and withdrawal period. After an individual is able to get through this phase, they may be able to start traditional drug rehab.

Without being able to first detox, a person who is addicted to drugs will not be able to make it through a rehab program.  Until the physical addiction is treated, there is little chance that they will be able handle mental and emotional rehab therapies. A well qualified and experienced drug detox center can help an individual get the help that he or she needs. It is not always necessary to go through this phase alone. There are qualified facilities which can be of tremendous help.

Drug rehabilitation can include detox but generally comes after a person has quit (even if only briefly).  Individuals can enroll in an in-patient facility or get help via an out-patient one. Inpatient involves them living at the facility for a period of time. This may be as short as a few weeks or may stretch into several months. Drug abuse rehab may include individual and group counseling sessions, yoga and/or art classes. There may also be some sort opportunity for physical activity. There will be differences amongst facilities. Depending on where one goes, the treatment philosophy will vary and thus what they offer.

Both drug rehab and drug detox are designed to help individuals get clean. Drug detox helps the addict get the drugs out of their system. These types of facilities will monitor the addict as they are going through the detox or withdrawal phase. This will be a very trying and difficult time. It can be so harrowing in fact, that many people keep using so that they don’t have to experience it. This thwarts their dreams of being able to get off of drugs. Some cases of addiction are so severe that a person can not stop using without serious and even fatal consequences. The use of specialized drugs may be necessary so that they drugs they are addicted to can slowly and safely make their way out of their system.

After a person has gone through detox, they can enter a rehab program. This is because their bodies are now free from drugs and they are better able to concentrate on the mental, spiritual and psychological aspects of getting clean. This can be impossible when one’s body is either strongly craving drugs or when an individual is going through withdrawals.