Time in a medical detox center is the first stage of drug or alcohol treatment for most people. Choosing the right medical detox program can get you through what many see as the most difficult part of their recovery journey. Once sober, you can enter into drug rehab and continue your treatment.

patients hugging in medical detox centerWhat is Addiction?

To understand why a medical detox center is so important, you need information on how addiction affects the brain. Addiction is a disease because it changes how the brain functions. It’s those changes that make people in  New York and other parts of the country compulsively use drugs or drink alcohol.

The brain has a pleasure center designed to make you feel good when you do something important, like have sex or exercise. The pleasure center relies on neurotransmitters to function. When you exercise, for example, the pleasure center might release a rush of dopamine as a reward.

Using drugs or drinking alcohol can change the way this critical area of the brain functions. Substances mimic or interfere in some way with these neurotransmitters giving you that rush of pleasure associated with getting “high.”

Soon, the brain starts to need that substance to release the neurotransmitter. That is dependence. If you don’t get the drug, the brain restricts the release of the feel-good chemical, and you go through withdrawal.

What is a Medical Detox Center?

A medical detox center provides you with a safe, monitored environment while you go through withdrawal. Since it is medical staff, they monitor your vital signs and provide comfort care. A medical detox program can give you medication that may help reduce some of the withdrawal symptoms, too. During withdrawal, you may experience:

  • Agitation
  • Inability to sleep
  • Nausea
  • Lack of appetite
  • Muscle cramps
  • Fever

The care staff at the medical detox center will give you medications to help keep you calm and relieve some of the discomforts. Some people experience more serious issues during withdrawal, such as seizures or depress breathing. The healthcare team is also there in case there is an emergency.

Transitioning Into Drug Rehab

Many drug rehab programs recommend you go to a detox center first because it allows you to transition into the treatment sober. They may even require you to go through a medical detox program for admittance.

They do this because it is the best and safest way for you to detox from the substance so that you can focus on your recovery during treatment. Entering the program sober also puts you in the same place in your recovery as the others there.

Finding the Right Medical Detox Program

When New York residents shop for a medical detox program, they’ll find them in every state. Tides Edge Detox, though, provides a luxury environment along with some key services such as:

Tides Edge Detox has clients from all over the county. We provide programs that can help you transition to a residential treatment program or return to your life after detox.

At Tides Edge Detox, you have access to relapse prevention and drug education. We offer individual and group counseling plus allow family involvement. As a medical detox program, we believe discharge planning is critical, as well. We can work with you to help you decide what the next stage is in your recovery.

Detox can be a scary time whether you live in New York or Florida, finding the right detox center is an important step. We want to help. Give us a call at Tides Edge Detox to find out more about the program we offer and how you can apply. You can reach us at 866.723.3127.