Once you’ve decided to get sober, the next decision you’ll need to make is choosing the best way to recover. While rehab programs are often the preferred option for anyone hoping to overcome a substance use disorder, others wonder if this is the only option. Though many people successfully recover in rehab, others believe that going through recovery alone may be just as effective. Wondering if all treatment programs are better than receiving no treatment? While it is, in theory, possible to recover on one’s own, the better question to ask is if it’s healthy or effective to recover without treatment?
Is Any Treatment Program Better Than No Treatment?
When asking the question if all rehab programs are better than never receiving treatment, many experts would agree that some type of treatment is essential to overcoming a substance use disorder. Without treatment, one is essentially forcing their body to detox from their substance use disorder “cold turkey”. Though going “cold turkey” or immediately quitting substance use can work in theory, this technique may have severe consequences. This method of detoxing is named for the goosebumps that come during the days after an individual abruptly stops using substances. By going “cold turkey”, an individual refuses medical assistance during their detox and doesn’t taper off of the drug. Instead, they hope that removing all traces of the substance will be enough to break the addiction.
Quitting Without Treatment
Statistics clearly reveal that there is a definite problem with overcoming a substance use disorder on one’s own. Even if you have the desire to break this habit on your own, trying to do so may put you in a worse situation than before. Without the assistance of trained professionals, you’ll likely experience all the negative consequences that come with withdrawal. Though the symptoms an individual may experience during withdrawal will vary based on the substances abused, going through detox without treatment of any kind isn’t recommended. Consider the following results of detoxing from a substance use disorder without treatment:
- Tension
- Panic attacks
- Tremors
- Difficulty concentrating
- Short-term memory loss
- Anxiety
- Irritability
- Disturbed sleep
- Headache
- Heart palpitations
- Sweating
- Nausea
- Muscle stiffness and pain
- Hypertension
- Irregular heart rate
While detoxing from a substance use disorder will always result in symptoms of some kind, the severity of these symptoms depends on the substances used and the duration of the addiction. When recovering from the likes of benzodiazepines, one may experience hallucinations, seizures, and delirium that can prove fatal if experienced without proper treatment. Similarly, recovering from benzodiazepines without treatment can be threatening as one of the more serious symptoms of withdrawal are grand mal seizures. These seizures can result in death or a coma if an individual that is heavily dependent suddenly stops taking them.
Detoxing with Treatment
Though the process of detoxing isn’t less uncomfortable in a treatment program, going through this process with the help of professionals will improve your chances of remaining sober after getting clean. Moreover, undergoing a medically assisted detox will help an individual avoid the more serious side effects of withdrawals like death. For the most effective detox and recovery process, experts recommend professional treatment. By visiting a rehab treatment facility, clients with substance use disorders will be able to receive the necessary help they need to achieve sobriety as safely as possible. At a rehab, clients will have a controlled, safe, and sober environment that will give them the best opportunity to address these substance use issues.
Moreover, at rehab treatment facilities, licensed professionals will be able to reduce the pain using medications designed for withdrawal from each substance. In addition to addressing the physical consequences of withdrawal, treatment programs also effectively provide clients with the emotional and mental health support they need to completely recover. As each client receives a customized treatment plan to help them overcome their addiction, undergoing treatment at a rehab facility will help clients unlearn negative habits that reinforce their substance abuse as they adopt new behaviors to encourage continued sobriety. If you have any questions regarding the effectiveness of treatment programs, don’t hesitate to contact us at 800-411-8019. Our counselors are available 24 hours a day and ready to speak with you.