What Should I Know Before Rehab In Ohio if I’ve Never Been Before?

It’s normal to feel anxiety and confusion as part of your decision to attend a drug rehab in Ohio for the very first time. Everyone is nervous about the unknown. This is equally true whether the treatment is for you or for a loved one. Parents often feel overwhelmed when confronted with the myriad of drug rehab choices out there. They may even feel somewhat guilty about sending their beloved son or daughter into the care of someone else, even if it’s only for a while.

If the child resists, it’s even harder. However, parents must sometimes be firm and do what is in the child’s best interest. That’s just part of being a parent. Some drug-abusing teens need a wake-up call. Allowing them to continue on their self-destructive path makes no sense. Teens are not adults and still need guidance. This article will address this question: “What should I know before rehab in Ohio if I’ve never been before?”

Many Types of Rehab

There are many types of drug rehab available for just about any kind of situation. There are holistic programs, medically-supervised programs, alternative therapy programs and dual diagnosis programs. Some of them are combinations of all of these.

When deciding on an Ohio drug rehab, you must consider your detox needs first. If you’re physically dependent on a substance, whether it be opioids, stimulants, alcohol, or benzodiazepines, these drugs must first be cleared from your system before drug rehab treatment can truly begin. This first phase is called detox. Although drugs like cannabis and psychedelics don’t typically produce a powerful withdrawal syndrome when stopped compared to other drug classes, these must still be cleared from the body and mind, and this would still be considered part of the detox process.

Alcohol, benzodiazepines, which are drugs in the Valium family, and many hypnotics will always require medical supervision for safe withdrawal. These drugs’ withdrawal should never be managed without medical intervention. Holistic programs using massage, sauna, vitamins, and other supplements, meditation and faith-based methods are not suitable for drugs of this class. It’s not safe because these medications can produce life-threatening seizures known as grand mal.

Withdrawal from any type of alcohol addiction, benzodiazepine addiction, or hypnotics, which are drugs used to induce sleep, should always be managed medically, using gradually reducing doses of diazepam to reduce the risk of seizures. Inhalant use, often referred to as huffing can also produce withdrawal symptoms similar to those of alcohol and should be managed accordingly. Inhalants are also directly toxic to the brain and other vital body organs.

If you’re addicted to opioids, cannabis, or stimulants, you have a bit more leeway. Withdrawal from these drug classes is typically not life-threatening. However, the symptoms can be extremely painful and distressing, and many people cannot stand them. Some holistic or social-model drug rehabs will attempt to treat the dependent person with non-drug therapies. Some people may choose this option, but be aware that proven MAT, or medication-assisted treatment, is available to greatly reduce withdrawal symptoms and increase the chances for a successful detox. While cannabis withdrawal may be managed by non-drug means, opioids and stimulants withdrawal often require supportive drug therapy to keep the client comfortable and encourage them to remain in the program.

After Detox

Once you have detoxed, you should be evaluated for further drug rehab treatment. Simple detox is rarely effective in itself. If you have other mental disorders, such as depression, bipolar disorder, PTSD or past trauma issues, you will be evaluated for dual-diagnosis therapy. This combines treatment for both the substance abuse and the underlying mental condition at the same time. In fact, a very high percentage of drug abusers also have a concurrent mental disorder, and it’s this underlying disorder which has been at least partially fueling the drug use in the first place. That’s what dual diagnosis treatment is all about.

Lots of Options

Some rehabs also offer alternative treatment methods along with evidence-based traditional ones. This may include massage, meditation, equine or other animal therapy, art, music, creative writing and dance. Sometimes special nutritional supplements are included. Some of these supplements are thought to supply the body with the raw materials needed to rebuild and replace vital brain chemicals, such as serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins.

Today’s drug rehab and detox facilities provide more options than ever before. Some Ohio rehabs even offer both detox and rehab in one convenient place. If not, you can enter your rehab of choice as soon as you complete your detox process, which often takes somewhere between 10 days and two weeks. It could be more or less. Maintenance medications can be gradually withdrawn or continued indefinitely, depending on the drug used and the circumstances. If you need Suboxone to help you stay away from your opioid drug of choice, particularly if that happens to be heroin, there is nothing wrong with that. It’s your choice. Don’t let others judge you for it.

We Can Help

We can help you with your decision to attend drug detox and rehab, whether it’s for you or a loved one. Just call us at 833-820-2922 anytime. We would be pleased to assist you with finding the best rehab facility for you. Never give up hope for a much brighter future.