Drug Detox

At Narconon Arrowhead drug detox is a multi-step process. First of course is actual cessation of drug or alcohol use. The is commonly referred to as withdrawal and at Narconon Arrowhead includes full medical supervision as well as nutritional, physical, and mental/emotional assists given to achieve a withdrawal process that is as short, and comfortable as possible. This is followed by the New Life Detoxification Program. This program is a full detoxification designed to remove actual drug and toxin residuals built up and lodged in the body. By actual reports many of our students report a full cessation of drug cravings following the New Life Detoxification Program with physical and mental/emotional health restored to a marked degree putting the student into a position to now learn the tools necessary to maintain a drug free and productive life without constant fear of relapse.

An outpatient rehab is a drug treatment facility where the individual goes for treatment and then returns home at the end of the day. It could be the personal goes for a counseling session, or perhaps a seminar. All day seminars are often used as well. These offer viable services for those with a lighter abuse problem or as a starting point for full treatment. One thing that should be watched for in medical outpatient rehabs is the use of additional drugs in a mistaken attempt to handle the current drug problem, such as methadone. For most with a serious drug abuse and addiction problem an impatient and more long term treatment program is more effective, though outpatient treatment can be a good beginning if chosen carefully.

Substance abuse treatment on any type begins to be more and more effective as the addict or alcoholic becomes more and more willing to be helped and to help themselves. Most interventions prior to treatment have this goal in mind, to get at least some willingness on the part of the addict. This willingness is often tenuous and fleeting at the start of substance abuse treatment. Part of effective withdrawal would be the actions taken to extrovert the addict from current pains and discomforts that can and do play havoc with any willingness. At Narconon Arrowhead our substance abuse treatment continually involves fortifying the existing willingness of the participant as well as actions designed to increase willingness all along the way. The being himself always is seeking to do better and beat the addiction despite any appearances, statements, or actions to the contrary. The more the addict wins at the battles of addiction the more willing he becomes and the more energy he will expend on his own survival. Substance abuse treatment is about much more than simply ceasing drug or alcohol use.

The effects of addiction of course impact the addict himself, of which he or she is usually painfully aware. Deterioration of health, loss of energy and drive, and uncontrollable cravings for drugs or alcohol are just a few of these. The effects created on friends and family can be just as devastating but are generally less well known to the addict. The reason for this is that drugs and alcohol reduce awareness of the environment more and more as addiction continues. The cravings, guilt and depression that go hand in hand with drug addiction are the reasons for continued use and relapse. The addict or alcohol usually is not malicious in terms of the damage caused to family and loved ones, he or she is simply not fully aware of the effects being created. There world is centered on obtaining and using more and more drugs and alcohol.

How does one go about determining when drug use crosses the line into drug abuse and addiction? Drugs are used as a solution to pain, be it mental, emotional, or physical. Fore instance one takes a painkiller and physical pain subsides or one take a street drug and the emotional pain of feeling like an outsider goes away. There are many motivations but they all come under the heading of handling pain in one way or another. Drug abuse sets in when the drug is being used more and more to mask and cover up the pain rather than addressing the actual causes of the pain itself. From abuse one quickly moves on to addiction where tolerance to the drugs builds up to the point where the individual can’t conceive of life without them for fear of unbearable pain of one type or another. Ones life then becomes centered on acquiring and using more and more drugs at any cost or sacrifice. Along with this comes all the cravings, guilt and depression that results from harm done to self, family, loved ones, careers, etc.