Detox

Detox in many drug rehab programs involves weaning the addict or alcoholic off the use of the drugs or alcohol. While this is an important and vital action, it is only part of a true detoxification. One definition in the Encarta dictionary states; ‘process of removing or transforming poison’. At Narconon Arrowhead our ‘detox’ protocols include ceasing use of the drugs or alcohol as above, but also include the additional step of The New Life Detoxification Program. This extensive program involves an exact procedure for actually removing drugs and toxins from the body. Many, many addicts have reported a complete cessation of cravings following the New Life Detoxification Program. Detox is only the start of the healing process and needs to be as complete and thorough as possible to ensure lasting gains for a lifetime.

Alcohol abuse treatment is similar to the treatment required for full blown alcoholism. Medical withdrawal may or may not be indicated, and needs to be assessed by competent medical professionals, as unsupervised, these can be life threatening. Cravings, guilt, and depression are the three factors causing and then continuing alcohol abuse or alcoholism. Any treatment aiming at an alcohol free lifestyle cannot hope to effect lasting change without fully addressing these three points. The only real difference between alcohol abuse and alcoholism is the severity of use, both have use patterns that are to a greater or lesser degree out of control, and severity of both mental and physical effects created and now needing dealt with.

If recovery means to return to a normal or improved state following a setback or loss then there is much more to drug recovery than just ceasing to use drugs or alcohol. Recovery means to confront and resolve the factors that lead to the drug or alcohol problem to begin with as well as acquiring tools and skills to allow one to move forward in a drug free productive life with constant fear of relapse. Narconon Arrowhead is a long term, non-traditional approach to the problems of drug recovery. Our drug recovery program addresses ALL factors necessary for full recovery from handlings of mental and physical cravings, to a resolution of the guilt and depression that goes hand in hand in leading up to and then continuing addiction or alcoholism.

Boy, what a mouthful that is! What are we talking about here? Well, inpatient refers to a facility where the individual actually resides at the facility as opposed to commuting daily from home. Rehabilitation refers to restoring someone to a previous or improved state or condition. Alcohol treatment is of course handling the elements that have resulted in alcohol abuse and or alcoholism. This generally involves withdrawal from use and at Narconon Arrowhead goes on to include full bodily detoxification as well as multi-faceted approaches to actually handling and resolving the three main factors contributing to relapse – cravings, guilt, and depression. Finally, ‘center’ refers to bringing all the above points together. Some centers only offer one or another of the above elements. When looking for truly effective alcohol rehabilitation look for as comprehensive a program as possible to ensure maximum success.

Many people mistakenly believe the drug problems of our culture center around the use of an illegal drug or substance. While these drugs certainly play a major role in drug abuse and addiction the problem is definitely not confined to the illegal drug. In fact one of the fastest growing areas of drug treatment lies in the area of abuse and addiction to prescription drugs. Painkillers, Anti-Depressants, and Anti-Psychotics have all shown epidemic rises in addiction and addiction treatment. Many of these drugs have black box warnings from the FDA of some of the severe and often life threatening side affects that can occur with their use, let alone use at abusive and addictive levels. Some of these prescriptions drugs are finding there way into use as treatments for illegal drug abuse. This has the analogy of jumping from the frying pan into the fire.