loved ones and getting help for drug use Archives

March 21, 2023March 30, 2023

Best Ways to Regain Custody After Drug Abuse

Dealing With Substance Abuse as A Parent

Substance abuse is an all-consuming situation. Even if you are a good parent or come from a good family, the power of drug addiction can tear it all apart. I have been there before, and I’ve nearly lost my family several times. Today, with the help of Best Rehabs In Arizona, I am sober and have my family back. It took a lot of work and child custody battles to regain custody after drug abuse, but the power of forgiveness can’t be understated.

First, you have to forgive yourself. Even though I am clean, I still have moments where I am hard on myself for putting my children through my drug abuse. I try not to be too tough on myself, but I know that I lost precious time that I can’t get back. I dedicate my entire life now to making new memories with my children, and not taking anything for granted.

Parental substance abuse creates deep wounds that take a long time to heal, if ever. The children of addicts are often at risk of becoming addicts as well. My parents struggled with drug and alcohol addiction, and I had to grow up fast in order to fend for myself. This created a lot of resentment as a young adult, and it led me to become an addict myself.

Keep reading if any of this sounds familiar, because I’ll tell the depths of how far my addiction took me and how our family finally found help and a way out!

Losing Child Custody Because Of Drug Or Alcohol Addiction

I was in a codependent relationship with the mother of my children. We were both alcoholics and dabbled a bit with opiates. When we had our first son, we assumed that the love for our child would help us get our act together. We were both prepared to give it our all and be the best parents we could be. We both got sober briefly, but it didn’t take long before the stress of being new parents got to us.

I’ve suffered from alcohol abuse since my teenage years. My parents drank, as well as many of my other family members. I have cousins who were subjected to child abuse as a result of their parent’s addictions. One of my cousins was emancipated, and another cousin was put in child protective services multiple times before they were ten years old.

I Never Thought it Could Happen to Me

Losing custody of my own children never crossed my mind. It seemed like a foreign concept that only happened to other people. Although my wife and I suffered from alcohol abuse, we were functioning alcoholics. We both had jobs and paid our bills. After our son was born, she became pregnant again with our daughter. The stress of having one child was bad enough, and my drinking continued.

My wife was able to quit drinking during her pregnancy, but she continued using opiates. When our daughter was born, the doctors knew immediately that there was an issue. We ended up losing custody of our daughter, and child protective services were also trying to take our son away from us. The stress of the whole situation made my drinking worse, and I was drunk during an interview with CPS. This led to our son being taken away from us as well.

When Child Protective Services Take Your Kids

When I was finally living with the reality of losing my kids because of my addiction, I had a huge decision to make. I could wallow in my sorrow and let my addiction kill me, or I could fight with everything I had to save myself and get my family back. Even though I still loved my wife, it was necessary for us to separate at the time. We had enabled each other’s addictions for so long that we didn’t know how to even approach getting clean.

When I lost custody of my kids, it was the wake-up call that I needed. My substance use disorder had finally taken every last thing I cared about. Why would I continue to feed my habit, knowing that it ruined my entire life? I had my moment of clarity one morning after a night of heavy drinking. I thought of my son and realized that if I didn’t start trying to get clean immediately I would miss years of his life, if not the whole thing.

I entered substance abuse treatment at Best Rehabs In Arizona and began the long process to rebuild my family. Thinking about my children ending up in foster care was terrifying, but I knew that ruminating on this would not help my mental state. I worked very hard to keep myself in check and not get too low thinking about my children’s situation. I tried to keep my mind on getting better one day at a time.

How To Regain Child Custody After Drug Abuse

Regaining child custody following drug rehabilitation can be a long, drawn-out process, but if you chip away a little at a time it will be to your benefit. Attending a treatment program and sticking to it is a good way to show the courts that you are committed to your recovery. When I began seeking custody of my children, I made sure that I went to alcoholic support groups several times a week.

When I finally began working on my substance abuse problems, I began to understand what I had been putting my children through. For a long time, I assumed that I was capable enough of having physical custody of my children. Sure, I was an alcoholic, but they weren’t starving or suffering. Little did I know there was a lot of internal suffering.

Children pick up on everything their parents do. Every little mistake or outburst, they see it, and it affects them silently. Parental addiction can have long-lasting effects on a child’s safety and mental health. I finally began to understand why once I began going to meetings and hearing from other children of addicts.

Honesty and Transparency: What a Judge Wants to Hear About Custody

I was able to use this knowledge in court and give myself an advantage. I admitted my mistakes, I talked about what I was doing to address them, and I did not make it all about me. I made it about my children. A selfless approach will go a much longer way than talking to the court about yourself and your own needs. I went in there and talked about the needs of my children.

At first, the Judge was reluctant to award joint legal custody, but over time and many appearances, I was able to get back my kids and rebuild our family. When my wife continued using, I was even given sole custody, which never

Is Parental Addiction Child Abuse?

No parents want to believe that their addiction is in some way linked to abuse, but there are many cases where this is true. A parent’s substance abuse never happens ‘in a vacuum.’ When you are an addict, the addiction is number one. The needs of the child are put on the pay-no-mind list. Even though I provided for my children, and they were in good physical condition, my wife and I were creating developmental problems and mental health issues within them.

My alcohol abuse often led me to be irritable and prone to outbursts. It never got physical when my wife and I would argue, but our son witnessed all of it and it created fear in him. He was afraid of us at times and would withdraw from normal activities. I didn’t realize this was because of our addiction until I finally began learning about the complexities of substance abuse.

When Child Protective Services take your children away, they are not trying to punish you. Their number one concern is child safety. They know that the children of addicts are oftentimes at great risk. Anything can happen, and the damage can be deeper than just the affect child custody services might be concerned with.

You can be driving drunk with your kid in the back seat and cause them great bodily harm or (I never let myself consider it when drinking) even death. You can easily lose them in a mall if you aren’t in your right mind. There are many scenarios that can happen that often lead to great danger.

Sharing Joint Legal Custody Following Rehab

My wife and I did not get back together following my addiction treatment. She continued abusing drugs but eventually got clean. During her time in recovery, I was given sole custody of my children. It felt like a gigantic weight was lifted, and we could continue our lives again. There was no better feeling and the reason I stay clean today is because of how magical that feeling was and still is.

After my wife was clean for several months, we entered into a custody dispute. I was completely fine with her seeing the kids, but I needed to know that she was on the right path before I allowed her to regain custody. She soon proved that she was capable of taking care of them, but it did take a while. I was very nervous to allow for joint custody, but I personally saw the strides that she made in her recovery.

Sharing physical custody still gives me certain concerns, as I’m sure it does for her. What if one of us relapses? What if one of us is hiding it? I often wonder if my kids are safe when they are with her. It’s not that I don’t trust her, I just know the power of addiction and what it can make people do. I try to give her the benefit of the doubt, as she does me. We check in with each other and often talk about our recovery journey together, which eases both of our concerns.

Being A Parent Again

Dealing with family court, custody disputes, and constantly meeting with lawyers and CPS investigators was grueling, but every step of the process was worth it now that I have my children back. A child’s life is precious and requires a parent with a stable mind. Having one parent addicted to drugs is bad enough, having two almost gives the child no chance.

There aren’t a ton of success stories when it comes to drug addicts losing child custody. I continue to submit to drug testing randomly and I am totally ok with it. You can’t be too careful with a person who has a history of drugs or alcohol. At any time, you can slip back into your old ways if you aren’t actively working on your recovery.

You don’t realize what drug abuse will make you do until you are deep into it. No matter how much love you have for your children, a substance use disorder will make you throw it all away for one high. This is why I talk openly about my drug use and attend as many meetings as I can. I don’t take my sobriety for granted. Drug rehab helped me, but lasting recovery takes continued effort.

Forgiving Yourself So You Can Thrive

You won’t thrive in your recovery unless you are kind to yourself. We all make mistakes in life, sometimes huge ones. Living in the past is an easy way to fall back into your old habits. Being mindful of the present and taking things day by day is a good mindset to have in order to continue your sobriety and be a good parent along the way.

I set goals for myself and put a big emphasis on relapse prevention. Recovery allows me to keep myself in check and understand the warning signs of relapse. I know that I am not immune to relapse, as no one in recovery is. It’s always right there, but you don’t have to be terrified of it. Giving in to the fear of relapse can often make you put off the work required to stay clean, never mind regaining custody of your children. Don’t give in to fear.

Reaching Out for the Opportunity at Best Rehabs In Arizona

I treat my situation as if I have an active addiction right below the surface. My substance use doesn’t define me, but it is a part of my makeup. I accept that now and don’t try to hide it or run from it. I let people know that everything I have now in life is because I am sober. I try to remind myself of that every day I get to wake up with my children under my roof.

If you are struggling with alcohol or drugs, or both, and you want your kids to be a part of your life again, I would recommend seeking help at Best Rehabs In Arizona. I know it made a world of difference to our family and made me realize just how close I had been to losing them.

Don’t wait as long as I did to get support for staying sober, why not reach out to Best Rehabs In Arizona now and get options? All calls are confidential, and it will never affect your custody rights to find out how to get help!

January 23, 2023February 1, 2023

How to Help Someone into Rehab

Guiding a Loved One Toward Addiction Treatment

Getting clean was never on my radar. I was pretty far gone. At the darkest point in my substance abuse, I thought that I never even wanted to be clean. I wanted to do drugs until I died. Because of my family members, I finally sought treatment at Best Rehabs In Arizona and it saved my life. This can work for you too if you have even a little bit of fight in you. Keep reading for my hard-earned experience on how to help someone into rehab!

If you want to get help for a loved one with a drug or alcohol addiction, there are a lot of hurdles. Ultimately, getting sober is up to the individual. Substance use disorder tricks you into thinking you can never get clean. You think that your addiction will last the rest of your life. There doesn’t seem to be a lot of hope.

We tell ourselves a lot of things when we are in despair. To get over your substance abuse, it’s going to take an entire attitude change. Addiction recovery is possible if you are ready to give it a shot. When you finally get sick and tired of being sick and tired, an addiction treatment center like Best Rehabs In Arizona can save your life.

Stay tuned here for my own story of being helped to rehab, and how Best Rehabs In Arizonas helped me do what I could never manage on my own!

How Do You Leave A Drug Or Alcohol Addiction Behind?

I began using drugs in high school and was a regular users into my thirties. My brain was wired to need drugs. Substance abuse treatment was the last thing on my mind. My family members tried to convince me to get help, but I was dead against it. The idea of drug treatment never entered my mind.

My substance abuse completely changed my brain and my personality. Drug addiction will do a lot of things to your body, but the mental aspect of it is the most difficult thing to get past. Getting clean requires a lot of emotional support and an emphasis on your mental health. If you’re not mentally prepared, substance abuse seems impossible to get over.

Even if you are at your weakest point mentally, recovery from drug and alcohol addiction is still possible. One of the biggest things to keep in mind is that you can change your perspective whenever you want. You don’t have to always be a victim to your substance use. I finally realized this when I began the recovery process.

Substance Abuse Hurts More Than Just You.

I put my family through a lot of agony because of my substance addiction. I had multiple addictions that ruined my life and made me a shell of myself. I engaged in alcohol abuse and heroin addiction for so long that I was sure I would die. What finally made me decide to go to a treatment facility? A big part of it was for my family.

This sounds great, but it can also be the wrong approach sometimes. Ultimately, you have to get sober for yourself. You want to do it for your loved ones, but you’re the one that has to live with yourself. I finally was ready to face my drug abuse when I overdosed and nearly died. A family member found me after I overdosed and because of their quick thinking, I was able to get medical help quickly enough.

When finally came out of it, I was ashamed of what I had subjected my family to. It finally dawned on me that I needed to find a way to repay this relative for literally saving my life. That is where my recovery journey began. My family members set up an addiction intervention, and luckily I was willing to listen to them.

Embracing Drug And Alcohol Addiction Treatment

Addiction treatment seems terrifying when you first try it. If you find the right rehab program that works for you, you will find that you can greatly benefit from it. These days, there are many different treatment options depending on your specific addiction. The treatment program at Best Rehabs In Arizona offered me the ability to work on my issues head on and develop a treatment plan tailored to my addiction.

When you make the decision to accept treatment, you’ve already done more than many others. The success rate in recovery is unfortunately not very high. A lot of addicts never make the decision to get professional help. A lot of addicts get clean for a short period, but long term recovery is very tricky.

The rehab program that I went into didn’t just help me. There are many benefits for the people around you as well. I had many loved ones who attended family therapy around the same time that I was in addiction recovery. I had no idea that I had put them through so much pain until I finally started to clear my head of the drugs.

Warning Signs Of An Active Addiction

I was able to fool people for a long time. A few people close to me knew that I engaged in substance misuse, but most of my family had no idea that I was using drugs regularly. An addicted person is an expert in lying. Not just to others, but to themselves. You begin to believe your own lies after a while.

I was sure that I didn’t have a problem. No professional intervention or involuntary commitment was going to convince me otherwise. At this early point in my struggle, I was able to hide my addiction issues. This usually never lasts. The longer your addiction goes on, the more signs of addiction you begin to show.

The withdrawal symptoms can’t be hidden. Especially if you have a heroin addiction. Withdrawal symptoms from heroin include paranoia, stomach issues, agitation, and extreme cravings. If you go without heroin for too long, you become physically ill like you’ve never felt. At first, I was able to convince my family that I had chronic stomach issues, but they eventually saw through it.

How Do You Get Someone Into Rehab?

This is a question that family members of addicts struggle with mightily. Getting someone into rehab is more involved than just taking them to a rehab facility and dropping them off. Helping a person suffering requires a lot of care and patience. Building a support system around an addict is the first step. You have to let them know they are loved and supported.

It’s very hard to get clean if you have no support system. Some people have no family support. Luckily, once you get into the rehab process, you can find a lot of like-minded individuals who will take you under their wing. I had a lot of family support, but I also had a lot of support from the people in my treatment program. I stay sober because I have built great relationships with others in recovery.

You can encourage a loved one to get help, but you can’t force them. Being impatient with an addict will only push them away. Having a positive attitude and not passing judgment is the best option. Figuring out your loved one’s needs can be tricky, but you want to try and understand their struggle as much as possible.

How To Speak To An Addict

Most people struggling with addiction don’t want to talk about it with outsiders. It’s easy to confide in a fellow user because they have first-hand experience. You aren’t going to get an addict to open up to you if they sense any judgment. You’re not going to guilt anyone into getting clean. You can encourage them to seek treatment, but you have to be careful how you choose your words.

Identifying what kind of tone you use is also very important. Offering support to someone suffering requires a high level of understanding and a calm demeanor. There is so much denial in addiction, that just getting an addict to open up and be honest is rare. A lot of family members of addicts choose tough love.

Sometimes you will get so fed up that you will cut someone off and not allow them back into your life until they are clean. This can be a tricky approach to take with an addicted loved one. Cutting someone off with a substance abuse problem can go either way. With some people, it’s just the push that they need. With other people, it can be the end of a relationship.

Support Groups For Substance Use

Staying sober is just as hard as getting sober. Whether you have a drug or alcohol addiction, the day-to-day recovery process is a combination of highs and lows. Drug use changes the brain. That is one of the clearest signs of addiction. All you care about is the drug. When you have to retrain your brain to go through each day without the drug, you have to find different ways to cope.

The treatment center at Best Rehabs In Arizona had some really incredible group therapy sessions that completely changed my attitude. I had an intervention plan put in place to set me up for success, and I followed it as rigidly as possible. During my early days in recovery, I attended group therapy as well as individual counseling.

There is no step-by-step guide for everyone struggling with addiction, or even for the ways to prevent drug abuse in the first place, but if you find yourself in the right rehab center, you can develop a plan that will help you find the most effective way to get and stay clean. Excuses don’t hold much weight in recovery. You are expected to take personal responsibility for your actions, and develop the knowledge and skills that you’ll need to face your addiction head-on.

Mental Illness and Addiction

A very challenging aspect of recovery is how you discuss your mental health. A lot of individuals who are suffering from addiction are also suffering from some type of mental illness. How you approach these issues in recovery charts the course of your future. Substance misuse can greatly affect the way that we participate in talking about our struggles.

Many rehab programs offer dual diagnosis, so that you can work on your mental health issues and your addiction simultaneously. It may sound like a lot to take on at once, but it’s been proven effective in many situations. Committing to the process is the first step. If you commit to seeking help, you will find your confidence built as you work through the process.

When you’re in a group setting, it can be scary to discuss the issues that you never wanted to admit to yourself, let alone to a group of strangers. Putting yourself out there in this way may be uncomfortable, but this discomfort is what helps you grow. I was terrified to talk about what I was struggling with. When I finally opened up and started doing it, I found it to be the best way to begin healing.

The Basic Needs of A Recovering Addict

Once you get someone into rehab, it’s up to them to figure out whether they will make it work. We all have basic needs as human beings. For people struggling with addiction, those needs include support, compassion, and love. Every family member that I wronged was still there for me, even though they were fed up with my antics.

It’s important to set up healthy boundaries in addiction recovery. You still have to be yourself, and you can’t try to be something someone else wants you to be. I had family members who thought that I would be a flawless person once I treated my addiction. We are all still flawed, no matter what challenges we overcome. When you set boundaries, you maintain your individuality.

A Treatment Center with a Program Built Around You

Treatment begins and ends with you. It takes a lot of help to get and stay clean, but ultimately it’s up to you to make it work. When you go to rehab, there is a lot of unexpected outcomes. The best approach is to stay in the moment.

Respect the process and embrace the struggle. This approach will very likely save your life, and it’s one I learned at Best Rehabs In Arizona. If you or someone you love is struggling as I did, give yourself (or them) a fighting chance and reach out to their Admissions team. I know I’m more than glad I made that call, and that if I had not I might never have been able to claim sobriety or even still be alive.

September 15, 2022September 20, 2022

Rehab for College Students

Transitioning into college is a significant life milestone. A student’s life in college or university helps shape the person they become in the future. Going to college usually means separation from home and independence. But living in a new social environment can challenge a person’s values and beliefs.

University and college students in the U.S. face immense pressure to succeed and build a career. Most students get concerned about their academics and experience the stress of meeting new people and trying new things. Striking a balance between all the new events can be difficult, and some students turn to drinking or drug use as a coping mechanism.

Keep reading to find about the reasons why students turn to unhealthy drinking and drug use, and the most effective ways of getting help!

Get Help with Drinking and Drugs on Campus

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), over a third of all American full-time college students between 18 and 22 binge drink regularly. The unique circumstances of college students make it necessary for customized addiction treatment programs tailored to meet their needs.

Substance use is among the most severe public health issues for the young American population, causing adverse health and socio-economic impacts for adolescents and their families.

Read on for more info about rehab for college students, and to get help if you are struggling while in college, or have a loved one that might be!

Drug and Alcohol Abuse in College Students

Although some college students abstain from use, most are of legal drinking age and have more independence on campus. This increases the need to set personal goals and boundaries. You might want to unwind from the school week with a pint with your pals to help you relax in social situations. But for many students, the burden of expectations from their families, educators, peers, society, and even themselves only grows heavier during their time at university.

Over 6 million young adults have substance use disorders (SUD). Under competing pressures, college students must learn to live a new lifestyle around factors that can predispose them to college drug abuse. Alcoholic beverages are readily available on college campuses, and students sometimes use drugs to relieve stress or enhance performance. Prolonged drug use may cause the students to develop substance use disorders or alcohol addiction.

One in every five American adults experiences mental health disorders annually. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), 75% of mental health illnesses develop by 24 years. Students may experience symptoms of conditions like depression, bipolar disorder, or PTSD for the first time in college. Survivors of traumatic events like sexual assault are at a high risk of a mental illness diagnosis. Students with mental illness may turn to alcohol and drug use to cope with the symptoms.

Commonly Abused Drugs in College

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) explains that drinking alcohol is a ritual that students consider an essential part of college or university life. Although alcohol is the most commonly abused drug by young adults, most students also use:

Marijuana
Ecstasy, LSD, and other psychedelics
Study drugs and stimulants such as Adderall
Cocaine
Prescription painkillers
Opioids
Prescription or opiate painkiller abuse can cause injury, overdose, and death

Marijuana

Also called marijuana or weed, cannabis is among the most popular drugs on U.S. college campuses. Most marijuana users smoke it, while others incorporate the drug into edibles, like baked products and confectionery. Marijuana’s psychoactive and hallucinogenic effects vary by strain.

Nearly half the college student population reported using marijuana in 2018. Marijuana may not be as harmful as other illicit drugs, but occasional use might become problematic and aggravate a student’s anxiety. Addiction can develop with prolonged usage of this substance. If you suffer from a marijuana use disorder, call us at +1 877-651-3366 for confidential advice on getting help.

Cocaine

Despite cocaine’s popularity as a party drug on many universities and campuses, its stimulating effects are not worth the risks involved in using the drug. To feel more energized or productive, some young adults may opt to snort, inject, or inhale the white powdery substance. Others smoke it as crack cocaine.

Cocaine is lethal on its own, but when combined with other drugs commonly found on college campuses, such as Adderall or marijuana, it becomes exceedingly dangerous. Using cocaine has severe effects on mental and physical health. Given these potential long-term effects, helping someone addicted to cocaine could save their life.

“Study Drugs” and Prescription Stimulants

College students often use prescription stimulants like amphetamines to improve focus. Doctors prescribe drugs like Adderall and Ritalin to treat hyperactive issues, major depressive episodes, and irregular sleeping patterns. Some students use these drugs without a prescription as study aids, even though doing so is illegal and dangerous.

College students widely use stimulant tablets because of their ability to increase wakefulness and attentiveness momentarily. Examples of other study drugs include Modafinil and Concerta. Stimulant use disorders that involve study drugs require professional addiction treatment. Call Best Rehabs In Arizona for more information on study drug misuse.

Benzodiazepines

Also known as “benzos,” benzodiazepines are prescription drugs commonly used to treat anxiety, panic disorders, and seizures. Addiction professionals also prescribe these drugs to relax muscles and promote sleep. They are among the most often prescribed medications in the United States, and college students frequently abuse them for their sedative properties. Examples of benzodiazepines are:

Xanax
Valium
Ativan
Klonopin

Benzodiazepines like Xanax are highly addictive and have some of the most dangerous and life-threatening withdrawal symptoms of any form of drug.

The Effects of Drug Abuse on College Students

Substance misuse can have severe implications for college students that extend beyond their academic careers. The following are some of the short- and long-term consequences of drug and alcohol use disorder in college students:

Poor academic performance: Substance misuse can result in reduced study time, missing class, and a lower GPA. Drug use can also lead to falling behind on assignments, dropping out, or being expelled.
Risky behaviors: Drug abuse also leads to risky behaviors like driving under the influence, being involved in an alcohol-related sexual assault, getting into fights, indulging in dangerous sexual practices, and date rape.
Health issues: Substance abuse can cause many physical health problems, including hangovers, sickness, and effects on your immune system.
Social ramifications: Substance abuse can cause losing friends and vital relationships. You may become socially isolated if you spend a lot of time drinking or using drugs.

What are the Warning Signs of Substance Abuse?

Signs and symptoms of drug abuse among college students may include the following:

Poor personal hygiene
A decline in grades and absenteeism from school
Needing drugs or alcohol to unwind or enjoy oneself
Avoiding social interactions
Mood changes
People stop engaging in activities they used to enjoy
Falsely denying the usage of drugs or alcohol
Spending a lot of time using and recovering from the effects of drugs
Physical and mental illness
Withdrawal symptoms such as headaches and cravings
Using drugs or alcohol while knowing the risks
Legal issues like arrests
Substance abuse in potentially dangerous settings like while driving
Engaging in potentially harmful activities while under the influence of alcohol or drugs

Talking about a drug abuse problem might be a difficult conversation to have with someone who doesn’t believe they do. This conversation is more beneficial in the presence of someone trustworthy, like a professor or counselor.

When talking to a friend or loved one, let them know you’re worried about their health, happiness, and academic progress. If they are unwilling to listen, don’t criticize or blame them; instead, back off and try again later.

It is best to keep the conversation specific and inform them of scenarios you deem detrimental to their health. You don’t have to say everything all at once, but you might want to offer them a list of valuable resources and then follow up with them periodically.

Rehab treatment can help prevent the adverse effects of substance use on your health, academic career, and overall well-being, and there are various ways to get help. These include consulting with the campus health center, speaking with a counselor at your campus counseling center, or checking into a hospital or rehab center.

Treating Addiction in College Students

Some young adults in higher education refuse treatment for substance abuse because they don’t believe they have a problem. Students often avoid discussing therapy because of the stigma associated with drug abuse.

Accepting to get addiction treatment shows that you care about your health and your future. According to research, the sooner someone seeks addiction treatment, the more likely they will recover fully. Most rehabilitation centers cater to the needs of students without interfering with their studies.

Detoxification

Detoxification is often the first step in the rehabilitation process after assessment. During detox, substances like alcohol and narcotics are eliminated from the body. In this period, many addicts suffer from unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. Many of these symptoms are avoidable through medical detox.

Since quitting cold turkey can be fatal, medically supervised detox is essential when detoxing from benzodiazepines or alcohol. The average withdrawal periods for various drugs include:

Cannabis – 2 weeks or more
Alcohol – 5 to 7 days
Tobacco – 2 days to 2 weeks
Cocaine – 2 to3 days
Opioids – 1 to 4 weeks
Benzos – 10 to 14 days

Detox from opioid use disorders varies widely depending on the length of use and method of delivery. Opioid detox patients experience unpleasant withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety, depression, and insomnia. But they lose tolerance to opioids within days of abstinence.

Overdosing is a potential risk during relapse, which is, unfortunately, rather often. Relapse is avoidable with the help of medication in a Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) program. Those with severe opioid addiction may benefit from starting on MAT for an extended time before attempting to wean themselves off the drugs.

Some recovering addicts think that withdrawal is the most challenging aspect of the process, while others say overcoming cravings after detox is the most difficult.

Behavioral Treatment

Mental health therapy and counseling help treat psychological and behavioral challenges that may have contributed to addiction. Counselors can assist college students in learning how to cope with drug urges and the challenges that might lead to drug usage.

Many college students have a co-occurring disorder that has led to drug use. Treating underlying mental health issues is critical to a successful addiction recovery process.

Common co-occurring disorders that students confront include:

Depressive disorders.
Eating disorders.
Anxiety.
Bipolar disorder.

Most higher learning institutions have on-campus mental health counselors. These counselors assist pupils in coping while keeping confidentiality. At Best Rehabs In Arizona, our comprehensive dual diagnosis treatment programs handle co-occurring mental health problems.

Outpatient Rehab vs. Inpatient Rehab

College students who are addicted to drugs usually require the assistance of a drug rehab facility to recover. Many inpatient and outpatient addiction treatment centers can help college students achieve sobriety without interfering with their studies.

Inpatient treatment centers provide a distraction-free environment away from campus temptations. College students in rehabilitation improve their grades and overall health. Many inpatient rehab facilities also cater to college students by being close enough to campus for residents to attend class during the day.

For a college student with milder addiction, outpatient rehab is a suitable treatment option. These outpatient centers offer withdrawal medication and counseling while not interfering with the student’s daily routine. Mental health counselors and support groups can help break down addictions psychologically.

How Long Does Rehab Take?

The length and intensity of rehabilitation can change depending on whether you choose inpatient or outpatient care. If you are worried about attending rehab for college students because you don’t want your grades to suffer or you don’t want to fall behind in your education program, consider what will happen if you don’t get help.

If you have to leave school for substance abuse treatment, various mental health resources can help you during and after the process. They include counseling programs, medical leaves of absence, or transition plans that involve modified programs of study. It takes courage to get help for a substance use disorder before your life completely unravels, but it’s admirable that you’re ready to do so.

The average time spent in inpatient treatment is between three weeks and ninety days, while some programs may need a longer commitment. If you choose outpatient care, you may be able to keep up with your daytime classes while receiving therapy in the evenings. Look for a rehab center, such as our programs at Best Rehabs In Arizona, that will work with you to identify the best treatment alternatives for your specific situation.

Rehab can seem daunting or intimidating, but if you don’t want your family or friends to know, no one has to. Taking charge of your life can set you up for a more peaceful, prosperous, and successful tomorrow.

Maintaining Sobriety as an Undergraduate

The next step after finishing addiction treatment is to remain sober while pursuing higher education. Some college rehab programs include sobriety and behavioral contracts to encourage sobriety. The students have to agree to things like going to 12-step meetings, staying away from drugs and alcohol, not engaging in risky behavior, and keeping up with their schoolwork.

Some educational institutions even provide rehabilitation housing for students who are experiencing substance abuse issues. Students in recovery from addiction may benefit from additional peer support from campus-sponsored events.

After finishing a college student rehabilitation program, the next step is to receive aftercare support. This is of utmost importance for those in recovery while attending college. Most universities provide their students access to outpatient treatment and recovery support groups. Getting sober takes effort, but it’s feasible to maintain that effort for the rest of your life.

Get Help Now and Keep Pursuing Your Degree

Best Rehabs In Arizonas are addiction and dual diagnosis treatment centers that offer cutting-edge drug addiction treatment services. If you are battling substance use, connect with us for a solid foundation for starting the journey to recovery.

Reach out now to our Admissions team and discuss the process of Admission and how we can best help you to get sober and get to the podium to celebrate your graduation!