Detox and rehab can be a frightening decision, but if you’re ready for a change this process can change your life. Will 28 days in rehab make me sober? A 28 day detox and rehab will help you make a great start on your journey to better health and a better life, but you will need to be prepared for some outpatient rehab.
Do be aware that a 28 day rehab program will include a detox; depending on what’s in your system, it can take up to 7 days to clear out all the toxins. Should you detox on your own and then go to rehab? NO! Detox is dangerous and even with professional help around you, detox can be very hard on your body. You will also undergo a serious personality change during detox; you don’t want your loved ones to bear that burden.
Accept Your Fragile State
Addictions are incredibly powerful. They change your brain, your body, and your worldview. They may have damaged relationships, altered how your loved ones see you, and even left you completely isolated from friends and family. If you’re actively using and your life is falling apart, you are worthy of help but you will have to accept that you are not at your strongest right now. Detox will make you even more fragile.
Depending on what you’ve been using, detox can lead to fever, nausea, hallucinations, and the shakes. Your brain has been bathed in chemicals that naturally only appear occasionally; the receptors for dopamine, for example, may have shut down due to over-exposure. If you have tried to detox before but couldn’t handle the emotional upset, medical support can help.
21 Days Left
If detox took the full 7 days, you have 28 days to start to rebuild your emotional and physical health. You will also need to take a hard look at your intellectual state. There are some drugs that can alter your ability to store memories. Depending on how long you used, you may have some big gaps. In the early days of rehab, focus on
- supporting your cleansing organs with lots of water
- healing your gut with healthy foods
- training your brain into new, healthy habits
Did you have a time of day that you used consistently? Even after detox, cravings may return at this time. Your counselors can help you build a better habit at that time of day to reduce the occurrence and intensity of cravings. As you work into the next week of rehab, you can put more focus on group meetings and private counseling.
Remember that your brain is fragile; it’s undergone a serious chemical reconstruction and may not want to work and play with your mouth. Your temper may be shorter. Your moods may be all over the place. Learning to function in group and in private sessions will teach you a lot about coping outside.
Outpatient Choices
Current research indicates that a healthy habit takes about 70 days to solidify. Don’t rely on those 21 days to move you into a position where you are strong enough to function on your own. If you were strong enough to get through detox and rehab, strength is not the problem. Everyone needs support at different times in their lives.
Many who struggle with addition did not grow up with families that supported them or even treated them kindly. If you come from a family in which addiction was one of many challenges, you may be feeling shame about even needing detox and rehab. Changing and healing those old feelings will take time. As you work through both in-patient and outpatient rehab, your entire worldview will shift. This can be a scary feeling.
Make steady appointments both for group therapy and private counseling to help your body and brain function in the new reality you’re building. It is possible to start a new way of living in just 28 days. Outpatient care after this form of rehab is the promise you keep to yourself. We can help, call now 772-266-5320 for a conversation about what can be.
