Drug detox is one of the most essential parts of any drug treatment. From drug rehab programs to drug treatment centers, any treatment worth its salt is going to put you through an aggressive detox right away.

Detox can be performed by your own personal doctor or it can be done at a treatment facility such as a Drug Treatment Center. No matter where you end up starting your detox, there will be some common elements. First you will undergo a medical evaluation to determine which drugs are currently in your system. In the modern world, drugs are so readily available that almost all detox patients have abused more than one substance. Medical personnel will probably take blood and urine samples to find out exactly how much of each drug is circulating through your bloodstream—this will become important when deciding how best to treat you, since some drugs can react with each other or with treatment processes.

Specific treatments at Cliffside Malibu can vary and may include acupuncture, massage, dietary changes, administration of certain medications to neutralize a substance in your blood, and always the cessation of additional drugs. You will be required to stop taking any drugs, and most facilities will give you at least one type of medication to help you get through withdrawal symptoms. If you pick a treatment resort or some other more comprehensive form of Drug Treatment, you may have the option of enjoying acupuncture and massage techniques that not only work the toxins out of your system, but also provide a relaxing and enjoyable way to ride out the withdrawal stage of your treatment. Fortunately, Cliffside Malibu is equipped to assist those in need of addiction treatment in many of these ways.

Generally, it is extremely important to keep your stress levels low and your mind distracted while you are undergoing drug detox for any long-term purposes. Most addicts have become accustomed to soothing themselves with drugs, so avoid any situation that upsets you because it might trigger this need. After the drugs in your system have been evaluated and physical treatment is in place, you will be taught several methods to help avoid or cope with stress. You will also learn how to prevent relapse, and counseling will typically be started so that you have an outlet for your emotions as you heal. Counseling may include your family members. Relationships often become strained when addiction enters into the equation, so good counselors help you and your family support each other during this tough time and learn how to start over.

One of the most common misconceptions about drugs is that their addictive nature is purely physical. Sometimes there is little understanding of the emotional and psychological aspect of drug addiction; for this reason, many people seek Drug Detox as a final solution, not knowing that it is actually only the first step in a long process.

John and Jane lived the good life. She had a successful modeling career, and he directed a very popular children’s television program. They owned a beautiful, multi-million dollar home in Beverly Hills, a cottage outside of Denver, and a gorgeous two-bedroom apartment in Manhattan, all fitted with the finest furnishings. When not being chauffeured about in their limousine, they drove the finest cars; his favorite was the Jaguar; she preferred the Mercedes.

Extravagant parties and extravagant jewelry, the best clothes money could buy, cruises and vacations to the world’s most exotic places—Rome, the Bahamas, Hawaii, London and Paris; Christmases in the Swiss Alps and summer vacations in Southern Spain—they enjoyed the absolute best life had to offer, and success seemed to follow them every place they went.

John and Jane’s drug of choice was cocaine; it kept them going—always moving, always active, always the life of the party. John had connections in Los Angeles, New York, Paris, and the Bahamas—even in Tokyo. Wherever they strayed, they were never far from their next score. At first, they used cocaine only socially and recreationally—the parties they threw in their younger days were legendary, sometimes lasting for days at a time. In those days, cocaine was little more than a weekend escape, and addiction and drug rehabilitation were the furthest things from their minds. After all, rich and successful people don’t become drug addicts…or do they?

Even today, after years of sobriety, John and Jane could not tell you with certainty when they crossed that line between recreation and compulsion, but they would certainly agree that they did. Perhaps it was the pressure of balancing their careers with family life or the frenzied pace of their lifestyle; perhaps they shared addictive personalities—it would take time before they understood how it happened. Drug addiction is usually a subtle, long-term process, like a germ that enters the body and slowly gestates before one develops symptoms.

It was only after colleagues, friends, and family made several unsuccessful attempts to intervene that John and Jane realized they had a problem and sought help. Like everything they chose, they wanted the very best; and after much deliberation, and some help from family and friends, they finally decided on a drug treatment center. The center they chose was Sunset Malibu.

Combining traditional programs with holistic techniques, Sunset Malibu can customize a drug and alcohol rehabilitation program just for you. John benefitted most from a traditional program, while Jane found the acupuncture and massage therapies invaluable. Rich or poor, successful or not, the caring staff at Sunset Malibu will turn your commitment to rehabilitate into success.