The Difference Between Recovery or Rehab and Detox

We often hear the words rehab and recovery used in the same context as detoxification, and while they are connected, cousins if you like, they are different stages along the road from dependency to healthy living.

Different Stages in the Same Process

As anyone who successfully and courageously fought their way back to a sober life will tell you, wellness is an ongoing process and in many ways, it is something that never ends. The first step of the process is detox. After detox, the steps to recovery can really begin.

What is Detox?

Detox is the stage where the body gets rid of any traces of the substance. In some cases, this is quick and relatively painless. In others it may take longer and some types of detox can be uncomfortable. There are lots of ways to get support going through detox, but it is always wise to connect with a medical professional because there can be unpleasant side effects from pretty much any substance and there are ways to mitigate them. 

After Detox Then What?

Once the body has no traces of the substance, the individual can start out on the road to recovery. There are many ways to do this, but whichever route is appropriate, like detox, it is a great advantage to get professional help, mostly because it increases the individual’s chance of success and provides all sorts of resources which people don’t necessarily know are available to someone in recovery.

Specialist Recovery Centers 

One way of helping the individual in those first, new and raw days is to withdraw from society for a while. The idea is to give the person a chance to start new habits and new ways of thinking before they are challenged by old problems and triggers.

Out of the everyday world, a person can begin to understand what lead to their habit in the first place. With that understanding comes a better ability to deal with the prompting events and to have tools to deal with them at the source.

The Validation and Support of Peers

Another great advantage of being at a recovery center is the opportunity to interact with others who have had a similar experience but are at a different part of the process. It is calming to know that others deal with the same issues and to get their perspective on how to win.