If you have decided to seek help for your addiction or chemical dependency, congratulations on making a big step and a healthy decision. There is a lot to know, understand and do… so we have created this guide that will help you take the first steps toward getting addiction treatment in Arizona.
This guide is intended to speak directly to those suffering from the addiction, but is just as helpful for families and friends of addicts that are helping to get a loved one into rehab or addiction treatment. Whether you are struggling with an opioid use disorder, alcohol use disorder, or prescription drug abuse, all the steps in this guide will be helpful to you.
How to Find and Evaluate Rehab and Addiction Treatment Options
The first step in seeking addiction treatment is to figure out where you are going to go for treatment. There are many phases of treatment, but in general you want to have a plan up-front for where you will spend these phases of treatment. The basic phases of addiction treatment are:
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- Addiction Detox
- Addiction Treatment
- Aftercare
Many drug and alcohol rehabs offer all 3 phases of treatment under 1 company or facility, while others may break up the phases into different providers and facilities. Drug rehabs that offer all 3 phases of treatment under 1 facility / company are not necessarily better than those that separate the phases; however, some families and patients prefer to keep all phases together.
The choice is strictly up to preference, though we would advise you to look closely at the details of the services provided during the phases. Compare the services and care at all levels before making your final decision.
What is Inpatient Rehab Vs. Outpatient Rehab?
You will run into a lot of medical terms in your search for a rehab, and the terms you will immediately need to familiarize yourself with are: “inpatient” and “outpatient.” In general the terms mean:
- Inpatient – generally includes a stay at a hospital overnight, or residential care (living at) a facility.
- Outpatient – generally means that you go to a location for appointments and leave to go home afterwards.
In most cases, the definitions above are true; but there are exceptions to the rules, as well as a lot of wiggle room between.
Why do I care about Inpatient Versus Outpatient Care?
While you may care about inpatient versus outpatient care due to your own personal preferences, a bigger reason to look closely at the type of care is due to insurance reasons. If you are looking to use your insurance for rehab and the various phases of treatment, you will need to know if the services are inpatient or outpatient (for instance: Medicare Part A – covers Inpatient Services; Medicate Part B covers Outpatient Services). If you are looking closely at the costs of rehab and / or using insurance, you will want to know about inpatient vs outpatient rehabs.
The First Phase of Addiction Treatment: Addiction Detox
Before you can go to rehab and learn how to stay sober, first you must get sober. This is the part that gives a lot of people anxiety. Those that have suffered from drug and alcohol withdrawals know that it is not pleasant — withdrawals are uncomfortable, painful, and (depending on the substance you are addicted-to) can be dangerous.
Medically Supervised Drug and Alcohol Detox – is the way to get around the discomfort of withdrawals while you get the final traces of drugs and alcohol out of your system. A Drug and Alcohol Detox Doctor will ensure that you are comfortable through the detox process before they discharge you to your next phase of treatment: “Addiction Treatment.”
How to Find An Arizona Detox Facility
When you start your search for a detox facility in Arizona or any other state in the United States, first start with the type of chemical you are addicted to:
Do You Need –
- Alcohol Addiction Detox
- Opioid Addiction Detox
- Heroin Addiction Detox
- Benzodiazepine Addiction Detox
- Cocaine Addiction Detox
- Methamphetamine Addiction Detox
- Prescription Drug Addiction Detox
Make sure that the detox facility you are investigating is a licensed medical detox facility for the type of drugs you need to detox-from. If they specialize in any type of drug/chemical, this may be of importance to your decision.
For Opioid Addiction Detox Facilities: you should specify to the detox doctors and staff how you use the opioids — especially if you use intravenously, or take pills purchased from the street (these have differing levels of strength/toxicity, and it will be necessary to judge your tolerance levels).
If you generally use opioids that are prescribed by a doctor, the dosages should be relatively easy to figure out,
For Alcohol Addiction Detox Facilities: you need make sure that they are medically licensed and have doctors on staff — alcohol withdrawals are the one type of withdrawals that you can die directly from the withdrawal symptoms if not properly detoxed. (narcotic/opioid withdrawals symptoms themselves are actually not usually deadly).
Detox Facilities for Special Needs
It is also important to specify any special needs during detox, as these needs may dictate the available facilities to you. For instance, pregnant women seeking detox will need to find a detox facility that accepts pregnant women. Not all detox facilities are equipped to handle detoxing both the mother and the child safely, so it is important that you find a doctor that can perform medical detox on pregnant women.
Active Recovery Care Specializes in Addiction Treatment for Pregnant Women >>
Special Detox Needs to Consider:
- Detox for Patients with Severe Mental Health Disorders (schizophrenia / severe personality disorders / active psychosis)
- The mental health disorders may impede treatment, so it is important to find a detox facility that treats patients with severe mental health issues.
- Detox for Patients with Eating Disorders
- the body’s health during detox plays a critical role. If a patient has an active eating disorder, the body and brain are deficient in chemicals and nutrients that adds another difficult layer to the detox process. Treating the eating disorder and nutritional deficiency alongside the detox process is necessary.
Active Recovery Care Specializes in Addiction Treatment for Those with Eating Disorders >>
- the body’s health during detox plays a critical role. If a patient has an active eating disorder, the body and brain are deficient in chemicals and nutrients that adds another difficult layer to the detox process. Treating the eating disorder and nutritional deficiency alongside the detox process is necessary.
- Detox for Patients with Chronic Pain Issues
- Those with chronic pain issues may need to detox from painkillers, alcohol, and other drugs; but, they still need to keep their pain at-bay. Those with Chronic Pain Issues are urged to find a detox doctor that understands “Pain Management” and its role alongside the detox process.
Active Recovery Care Specializes in Addiction Treatment with Chronic Pain Management >>
- Those with chronic pain issues may need to detox from painkillers, alcohol, and other drugs; but, they still need to keep their pain at-bay. Those with Chronic Pain Issues are urged to find a detox doctor that understands “Pain Management” and its role alongside the detox process.
- Any Other Health or Behavioral Issues that May Impede Detox
The Second Phase of Addiction Treatment: Addiction Treatment
“Addiction Treatment” is the all-encompassing word given to the general process of treating a person’s addiction. This can include: detox, rehab, aftercare, support meetings, sober living, support groups, counseling, therapy, and relapse-prevention programs. All of these are tools in the tool belt of addiction treatment. Some patients need these at different times of their recovery, and may even need the same part of the process several times (example – relapse may cause the need to go back to residential rehab or sober living facilities).
Overall, the following is suggested:
Do I Need to Go to Rehab?
After detox — once the drugs/alcohol are completely out of your system — it is up to you to stay sober and not put any more drugs/alcohol back into your system. This is easier said than done for many people. Therefore, “rehab” is the process of rehabilitating yourself out of your old, unhealthy habits and into new, healthy, sober daily activities.
When people say: “Go to Rehab,” they are usually referring to a “residential rehab facility.” This is the traditional hospital/inpatient setting that most people think-of when they think of “rehab.
Residential Inpatient Rehab Facilities
Residential Inpatient Rehab Facilities are recommended for those recovering addicts whose “home life” is still close to temptations to use (drugs/alcohol) and close to others that are using. Residential rehabs are just what some individuals need to fully-immerse themselves into the rehab and recovery lifestyle. While other may still have a successful recovery at an outpatient facility (where you go back home at the end of the day), many addicts find that being alone at home at the end of the day is when they find the most temptations to relapse or use again.
Outpatient Rehab Facilities
Residential facilities are expensive, and not always covered by insurance. It’s EXTREMELY important to know your needs for recovery, and match the treatment to your needs. Outpatient rehab is a great option that has lead many addicts to a successful recovery. Outpatient treatment is recommended for those who have a foothold in their recovery and seen early success.
Intensive Outpatient Rehabs (IOP)
Remember, at the beginning of the guide, we mentioned the importance of knowing the difference between inpatient and outpatient. Here is where the importance starts to get a little clearer. IOP programs are outpatient programs that have increased intensity, like inpatient programs often have.
IOP rehab programs are a great option for those that feel they need an inpatient rehab program but can only afford — or insurance limits you to — a program categorized as outpatient.
Addiction Treatment Counseling & Therapy
The backbone of addiction treatment is counseling and therapy. It’s simply “talking” and “analyzing our thoughts.” It’s the part that keeps reminding you every day why you got sober and choose to stay sober.
It was little everyday problems that made you turn to drugs and alcohol, and it is the the little everyday problems that can derail your recovery. Making sure the ups and downs of the day don’t break you is the key to sobriety. You don’t go back to rehab and lock yourself away from the world every time it gets overwhelming; instead you go talk through it with the counselor or therapist. Together you and your therapist keep YOU on-track.
Counseling and therapy for addiction is important throughout your recovery in both the Addiction Treatment and the Aftercare phases.
Sober Living Homes & Facilities
For those that need daily support in their lives during recovery, sober living homes offer a great advantage. These homes and facilities are staffed by counselors and peers in recovery, often implement drug testing and other safety measures, and offer 24-Hour care/chaperoning.
These homes are critical to the re-adjustment of those addicts who have lived among addiction their entire lives, and have never known a stable, healthy home environment. They can be utilized in all 3 phases of recovery; although most facilities require that you be completely detoxed from drugs and in stable condition before entering.
IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT FINDING SOBER LIVING HOMES
In recent years, there have been many scams and dangerous groups posing as “sober living homes” and “sober living facilities.” It is very important to do your research on the facilities. Check accreditation, reviews, and ask your addiction counselor or recovery team for their recommendations.
The Third Phase of Addiction Treatment: Aftercare
Aftercare can be summed-up in 1 phrase: “Relapse Prevention.” Preventing a relapse from occurring is the main goal of aftercare. For some, aftercare is easy — many addicts never want to have another drink again, or feel the need to be high or use drugs every again.
For others, only a small nudge is needed every now and then to remind them why they got and stay sober.
Others stay sober but struggle with temptations or thoughts of using drugs and alcohol well after first quitting. For these individuals, aftercare just needs to be a little more intensive. Support groups and meetings (Like Alcoholics Anonymous, etc.) may be the best form of relapse prevention. Some may lean-on the continued care of a counselor or therapist.
A choice few former addicts devote their lives towards ADMINISTERING aftercare as a form of their own aftercare (Example: Those that run sober living homes after getting sober, as a way to STAY sober).
The point is that you need to find your own form of aftercare that works for you, but there are numerous programs that specialize in relapse prevention, support, and providing a supportive network and lifestyle.
The Full Continuum of Addiction Treatment: Guiding You Through the 3 Phases of Addiction Recovery
At Active Recovery Care, we follow an “integrated” model of implementing the “Full Continuum of Treatment.” We network with other providers to offer you many options throughout the 3 phases of recovery. We have a full support network that is ready for you to be ready to get sober.
