Drug addiction has become an epidemic in the United States, gaining prevalence due to easy availability and rapidly developing chemical dependency already associated with drug use. Detroit’s metropolitan area is no exception to the drug pandemic. In fact, in the Detroit area alone, nearly 3,000 arrests were made in substance-related cases for narcotic violations, according to the Office of National Drug Policy. While marijuana was the drug in highest use across Wayne County, the reality is that virtually every illicit drug circulates in the Detroit metropolitan area, with unreported usage estimates remaining even higher than cited statistics.

Drug Treatment for Physical Addiction

Two other drugs with high circulation in the Detroit metropolitan area were heroin and cocaine – which are notoriously difficult for addicts to kick. Drug addiction often can take hold with even a few uses, causing physical addiction to take place. Because of the way that drugs affect the system, physical addiction can develop rapidly. Ultimately, drugs produce a series of calming or euphoric feelings that activate the brain’s reward pathways by altering the body’s levels of neurotransmitters – important, naturally occurring brain chemicals. Over time, these chemical imbalances in the brain – sometimes, ones that exacerbate existing imbalances individuals might already experience – cause natural production levels to adjust. When the drug user experiences the drug, they feel “normal” as a form of temporary chemical balance takes place; however, when the drug exits the system, cravings often begin as neurotransmitter levels fall back into imbalance.

The Importance of Drug Treatment

When drugs are present in the body, the brain does not register any imbalance as neurotransmitter levels temporarily sustain. When drugs use ceases, drug-dependent individuals feel physically – and often emotionally – worse as they experience the body’s chemical imbalances in a phenomenon known as “withdrawal.”  Until a drug-addicted individual receives safe, medically supervised Detroit drug rehab detox at a qualified inpatient drug addiction treatment center, they often cannot abstain long enough to allow the brain and body to resume its normal balance.

Drug testing usually occurs on intake in order to determine the drug combinations that may be in the individual’s system to ensure safe and comprehensive detox. During professional drug detox treatment, addicted individuals are monitored in a safe, medically supervised environment around the clock. Vital signs are monitored, medications are prescribed to help assuage withdrawal symptoms and cravings, and nutrition and hydration are provided to help the body restore itself to its pre-drug state. Depending on the drug and duration of addiction, detox can last anywhere from a few days to two weeks.

Weighing Drug Addiction Treatment Options for Detroit Residents

Whether you or someone you love suffers from an enduring drug addiction, drug treatment services exist that can help achieve a return to lasting sobriety. Locating a drug treatment program, either in Detroit or elsewhere in the US, can be useful for those who have addictions that can be managed by outpatient treatment. However, for many drug-addicted individuals, the length and severity of their drug addictions necessitate inpatient drug addiction treatment stays – many times, in a new environment away from detrimental social influences, ongoing responsibilities and access to drugs. Fortunately, the United States houses some of the most well-regarded and effective drug addiction treatment options in the world – many, in fact, in metropolitan areas throughout the country.

With inpatient drug treatment programs that offer a safe and sober environment for recovery, drug-addicted individuals can heal physically and psychologically with the help of addiction professionals. Inpatient treatment programs offer holistic treatment regimens that include psychotherapy, drug education, drug detoxification services and aftercare guidance to plan for a sober future.  Many inpatient drug treatment programs also offer 12-step support groups and group therapy sessions to help forge social support during recovery. Combined with nutritious meals, exercise programs and self-esteem building activities, inpatient treatment programs are equipped to provide world-class  addiction treatment help regardless of the drug of choice or duration of addiction.