If you’re struggling with substance use, you may wonder if drug rehab is right for you, what the process is like, and how long it will take to achieve recovery. While there may be an abundance of information online about the topic, alcohol and drug addiction psychiatrists offer a unique perspective informed by years of training, research, and first-hand practice. Dr. Josh Lichtman is a psychiatrist who specializes in addiction treatment to help those struggling with substance use achieve sobriety with emotional resilience and enhanced mental health at Neuro Wellness Spa.
Dr. Lichtman sat down to address several topics regarding drug rehab to help you start your recovery journey with confidence and clarity. He explains how simply asking yourself the question, “Should I completely stop doing drugs,” may be an indicator that substance use is interfering with your life, and how getting sober at home is possible, but risky.
“When drugs and substance abuse really take over and start to ruin your life, and wreak havoc on your relationships … then it’s really time to consider stopping,” says Dr. Lichtman.
In this video, you’ll have valuable answers to your most pertinent questions about the drug rehab process, including:
- How do you know if you need to detox?
- Can you detox at home?
- What are some medications for addiction treatment?
- What are some strategies to maintain sobriety?
Dr. Lichtman explains that detox is just one part of rehab — truly treating addiction addresses the psychological aspects that drive addictive behaviors. He also reassures that while weaning yourself off of drugs that you’ve become dependent on may be uncomfortable and difficult, it is possible with the right support and care.
Concerned about substance use affecting you or someone close to you? Dr. Lichtman’s video below offers professional insights on alcohol recovery options and medically sound approaches to beginning treatment. Learn about safe, effective treatment approaches from a medical expert who specializes in addiction medicine, and trusted rehab facilities and treatment programs that can support you.
Begin your recovery journey at Neuro Wellness Spa with our comprehensive addiction treatment counseling service. Our specialized team of psychiatrists and therapists creates individualized treatment plans for each person struggling with alcohol dependency. We provide comprehensive care including medical detox through our sister program at Clear Behavioral Health, one-on-one counseling and therapy, medication management for co-occurring mental health conditions, and continuous aftercare to maintain long-term sobriety. Take the first step toward healing today by calling (877) 847-3984 to speak with our caring support team.
Dr. Josh Lichtman on Drug Rehab
“The truth is that rehab can work for alcoholism and drug addiction. There’s no magic — you’re going to have to do the work on your own. But with proper support and treatment and desire, you really actually can get clean.”
“So I’m Josh Lichtman, and I am a psychiatrist, and my subspecialty is addiction medicine. I’m going to try to answer some questions for you today.”
How do I know when I should completely stop doing drugs?
“When drugs and substance abuse really take over and start to ruin your life, and wreak havoc on your relationships, and start to cause physical issues like withdrawal, you know, then it’s really time to consider stopping.”
What are some steps I should take to stop doing drugs?
“The steps that you should take to stop doing drugs or drinking — it’s really just one and the same. The most important step is going to be recognizing that, you know, you have an issue and that your drug and alcohol use is really having a negative impact on your life and disrupting your life. And chances are that if you’re asking yourself the question, ‘Should I stop?’ Then you probably should.”
Can you get sober at home?
“Yes, you can get sober at home, and some people definitely are successful at doing it. But I think that if you seek out treatment, you’re going to find a much better, softer, more effective way to get sober, and with appropriate care and support.
You know, this starts all the way from do you need a medical detox from alcohol or drugs? Or do you not need to be detoxed, and you just need a really structured, supportive environment like a residential drug treatment facility? Or is it something that can be managed as an outpatient, and you go into an intensive outpatient program? There’s a whole spectrum of different types and levels of treatment to help get you clean.”
How does the detox process work?
“Detox really kind of comes down to using medical treatment and medications to safely wean your body off of substances. So we use different medications to kind of help slowly and safely get your body off of things like alcohol or opiates, and different things can be more dangerous than others. Again, alcohol withdrawing — your body coming off of alcohol — is much more potentially dangerous than, for example, opiates.
You may feel terrible, you know, with both, but actually detoxing off of opiates isn’t life threatening, whereas detoxing off of alcohol is life threatening. And the way that it works is pretty much your body is just taken through a weaning process, and monitored very closely, and given supportive other medications to help with that process.
And then usually after you’re detoxed, you know, you’re not fixed at that point. So we would really recommend going down into a lower level of care at that point to continue to address your addiction.”
What are some medications that can help me get sober from drugs?
“There’s a number of medications in our arsenal that can be helpful in helping you to maintain your sobriety. And whether that’s starting with detox medications, or giving you medications that can help address the underlying anxiety and depression that were possibly fueling your addictions, or giving you medications that can help with cravings, there’s a number of medication options that can help you on your journey.”
Does rehab work for alcoholism? For drug addiction?
“The truth is that rehab can work for alcoholism and drug addiction. There’s no magic, you’re going to have to do the work on your own. But with proper support and treatment and desire, you really actually can get clean.”
What is the average length of stay at rehab?
“So the average length of stay at rehab, again, really varies. You know, I think probably the average is 30 to 90 days, but also the average [includes] people fail after they leave, so it really varies. I think that it usually takes about six months in order for anything to stick. And that doesn’t mean you’re inpatient for six months, but that you’re engaging in active treatment for six months and beyond.”
Any final advice for getting clean from drugs and substances?
“So YBH has a variety of options to help you, you know, on your path, whether that be the acute place that you’re needing to be detoxed, or the not-so acute place and you just need residential treatment and sober living, or if you’re further along and you just need an intensive outpatient program, or if you’re stable and you’ve been sober for years and you just need psychotherapy or medication management with a psychiatrist, reach out — we can help. We really try to cover the whole spectrum of mental health and addiction.”