Detox and recovery centers are both parts of treatment for addiction, and may even exist in the same building, but they are not the same thing. They treat people at different stages of early recovery.
A detox center helps people get off substances safely and as comfortably as possible. A person looking to stop using alcohol, for instance, would spend their first day not drinking and the following days or weeks at a detox center. They’d stay there until alcohol was fully out of their system.
In some cases—depending on the substance a person used and the severity of their use—withdrawing without medical intervention can be dangerous. At a detox center, nurses are available 24/7 to keep people safe and help minimize their withdrawal symptoms.
Going back out into the world again after detoxing without any supports is not typically recommended. At a recovery center, people support each other, learn skills for coping with triggers sober, see therapists, and address the underlying reasons they used substances. While detox centers focus mainly on the physical process of withdrawal, recovery centers treat the emotional, mental, and physical aspects of addiction.
Each of these types of treatment equip people to go back into the world sober. They help people take the first hard step of getting off drugs or alcohol, and then give them tools to cope with everyday life sober.
If you are struggling with a substance use or mental health disorder, there is help and hope. TruHealing Centers offers high-quality treatment for mental health disorders and addiction in facilities across the country. Our staff—many of whom are in recovery themselves—will help you get and stay sober. To learn more, call an admissions specialist at 410-593-0005.