Drug Detox

The addiction recovery process is a lifelong journey. Drug detox is the very first step in this journey. When a person enters a drug detox program, they seek to clear their body of any alcohol or drugs in their system and stop using substances. Thie detox experience is vital as a person experiences changes in their brain due to using drugs. The boy needs time to heal to begin to function without the use of their drug of choice.

Detoxification is the process of weaning a person off of the drugs in their system to begin their path to sobriety. Drug detox programs are imperative to ensure that the detox process is safe and effective. With medical professionals' guidance, the medical detox program will serve to lay a solid foundation for addiction recovery.

Drug dependence means that a person needs to use their drug of choice to feel normal. Drug detox helps by ridding the body of harmful substances to begin normal functioning as a person enters inpatient or outpatient rehab.

Overcoming substance use disorder is no easy task, but recovery is possible with a compassionate addiction treatment center. 

Drug Detox Withdrawal and Side Effects

Withdrawal symptoms and side effects are common during drug detox. As the body adjusts to the drugs' absence, the patient often experiences uncomfortable side effects, some mild and some severe. The drugs that cause withdrawal symptoms include:

• Alcohol

• Benzodiazepines

• Opioids

• Sleeping medications

• Stimulants

Getting off substances is hard, and it can be done. By going to a drug detox while being supervised by a team of addiction professionals, one is well on their way to begin recovery. 

The physical and psychological toll that the drug detox process has on the body can be intense. Some of the most common withdrawal symptoms and side effects include:

Medications will often be given to ease some of these withdrawal symptoms and side effects. While no medication exists to eliminate these symptoms, things like buprenorphine, methadone, clonidine, or lofexidine effectively reduce the severity of these symptoms.

Types of Drug Detox

Each person has a different experience with drug detox. While some treatment methods are more common than others, the reality is that detox is a physical and emotional challenge for everyone. In most cases, medical detox is the safest and most effective method. The detox methods below are used to jumpstart the addiction recovery process.

Medical Detox

Under medical professionals' supervision, a patient checks into a residential inpatient rehab facility for medical detox. Medical professionals monitor withdrawal symptoms, medications are provided to reduce the effects of withdrawal, and mental health services are provided.

Rapid Detox

Also administered in an inpatient medical facility, rapid detox involves putting a person under anesthesia to flush the drugs from their system. This treatment is an efficient way to circumvent severe withdrawal symptoms.

Drug Tapering

Slowing reducing the amount of drugs taken over a period of time, drug tapering is a method to lessen the severity of withdrawal symptoms. Drug tapering is best conducted under medical supervision.

At-Home Detox

While many people want to detox at home as they believe it will be easier and more comfortable, it is strongly advisable to do so under a medical professional's supervision.

Cold Turkey

The most dangerous way to detox, quitting drugs cold turkey can result in dangerous and severe withdrawal symptoms. Also, quitting drugs cold turkey is widely recognized as the least effective way to detox.

The Drug Detox Process

It is highly advisable to detox under a medical professional's supervision to manage symptoms, both mental and physical. When detoxing with medical professionals, the detox process is typically broken into three main steps:

1. Evaluation: patients are screened upon arrival at the addiction treatment center for mental health and physical issues. Using blood tests, a doctor will measure the drugs in the patient's system to determine medication needs. After the patient's medical history is reviewed, a comprehensive, personalized treatment plan is established.

2. Stabilization: A person will be stabilized by using a combination of medical and psychological therapy. During this time, doctors often prescribe medication to treat withdrawal symptoms and prevent any complications.

3. Recovery Treatment Program: following successful detox, the patient is will be cleared to enter a drug and alcohol treatment center.

Knowing what to expect before entering detox is essential to maintaining a hopeful attitude. The detoxification process can take as little as a few days to a few weeks. The length of time for detox varies depending upon how long the drug was used for, the amount of drugs consumed during each usage, and the patient's physical and mental state.

If you or a loved one are struggling to come off of alcohol, benzodiazepines, opioids, sleeping medications, or stimulants, we are here to help.