When an individual begins the critical process of becoming sober, receiving treatment from a certified alcohol and drug treatment center is recommended to be done correctly and safely. In most cases where drugs or alcohol are at the root of the addiction, treatment programs encourage patients to immediately begin working to rid the body of the addictive substances.
As long as the drugs or alcohol can be found in the body, they are causing harm to the user for as long as they remain in their system. This beginning step of recovery occurs under the supervision of addiction specialists and other medical professionals at a residential treatment detox center. Rarely is detox treatment offered to those in outpatient rehab programs. As an overall treatment service, detox by itself is not considered to be an addiction recovery program.
As someone develops a moderate to severe alcohol abuse or other drug use disorder, the sudden decision to completely stop using the substance is a common thought. However, the physical and psychological effects that have a high probability of occurring have been seen to be extremely dangerous and even life-threatening in many cases. At the very least, numerous withdrawal symptoms are produced as early as 6-24 hours after the substance was last used.
Withdrawal symptoms for both men and women can vary depending on many aspects that the specific individual may possess. A few examples of these aspects that are frequently seen have included:
The type of substance that the individual is addicted to
The overall severity of drug abuse and addiction
Any history of drug or alcohol abuse in the family’s history
If there are any underlying behavioral health or mental health disorders
How long the addiction has had control of the user
The dosage amount that the user has become accustomed to taking at a time
Methods that were used to abuse the drug (swallowing, injection, snorting, smoking, etc.
Past medical history and prior health complications
Proper substance abuse treatment is crucial for the health and safety of those attempting to receive detox treatment.
Signs and symptoms that are seen more regularly during the detox process in patients struggling with drug or alcohol addiction include:
Heightened anxiety
Insomnia and other sleeping issues
Physical shakiness, typically in the hands
Mild to severe depression symptoms
Delirium tremens (DTs), possibly the most severe withdrawal symptom, which usually causes hallucinations, seizures, and other life-threatening side-effects.
Unfortunately, many individuals who have taken the detox process upon themselves quickly find out that they will not be successful. Choosing to detox from a moderate to severe drug or alcohol dependency alone and at home has, in some cases, caused a deadly result.
If you feel the need to have a specific drug or a certain amount of alcohol for you to act and feel normal, that is typically the first sign that points to the need for necessary detox assistance.
Successfully completing a detox program is considered an addiction recovery treatment service that is recommended never to be attempted without medical professionals’ help. In most cases, the detox process and accompanying withdrawal symptoms are more than capable of putting the patient’s life at risk. Even with the cases where the symptoms are seen not to be as dangerous, the process of ridding the substances from the body is still a significant and challenging task.
Taking part in a certified detox program provides the necessary support for guiding struggling individuals through the difficult withdrawal phases that are often experienced. One of these support techniques is to include specific medication options designed to help lessen the side effects for the individual and take care of any other mental health conditions that have proved to be evident.
Consuming alcoholic beverages to make social encounters less anxiety-prone
Using benzodiazepines in sometimes excessive amounts in hopes of intercepting oncoming panic attacks.
Consuming alcoholic beverages to make social encounters less anxiety-prone
Smoking or using other marijuana products so that emotional pains are hoped to become numb.
The use of cocaine primarily increases the sense of motivation and energy levels to complete daily tasks and responsibilities.
It is strongly encouraged for those considering detox treatment for themselves or loved ones to do their research and find the program that best fits any specific and unique needs that you or they may have.
This research is crucial because you have to take into account any pre-existing mental health or vital medical conditions that could affect the course of treatment. You will want to choose a program that specifically is equipped to provide the proper care and services for these types of situations. Service quality and treatment costs are typically the next steps that are looked into from there.
You can say that the ideal scenario is for a program to be found that is affordable and has all the proper licensing qualifications. These qualifications typically start with offering expert level staff members and other trained professionals, along with the claim of favorable success rates.
Below are a few more examples of excellent questions that are a good idea to be asked in this pursuit of the right detox program for you. They include:
How do you help your patients prevent a relapse from happening?
What types of training and licensing does your staff have?
What insurance plans do you take?
What other medical services do you offer other than detox?
Do you provide any forms of counseling?
What treatments are available after the detox program is completed?
