What means safe drug detox?
Detox is the process of weaning your mind and body off drugs. Most people need to detoxify for five to 10 days. Cleaning out every last trace of the substance is the goal. Drug detox isn’t an easy process if you’re addicted, and it can be dangerous. Therefore, comfortable and safe drug detox should be administered in a safe and comfortable medical environment.
Detox often brings to mind images of withdrawal symptoms, sterile hospital beds, and indifferent staff. However, drug detox doesn’t have to be this way. Many substance abuse treatment facilities all over the country are developing more comfortable and safe drug detox environments for their clients.
Clients generally report much better recovery experiences in healthcare facilities that offer personalized care in comfortable environments. Substance abuse treatment is no different. Facilities that provide home-like atmospheres offer better recovery experiences than clinical detox facilities that strictly offer detox and nothing else, which is a special treatment in a safe drug detox program.
Drug Detox: What to Expect
Recovery is a process. It takes time, patience, and everything that you’ve got. The first step for treating drug addiction is through drug detox. It is important for us to be transparent about this topic. It will not be an easy process, it is necessary, and it will be with it. A person will likely experience many different side effects from their drug use. These side effects may be emotional, physical, or mental. Someone in withdrawal will likely experience many uncomfortable feelings and negative thoughts about life during the process of detox. Unfortunately for those with a physical dependency, detox is an unavoidable first step to recovery, that’s why so important to find a safe drug detox environment. The benefits of medical drug detox are the most freeing and valuable part.
Warnings Against Drug Detox at Home
Detoxing from drugs can produce severe withdrawal symptoms. Consider whether it will be safe to detox from drugs at home or if a treatment facility would be a safer option. How to detox your body from drugs is not common knowledge. Moreover, the process can usually be eased and more appropriately handled with the help of professional addiction treatment caregivers.
What options are available at home, and what level of support is reasonable to expect from loved ones during this time. Someone who is in detox may be unable to care for themselves during this time, and it is best to prepare for the worst.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse [1], detoxification alone does not address the psychological, social, and behavioral problems associated with addiction. Therefore, does not typically produce lasting behavioral changes necessary for recovery. Detoxification should thus be accompanied by a formal assessment and referral to safe drug detox treatment.
At-home detox should only be performed after a doctor or medical professional has approved the process. Also, someone suffering from a drug or alcohol addiction should never decide to simply try it on their own without medical supervision. Doing so could have serious health repercussions and could be deadly in some situations
Trying to detox at home without treatment can also negatively affect one’s mental health resulting in:
- Anxiety
- Anger and irritability
- Depression and suicidal thoughts
- Hopelessness
- Delusional thinking and paranoia
- Hallucinations
Benefits Of Medically Assisted Detox Treatment
Because of the serious risks associated with self-detoxing from drugs, you shouldn’t attempt to detox from drugs at home. A much safer option is to enter an inpatient or outpatient treatment program overseen by a team of medical professionals who can offer you the care you need.
Some of the benefits of safe drug detox include:
- Medical stabilization
- Peer support
- A safe and structured environment
- Relapse prevention
- Therapeutic intervention
- Family support
- Long-term treatment (aftercare)
To start a comfortable and safe drug detox, be sure to consult with a medical professional, preferably one with addiction treatment or withdrawal management experience. This specialist can provide a thorough assessment of your status and risks.
Questions you may be asked for safe drug detox evaluation:
- The type or types of substances you use regularly and whether you are currently intoxicated
- The frequency, dose, and duration of your use
- Any preexisting and concurrent mental health symptoms
- Your physical health/medical history
- Previous withdrawal and detox attempts
- How much support you have at home
Not everyone needs detox, but you’re more likely to need it if:
- You’ve used addictive substances in large amounts or over a long period of time
- You’re physically or psychologically dependent on drugs or alcohol
- You’ve reached the point where you need to use more to obtain a certain effect
- You have cravings for drugs or alcohol
- You’ve tried to quit on your own and keep using
Safe Withdrawal Through Medical Detox
Some addictions will require a person to go to a medical detox clinic before entering a rehab program. This is due to the fact that the withdrawals from the particular type of drug they have an addiction to can make them physically ill and lead to severe withdrawal symptoms, including death. It is important to know the facts about detox and what a person may experience while going through medical detox. It is highly advised that if possible you go to a detox center and don’t try to detox on your own.
Safe drug detox can lead to severe withdrawal symptoms. Drug withdrawal symptoms can be categorized into both physical and psychological symptoms.
Physical Symptoms of Drug Withdrawal Include:
- Nausea and vomiting
- Diarrhoea
- Muscle and bone pain
- High temperature and/or chills
- Fatigue and exhaustion
- Restlessness
- Vivid, unpleasant dreams
- Flu-like symptoms
- Headaches
- Heart palpitations
- Excessive sweating
- Shaking and shivering
The most severe drug addiction withdrawal symptoms, known as ‘delirium tremens’ (DTs), include:
- Rapid heart rate
- Elevated body temperature
- Extreme confusion
- Uncontrollable shaking/shivering
- Visual and/or auditory hallucinations
- Seizures
We Level FL Mental Health Center: Primary Mental Health Treatment with Secondary Co-Occurring Treatment
We Level Up FL primary mental health center stands ready to help. Offering secondary treatment therapy for underlying problems like Drug Addiction often fuels negative behaviors. Taking that first step to get the help you deserve can be life-changing.
We understand how behavioral disorders and secondary co-occurring addiction diagnoses directly impact each other. We Level Up Florida can instill a support system through our mental health treatments that can make you feel valuable. Call us now for a free mental health assessment! Inpatient medical safe drug detox and residential primary addiction treatment may be available at our affiliated facility at Level Up Treatment West Palm Beach.
Sources
[1] NIDA – https://www.drugabuse.gov/about-nida/noras-blog/2018/05/nida-supported-science-leads-to-first-fda-approved-medication-opioid-withdrawal
