Detox is usually the first, and one of the most difficult, steps in the recovery process. The purpose of detoxification is to rid the body of all drugs and begin the physical healing needed to break an addiction.
Because a detox can create unpleasant and difficult symptoms, it's important to undergo the process under the guidance of a medical professional. It's also important to remember that a drug addiction is a physical and psychological reliance on a substance, and detox is only one part of the recovery process.
After your body has gone through a detox program and withdrawal symptoms have subsided, a plan for follow up treatment is needed to keep the recovery process going in the right direction. Nevertheless, a medical detox can help with a serious addiction in five important ways:
1. Provides a complete medical and psychological assessment.
The first few days of a detox can be some of the most intense for many patients, especially those who have been abusing drugs in high quantities or for a long period of time. Luckily in a detox facility, there will be medical and psychiatric staff on hand to help with any issues that arise. Oftentimes a patient may shows signs of psychosis or other co occurring mental disorders when they first begin to detox.
A patient may also show signs of previous injuries that need treatment. Other medical issues that a patient may have are also addressed during this critical time. Signs of depression or suicidal impulses may be present at this stage as well and will need to be addressed along with any other issues before addiction treatment can proceed. This step provides a patient with a full assessment of what areas need attention.
2. Treats any withdrawal symptoms.
There's no doubt that coming off any type of drug will produce a variety of unpleasant withdrawal symptoms that can be life threatening if not dealt with appropriately. Under the care of addiction and detox specialists, a patient can be sure that their experience will be as comfortable and safe as possible.
The severity of withdrawal symptoms will depend on the length of the addiction, the type and combinations of drugs taken, the dosages taken, and if their are any co occurring mental disorders. The most common withdrawal symptoms include mood swings and irritability, trouble sleeping, chills, fever, and general flu like symptoms, and overwhelming cravings for the drug.
3. Can be tailored to your specific addiction.
There are different detox programs that work for a variety of addictions. Inpatient detox however, is the best option for most types of addiction. An opiate addiction will need to be treated a little bit differently, with medications used to help ease withdrawal symptoms and curb strong cravings.
Alcohol detox will produce unpleasant withdrawal symptoms that require round the clock medical supervision. Other drugs will produce severe psychological withdrawal symptoms that can lead to serious depression or even suicidal thoughts. These cases will require a different kind of medical supervision.
4. Medications can help with detox.
There are several commonly used medications that can help make the detox process more comfortable and safe. These drugs work to address changes taking place in the brain when a patient stops taking drugs and helps cravings feel less intense. Some medications can even mimic the effects of drugs that were abused to make withdrawal symptoms a lot less severe.
5. Provides a stepping stone to recovery.
A medical detox helps a person kick their addiction and find out what issues they need to work on in order to continue their recovery. Therapy, education, rehab, and support groups are some of the recovery tools that a person has to use after they complete a detox treatment.