When you struggle with addiction to drugs or alcohol, your entire life can feel disrupted. However, once you realize you have such a serious problem, you can take the steps necessary to reclaim your life and sobriety. Detox is the first vital step toward overcoming your substance use disorder.
It’s important to understand that detox is not a process you can do at home by yourself. Certain medications are needed to help ease your side effects and you need supervision by qualified personnel in a rehab facility. This is the medical detoxification process.
What Is Medical Detox?
Medical detox is a crucial first step in your recovery from substance use disorder to alcohol or drugs. It’s unsafe to try to quit cold turkey when you are addicted to alcohol and certain types of drugs and can even be life-threatening in some cases. As a result, medical detoxification is necessary. The process involves the use of medications to eliminate all traces of the substance from your system and to ease your withdrawal symptoms. It’s a safe, healthy and effective way to start your journey back to being clean and sober.
While you undergo the detox process, you are closely supervised by medical professionals who can intervene if anything goes wrong. You have access to a team comprising a doctor, nurses, therapists and clinical staff. In some facilities, physician assistants and nurse practitioners may be on hand to assist you when you need them.
Many people choose to undergo their medical detox at an inpatient rehab facility. If you believe your addiction has gotten completely out of control and you need all the help you can get while undergoing your treatment, inpatient might be the best option available to you. It means that you stay at the facility on a 24/7 basis while getting the help you need. With longer-term, stronger addictions, many people find it helpful to do inpatient treatment because they’re able to remain longer at the facility and see it as a better shot at long-term success.
When Do You Need Medical Detox?
Some people with substance use disorder think they can do the minimum when seeking help. Many may not even think about medical detox or know anything about it. However, if the following situations apply to you, chances are that you would be a good candidate for medical detox:
• You’ve abused drugs or alcohol in large quantities on a regular basis.
• You have used the substance over an extended period of time.
• You’ve experienced a lesser effect over time while using the same amount of drugs or alcohol.
• You required larger quantities of drugs or alcohol to achieve the desired effect.
• You crave drugs or alcohol when you don’t have access to them.
• You have tried quitting cold turkey but discovered it was impossible.
Substance use disorder often results in significant withdrawal symptoms when you try to quit on your own. This is why medical detox is crucial. Once you can say that all of the above is true, it means you have a serious addiction and need equally serious help.
What Can You Expect During Medical Detox?
When undergoing medical detox, you should expect to experience a slew of withdrawal symptoms. These are often uncomfortable and unpleasant, but you shouldn’t have any serious symptoms as the medication helps and you have access to trained staff who can intervene at any point. However, before you undergo detox, you must be evaluated to determine the best treatment for you. This is the intake process.
During intake, staff learns about whether you are addicted to alcohol or drugs or both, if you have any co-occurring disorders, medical conditions you have and your risk of withdrawal.
Different types of medications are used during medical detox. Some of the most common are methadone, Suboxone and naltrexone. Some of these are helpful in treating substance use disorders involving opioids and alcohol. There are also newer medications available that can help in treating addictions.
Ready to finally get the help you need? We can assist you. Call us at 833.970.2054 at your earliest convenience to get started today.
