Detox is the first real process any addict aspiring to quit must go through. It helps balance the chemicals in the body and removes the harmful chemicals introduced by drug and substance abuse. This process intends to tackle the physical side of addiction adequately and prepare the patients to address the psychological stages of addiction in the following rehab process.
Defining Detox
This is a process through which all the drugs are removed from the body, which ensures that the addict’s body is physically stable to handle the rest of the addiction treatment. It is the initial stage of all rehab treatments and entails gradually reducing the substance until it is eliminated.
Unfortunately, it comes with several unpleasant side effects known as withdrawal symptoms. Detox aims to reduce potential withdrawal effects and help with safe and comfortable recovery. There may be several types of detox, but the safest and most effective is the medically assisted kind.
This involves being committed to a rehab facility and getting 24/7 monitoring through the detox phase. Trained medics and caring staff ensure that the process is as comfortable as possible and may medicate you to ease the pain and discomfort. The idea is to ensure that the adjustments happen smoothly and with minimal hitches if any. This way, you are assured that no fatalities will occur because the response is quick and efficient.
Process of Medical Detox
All medically assisted detox follows a specific process. They have to be procedural for them to be effective.
Medical Assessment
Before anything is done, the addict/ patient is first assessed medically to know their unique needs. All addicts have different needs and goals, so they must be on the same page for great results. Besides painting a picture of the conditions, this evaluation helps develop a personalized plan that meets all their needs.
Understanding the Withdrawal Stage
This covers the withdrawal symptoms stage, where addicts struggle with severe side effects from abstaining from using the substance. The severity of the situation depends on several things: the duration of addiction, the extent of the consumption, and if there have been previous attempts to quit. The patient’s general physical and mental health can also affect the detox withdrawal phase.
Experts understand that everyone is affected differently; hence the expectations vary. Common withdrawal effects to be expected include:
- Nausea and diarrhea
- Shivering and shaking
- Runny nose
- Sweating
- Increased blood pressure and heart rate
- Headaches
- Abdominal cramps
- Bone and muscle pain
- Exhaustion
Besides the physical symptoms, some addicts experience psychological symptoms, which include
- Anxiety
- Confusion
- Irritability
- Insomnia
- Paranoia
- Agitation
- Depression
- Excessive mood swings
- Lack of focus and concentration
- Intense carvings
In severe cases, patients experience hallucinations, delirium, and seizures.
Patients with severe symptoms are given specific medication to help them cope. However, no one medication can help with all the symptoms. Enrolling in a facility where round-the-clock monitoring is guaranteed is best. Consider Taylor Recovery for this. Call us anytime you are ready.