Detoxification is the second important step on the way to a sober life after recognizing the problem. It should be done by everyone, because it is the only way to free your body from toxic substances: drugs or alcohol. You need to be prepared — it is a difficult test for the body, which is accompanied by painful withdrawal symptoms.
We have considered two main ways you can go through the detoxification stage with all their advantages and disadvantages. It's up to you to choose your path.
Detox at home
It would seem that what could be easier to survive a few hard days without drugs or alcohol. Why go to a local detox center when you have your own home, the help of friends and relatives, and all the necessary medications that will make it easier to give up substances?
The comfort and environment of the family is important. Together with taking special medications against withdrawal symptoms, it helps to cope with the pain and desire to return to the former life of a drug addict or alcoholic.
But what do doctors think about this? Detoxification at home can be considered only if the addiction is not severe. For example, psychoactive substances have only been used for a few weeks and the desire to use them is mostly due to psychological dependence. For example, someone has become addicted to smoking pot or hasn't come out of a binge for a few days and this is the first time this has happened.
Detox at home is not always a good idea. Below we will talk about the main risks you can face when trying to treat addiction on your own.
Risks of detoxing on your own
There are several reasons why home detoxification should be treated with caution:
- withdrawal symptoms. These can be not only unpleasant, but also dangerous. If the detox takes place after a severe addiction, it is important to constantly monitor changes in vital signs. Otherwise, the addict may die from pain shock, cardiac arrest, or other organ failure;
- high risk of relapse. In the acute phase of detoxification, the pain can become so unbearable that the addicted person will be willing to do anything to get back to normal. And there are two ways out: to overcome this feeling with the help of willpower and medication or to start using drugs or alcohol again. Unfortunately, many people choose the latter option;
- aggression and violence. A person who is experiencing withdrawal symptoms may have no control over his actions. He may harm his family and friends who will try to keep him from using substances.
Are you willing to risk your and your family's health? If not, it is better to undergo medical detoxification.
Detox in a clinic
The condition of a person with a drug or alcohol addiction can change unpredictably while undergoing detoxification. Therefore, it is important that there is a medical staff member who is able to provide the necessary assistance in time. This can be the prescription of special medications, adjustment of their dosage, professional psychological support.
What else is important? Before detoxification in the clinic, the patient is examined: they take blood tests, urine, and check the general condition of the body. All this is taken into account in order to choose a suitable detox program. This greatly distinguishes this approach from home procedures, when treatment is carried out haphazardly.
Visiting a treatment center is also mandatory in cases of dual diagnoses. This is when addiction is due to the presence of mental disorders or mental health problems have led to the use of drugs or alcohol. In such cases, a comprehensive approach to treatment is required - it is important not to miss any details, so that one disease does not intensify the other.
Main advantages of detox in a treatment center
The only disadvantage of detoxification in a clinic can be called the cost. Yes, it is more expensive than treatment at home. But this is not a problem if you have insurance. Also, one should not forget that medical care is always more effective than home treatment.
Important advantages of detox in a treatment center:
- safety. This concerns the health of the patient and the people around him. Clinics know everything about how to create such conditions;
- comfort. Specially selected drugs relieve pain, calm, relieve symptoms of depression and anxiety. Medical staff are always nearby and can help with any problem. Plus — correctness of the staff and lack of emotion about the patient's difficult behavior;
- efficiency. During the detoxification procedure in a hospital setting, drug and alcohol use is excluded. The risk of relapse at this stage is reduced to 0.
Do not forget that removing drugs and alcohol from the body is only the beginning on the way to a sober life. You need to constantly work on yourself so that the moment comes when you can forget about the bad past forever.
