About Drug Detox
Drug detox is the vital first step of any drug addiction treatment program and involves effectively eliminating the physical dependence that a patient has on drugs. By cleaning out the system, ridding it of toxic chemicals and drugs, the recovering addict can begin to take control of their health and prepare for entrance into a long term drug rehab program which consists of counseling, therapy and aftercare to aid them in recovering psychologically from their addiction.
Drug detox programs vary in length but typically last anywhere from 5 days to two weeks. In some severe addiction cases or for certain types of drug addiction the detoxification process may take longer than two weeks. This is often the case for individuals who suffer from addiction to opiates such as heroin, morphine, Oxycontin and similar drugs. In some cases, detox can last many months for such situations.
Why is Drug Detox Important?
Drug detox is a very important step of the addiction rehabilitation process because it is the very first step by which all physical dependence on drugs is eliminated. Without a safe detox period, the recovering addict is very likely to stray back into a life of drugs due largely in part to the fact that they suffer from extreme withdrawal symptoms that they are unable to cope with in any other way. By effectively eliminating the physical dependence, the addict can shift focus away from withdrawal discomforts and focus more heavily on healing the psychological aspects associated with their addiction to ultimately make a complete recovery.
During drug detox, the following withdrawal symptoms can be managed and treated:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Seizures
- Convulsions
- Insomnia
- Drug cravings
- Mood swings
- Sweats
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Other symptoms of drug withdrawal
Drug Detox Medications
Various medications exist to assist patients in safely and effectively detoxing. Drug detox centers provide medical monitoring and supervision as well as a number of medications to control, reduce or eliminate the effects of withdrawal. Medications used during drug detox differ from person to person but may include methadone, suboxone, clonazepam, buprenophex or a range of other potential medications. Depending on your level of discomfort, the type of addiction you suffer from and various other factors, the detox center physician may prescribe you a series of drug detox medications to assist you in remaining as comfortable as possible while staying drug free.
Read more about drug detox medications here.
Drug Detox Dangers
Are you wondering what the dangers of drug detox are? Here at Drug Detox Rehab .com we’ve compiled a list of the potential dangers associated with drug detox. The good thing is, that when you safely detox from drugs at a qualified drug detox center then you are not likely to fall victim to any of these serious dangers of drug detox. This is why it is so important that you NEVER DETOX ALONE! Under close monitoring and supervision by a qualified specialist, even the most dangerous drug detox conditions can be effectively overcome in a safe manner without harm to the individual.
Read more about drug detox dangers here.