Detox is one of the most important steps in the drug addiction recovery process. An individual who wishes to take part in counseling and aftercare programs must first complete detoxification if they stand any chance at all of having these efforts make a real impact on their life. And just as there are different types of drug rehab, so too are there various forms of drug detox – each one designed to meet the needs of a particular type of individual. The following is a look at the drug detox options that an individual who is ready to break the addiction cycle has at his disposal.
Natural Drug Detoxification
Natural drug detox involves the individual stopping the use of the drugs entirely – going “cold turkey” while in the care of treatment professionals. While this method does result in the individual overcoming their physical addiction to drugs, it is not without its challenges. The most prominent challenge associated with natural detox are the withdrawal symptoms that an individual must endure as their body adjusts to a lack of drugs in the system.
Withdrawal Symptoms Associated with Natural Drug Detox
Although different drugs elicit different withdrawal symptoms, there are a number of conditions that tend to occur across all of them, including:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Strong drug cravings
- Restlessness
- Sleeplessness
- Chills
- Sweats
- Nausea and vomiting
As a general rule, withdrawal symptoms have their onset 24 to 48 hours after the detox process has begun (and the individual has taken their last dose of the drug). Withdrawal symptoms are at their most intense in the initial days that they are present, and will begin to subside in.
Medical Detox and Overcoming Drug Addiction
For those individuals who are concerned about the withdrawal symptoms associated with natural detox, there is an alternative. Medical detox uses synthetic versions of common drugs to help ease the individual off of the substance with a minimal amount of withdrawal.
Most commonly, the medical detox process is used to help people overcome their addiction to opiates such as heroin, Vicodin, OxyContin and opium. In these cases, medical professionals carefully administer a synthetic opiate such as Methadone. Methadone and other substances like it act in many of the same ways as the drug they are designed to mimic – the difference being that they are medically approved and given in gradually smaller and smaller doses by the detox team. Eventually, the individual is “weaned off” of the drug and can begin the rest of the drug treatment process.
There are a few potential pitfalls that make medical detox a less attractive proposition for many recovering addicts. For one thing, some feel that there is a social stigma attached to attending a public detox clinic each day. More seriously, a small but significant number of individuals who use Methadone end up addicted to the synthetic opiate. That leaves an individual fighting two addiction at once (one to the Methadone, the other to the original drug of abuse).
What Happens after Detox is Complete?
Once detoxification is complete, the individual is considered stable enough to continue on with the remainder of drug rehab treatment. It is important to note that detox is NOT addiction treatment in and of itself. Completing the process of detoxification means that the individual has overcome her physical addiction to drugs. In order to maintain sobriety in the months and years to come, the individual must also address the psychological addiction to drugs. This is accomplished through drug addiction counseling.
Drug counseling makes up the bulk of time most individuals will spend in a rehab center. There are three primary types of counseling: individual, group and family therapy.
- Individual counseling. The patient meets in private with a therapist to discuss the root causes of her addiction. Patient and therapist work together to help the individual develop life strategies that will insure a lifetime of sobriety.
- Group counseling. Group sessions are a chance for the individual to form a support network with other recovering addicts in the program. These meetings are, for many, the first time they ever talk openly and honestly about their addiction with other people.
- Family therapy. Addiction puts a great deal of strain on the family unit. Family therapy is a chance to heal damaged relationships and to learn how to communicate with one another in a more productive way that enhances the recovery efforts of the individual.
