Drug Detox

How to know you need drug addiction treatment

Most of the time, a loved one, friends or colleagues can tell if someone they care about is experiencing an issue. But it can be difficult to pinpoint if the person who requires drug addiction treatment does not want to share their problems, and drug addicts often prefer to hide their problems and shy away from their addiction.

Often, this is because an addict may feel weak or a sense of shame at having succumbed to drug addiction. Unfortunately, a stigma is still attached to drug addiction, and it is misunderstood as a weakness.

There are tell tale signs that indicate that someone may require drug addiction treatment. Someone suffering from addiction will see their personality completely change.

They may experience increased levels of irritability and aggression, and their appearance and personal hygiene may suffer – they may become unkempt and disinterested in everyday tasks. Someone suffering from heroin addiction may lose weight quickly as well.

You may notice a colleague, who has previously worked hard and been a vital team member, really suffer from their performance to the extent where they may lose their job.

People suffering from Substance Use Disorder (SUD) are also very prone to experiencing financial difficulties, and it is easy for them to spend hundreds of pounds daily on drugs. Unexplained changes can indicate the presence of drug addiction.

Someone suffering from addiction may also experience alterations to their mental health – drug addiction often goes hand in hand with mental health concerns, such as anxiety, paranoia and depression.

Why complete a drug detox?

As touched on above, to recover from a drug addiction, withdrawal from these drugs is required. Without a structured and proven programme in place, physical withdrawal can be complicated and poses risks for further substance abuse in the future.

The longer you have used a particular drug, your body will built up a certain tolerance to it. Your body needs more of the drug for it to have the same effect and at some point, your body and mind will feel totally dependent on the drug.

At detox we will take this dependence away and you will stop feeding your body with the drug you are addicted to. To complete this detoxification safely you will be medically assisted through the process and under the guidance of trained professionals at a Quality Care Commission registered rehab facility.

Although branded as a challenging time, especially when withdrawal symptoms appear, drug traces will likely remain in your body without a professional drug detox. To prevent the chance of a future relapse, we need to fully cleanse your body from the drug you have become addicted to. This is why you need to complete your drug detox and give yourself the best chance of beating the addiction long term.

The importance of medical supervision when detoxing

While withdrawing from drugs, medical supervision is very important. Withdrawal can be a challenging time, no matter the severity of the addiction. It is also important to remember that pre-existing health problems and mental health issues may be present, increasing the complexity of detoxing.

The key aim of drug detox is to kickstart your recovery process. In rehab you have 24 hour supervision and your health and safety is prioritised as you work through the detoxification process.

With this in mind, medically assisted detox will ensure that you can cope with withdrawal symptoms and your physical and mental state monitored at every step. Additionally, prescription drugs will usually be used to subsidise the worst of your side effects, helping you to cope through this difficult time.

This sets detox at rehab apart from trying to detox totally at home where medical assistance is not available, unfortunately lots of people do not make it through these initial stages. These failed attempts at detox commonly result in further drug abuse and can decrease the motivation to try again.

For safety and success rates, always consider a detox programme through inpatient or outpatient settings, in conjunction with a rehab facility.

Commonly experienced withdrawal symptoms

Withdrawal symptoms can vary from person to person. This can depend on the type of abused substances, the timescale that these substances have been consumed for, and any pre-existing health problems. However, commonly experienced withdrawal symptoms within the first 48 hours of a drug detox, include:

• Physical side effects, including sweating, nausea, irritability, seizures, delirium tremens and flu-like symptoms.
• Psychological side effects, including anxiety, depression, paranoia, insomnia and mood swings.
• Cravings are also very likely, both physically and mentally, to increase your desire to quit your drug detox.

As withdrawal symptoms can be experienced chronically, medical supervision must be maintained through your drug detox. This will ensure that your health isn’t at risk while motivating you to push through the most severe side effects.

The types of drug detox programmes

Through rehab, there are two different types of drug detox programmes available; inpatient or outpatient. The selection of which will fall to recommendations based on your relationship with drugs. In many cases, an inpatient drug detox will be required to help clients control the withdrawal process.

However, outpatient detox programmes are also available and can work for those with minimal tolerance levels.

Inpatient detox programme: Clients will reside within a selected drug rehab centre to complete an initial drug detox internally, followed by additional treatment options including therapy. This is the safest and most effective route to detox, ensuring that recovery is maintained through the challenges.

Outpatient detox programme: Here is where clients will return home in between treatment sessions. This can be very challenging, especially if temptations are around. Likewise, cravings can be difficult to control while detoxing independently, increasing the chances of relapses.

Although successful for some, the majority of clients will favour a targeted and hand-held drug detox as it increases your chances of quitting the drug long term.

If you’re hoping to gauge which type of drug detox will offer the greatest recovery rates for you personally, feel free to reach out to our team here at Addiction Advocates.

Drug detox timescales

Depending on the severity of drug addiction, detox timescales will vary. Firstly, short-term detox programmes are available, usually lasting 7-14 days. Typically you will stay in rehab as an inpatient whist the drugs are removed from your body and we then prepare you for rehabilitation after rehab.

Long-term detox programmes are also available, initially focusing on the physical side effects through a detoxification. Yet, to promote all-around recovery, the extensive therapy will be undertaken whilst you learn about your addiction and how best to face the challenges that lay ahead in your long term recovery. .

As all drug addictions vary, along with the degree of necessary treatment, drug detox timescales can fluctuate, reflecting an individual’s needs.

Additional treatment options to heal and prevent relapses

Although a drug detox programme is highly beneficial and proven to be successful in beating addictions, additional treatment options must be utilised to heal and prevent relapses. As a drug addiction falls within the brain illness category, long-term psychological support is also vital. This all-around effort to heal is probable through support groups, therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy, and motivational therapy.

To give you the best chance of success post rehab, coping mechanisms will also be communicated to prevent relapses in the outside world. This approach, combined with a medical detox programme, will offer the chance to withdraw from drugs, both physically and mentally, while preparing for a sober future.

If you’re hoping to withdraw from drugs for good, feel free to contact our team here at Addiction Advocates. We will complete referrals, encouraging the most effective treatment options through rehab, including a comprehensive drug detox programme.