Substance abuse is rife in the USA, with around 28 million US citizens suffering from an alcohol use disorder and 59 million people admitting addiction to illegal drugs or prescription opioids.
If you’re among these unfortunates and want to change your ways, there are many excellent options available to help you.
However, escaping from addiction is no easy feat. It involves hard work, commitment, and a step-by-step approach.
Detoxification is an important first step in addiction recovery, but how does detox work, and how can you make it easier on yourself? Keep reading to find out.
What Is Detox?
Detox is an abbreviation of the word detoxification, which simply means ridding the body of toxins. It’s generally used with regard to alcohol and drug addiction, but it also applies to getting rid of toxins introduced by pollution and poor eating habits.
The process usually involves abstaining from these harmful substances for some time by fasting or avoiding toxic substances. In effect, it’s a period where the body can metabolize existing toxins without ingesting more of them.
Once the body has successfully processed the offending chemicals to remove them from the bloodstream, the individual can enjoy a fresh start toward better health.
In this light, detoxification is often the first stage of any rehabilitative process for people seeking recovery from addiction.
During the detoxification process, people usually experience several unpleasant withdrawal symptoms as the body learns to cope without the things it’s relied on for so long.
These symptoms can continue for a long time after all traces of drugs or alcohol have left the bloodstream. This depends on a few factors, like:
- The substance involved
- How long the addiction has lasted
- The preferred method of abuse, e.g., smoking, injecting, etc.
- Quantities of the substance commonly taken
- Family history
- Any co-existing medical conditions
It’s important, to be honest about these variables when you first enter rehabilitation so you can get the help you need.
Common Withdrawal Symptoms During Detox
The human body is an incredibly adaptive organism. It almost always finds a way to work around whatever you do to it.
So, when you introduce drugs or alcohol into the mix, your body adapts its processes to accommodate this new way of doing things. It embraces these toxins as part of its physiological processes and becomes dependent on them.
When you suddenly remove the toxins from the equation, this comes as a shock to your system. This means you’re bound to experience some discomfort as your body readjusts.
Each type of addictive substance can produce an array of different withdrawal systems. These are the most common ones:
Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms
Alcohol withdrawals are among the most widespread and debilitating of all substances. According to a study published in the National Library of Medicine, they may even result in death.
These are the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal:
- Hand tremors
- Sweating
- Elevated pulse rate
- Nausea and vomiting
- Headaches
- Depression, anxiety, and irritability
- Insomnia
Most symptoms start around 6 hours after you have had your last drink. Heavy drinkers may experience delirium tremens and even a seizure this early on. Hallucinations may occur between 12 and 24 hours after the last drink, and other symptoms usually kick in after a day or two.
For most hardened drinkers, the worst withdrawals occur about 72 hours after their last drink.
People with milder addictions won’t experience symptoms for longer than a few days.
Drug Withdrawal Symptoms
Drug withdrawals differ slightly depending on the drug involved. In general, most people experience the following a few days after they stop taking drugs:
- Cold and flu-like symptoms
- Sweating
- Dizziness
- Insomnia
- Vomiting
- Constipation or diarrhea
- Aches and pains
- Loss of appetite
- Lethargy
- Tremors, fever, and chills
- Anxiety and depression
Some of the more dangerous side effects of stopping drug use include suicidal thoughts, paranoia, and heart attacks.
The drug withdrawal process varies depending on the drug. Heroin and short-acting opioids cause withdrawal symptoms to appear within eight to 24 hours.
Methadone addicts will experience withdrawals only after about two days, and these usually fade after day 10. Withdrawals from benzos occur within one to four days and peak two weeks later.
Unless they undergo medical treatment, some people could experience withdrawals for months or years after they’ve stopped using.
Without medical treatment, some people may experience withdrawal symptoms for months or even years.
Apart from the physical manifestations of detox, the patient is also likely to experience a gamut of emotions as they relinquish their long-held habits.
Alcohol and drugs tend to change the way that people see the world and how they experience emotions. A return to normality free of numbing substances can lead to intense distress caused by long-suppressed emotions bubbling to the surface.
Trained professionals can help ease this emotional upheaval during drug and alcohol detox, and medical professionals will ensure you go through the withdrawal process safely.
How Does Detox Work During Recovery?
If you decide to enter a rehab center to help you overcome your addiction, the first thing you’ll undergo is an extensive detoxification process.
It’s difficult for you to start the necessary mental transition needed for recovery when you’re distracted by cravings and withdrawal symptoms.
These are the major types of detoxification procedures used on the path to recovery.
Medically Assisted Detox
Medically-assisted alcohol and drug detox helps ease the process and prepares the patient for the mental and physical challenges ahead.
This detox program has three steps, namely:
Evaluation
The evaluation process involves medical and psychological screening to determine a customized treatment program for each individual.
Doctors may use blood tests to determine the amount of drugs or alcohol in the patient’s system. This helps them determine the medications and doses needed to help them detox.
They will also review the patient’s drug abuse, psychiatric, and medical histories. These help determine a long-term treatment plan.
Patients usually need to provide the following information:
- A complete medical history
- When and how much they last used
- Details about the substances they currently use
- How regularly they abuse drugs or alcohol
- The scope of substance abuse
- Potential addiction to more than one substance
- Any existing medical issues or allergies
Honesty is of the utmost importance during this interview and while filling out the required paperwork. Patients must be as transparent as possible to ensure they receive the care they need.
Underplaying your problem or omitting some facts can cause complications and result in incorrect medical care. This only makes the detox process more uncomfortable and unpleasant.
It’s easier to withdraw from some substances than others. For instance, cocaine addiction is largely psychological, and detox centers heavily on managing anxiety and cravings.
Alcohol and benzodiazepine drugs are the most dangerous to withdraw from, while opioids produce the most uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms.
Stabilization
The primary aim of this phase is to prevent harm to the patient. Doctors may prescribe treatment medications to avoid complications associated with detoxification and help alleviate withdrawal symptoms.
Some of the medications used for short-term treatment of alcohol addiction include:
- Benzodiazepines like Valium or Librium
- Anticonvulsant medications such as Depakene or Neurontin
- Barbiturates
Common drugs used to treat drug addiction include:
- Buprenorphine, methadone, and naltrexone to treat opioid abuse
- Sleeping tablets, anticonvulsants, anti-epileptics, and anti-depressants for cocaine detox
While no drug can cure addiction on its own, the right combination of medications can help alleviate the cravings and uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms that can lead to relapse.
Once you’ve committed to the detox process, you must stick with it to the end. Failure to do so will only result in relapse and regret.
Psychologists may offer emotional support at this stage, and group therapy may also help motivate the patient during this difficult time. In severe cases, the patient may require treatment in isolation with around-the-clock medical supervision.
Ongoing Support
Once the patient has undergone the worst of the detox process by eliminating toxins from their bloodstream, and the withdrawal symptoms start to subside, it’s time to plan the way forward.
This final step involves preparing them for entry into a more comprehensive addiction treatment program. Inpatient rehab offers the best outcomes for patients who’ve undergone an extensive detox, while outpatient treatment may be sufficient in milder cases.
Rapid Detoxification
As the name suggests, this detoxification process aims to rid the body of toxins more quickly than traditional methods. Advocates of rapid detox also claim that it produces very few withdrawal symptoms.
This method originally came about as a way to treat people addicted to opiates like painkillers and heroin. It involves sedating the patient with anesthesia and administering medications that replace the additive substance.
Apart from being an expensive procedure, there are serious risks associated with rapid detox, namely:
- Elevated body temperature
- Infection
- Paranoia
- Nausea, vomiting, and choking
- Heart attack
- Death
Rapid detox programs take only two or three days to complete. Ultra-rapid detox programs are even more extreme, with a time limit of a few hours, and a price tag of over $10,000.
Patients who opt for these quick fixes are less likely to enter ongoing treatment for addiction and thus more likely to relapse shortly after detoxification.
How Long Does it Take to Complete a Detox Program?
Rapid detox aside, most detoxification programs take around seven days to complete, depending on the patient’s circumstances. After that, it’s advisable to commit to a 30-day rehabilitation program to help them get on the road to recovery.
These programs address addiction as a whole and typically include the following:
- Behavioral counseling
- Individual, family, and group therapy
- Evaluation and treatment for co-occurring mental health issues
- Lifestyle management counseling
- Long-term care to avoid relapse
Most inpatient rehabilitation programs also focus on healthy eating, exercise, and hobbies as ways to motivate clean, sober living. They encourage sweeping lifestyle changes and ongoing counselling after leaving the rehabilitation centre.
Medical professionals monitor the patient’s progress through detox and are best able to decide when they can move on to the next phase.
Can Addicts Undergo Detox on Their Own?
Unless you have a very short history of mild substance abuse, it’s never a good idea to go cold turkey. It’s recommended that you have an honest discussion with your doctor before quitting any kind of drug or alcohol.
They can best advise you on the way forward.
It’s never advisable to attempt to medically detox on your own using over-the-counter medications or illegally-obtained prescription drugs.
Withdrawal symptoms may prove unbearable for some people, leaving them with no option but to resume their substance abuse. This is why it’s imperative to seek professional help with beating addiction, rather than go it alone.
If you can’t afford a rehabilitation center or make your way onto the list for free treatment, support groups like AA and NA can offer the emotional support you need to get started.
In some cases, these support groups are enough to assist even hardened addicts in their recovery efforts. It’s always best to err on the side of caution and ask for help with the detox process.
Do You Have More Questions?
If you’re wondering, “How does detox work in my case?” it’s best to get in touch with a rehab center near you to discuss your specific problem.
There is a wealth of assistance available to those who seek freedom from addiction. The sooner you seek help, the easier it is to get through this difficult process.
AA, NA, and other addiction support groups have branches in every city across the world, get in touch with someone in your area, and they’ll point you in the right direction.
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