What Is Medical Detox?
When a person has become dependent on a substance, whether that is alcohol or one of many other categories of drugs, there are several courses of action to take to get clean. An individual can attempt to detox at home, go to a treatment facility, or contact a behavioral health specialist. Depending on the substance in question, an individual may or may not require medical detox. No matter what steps someone decides to take, it’s always good to get the advice of a trained professional at one of the many rehab centers available, like Muse Treatment in Los Angeles.
Muse Treatment has dozens of comprehensive, totally customized care plans for people, including outpatient programs, partial hospitalization plans, drug and alcohol detox, and many other drug abuse and drug addiction programs. When you work with our highly trained professionals, they will explain exactly how everything works at our rehab centers, from program specifics to significant administrative concerns like steps to verify insurance and how to pay for treatment. Our goal is to help as many people as possible put drugs and alcohol behind them and move forward in a positive way.
When a person is addicted to any type of substance, whether it’s alcohol, illegal drugs, prescription opioids, or everyday items like caffeine or nicotine, the first step in recovery is to remove those chemicals or toxins from their body. When a person decides to stop drinking coffee or smoking, it may be helpful for them to receive behavioral health therapy.
Still, they will not typically need professional help during the detox process, and that is not the case for what most people would consider several more serious substances. Medical detox is a process where patients take part in a fully supervised inpatient program where they can be monitored and assisted around the clock. By taking part in an inpatient treatment drug or alcohol detox program, individuals can greatly benefit in many ways instead of attempting to detox at home.
First, a patient in an inpatient treatment facility is in a 100% drug-free environment. The ease with which they could acquire more of the addictive substance they have been taking is removed. This may sound simple but is a big step towards not having a relapse during the very beginning of recovery. Second, the more comfortable a person can be made during detox and withdrawal, the more likely they are to stick with it. This can come in the form of proper meals and hydration, sleep, exercise and general body movement, and therapy to help with any mental or emotional issues they face during a very stressful time. Third, patients detoxing from some drugs can benefit from being slowly weaned off of their substance of choice, which requires medical oversight and specific prescription medications and instructions. These aspects of detox can be accomplished at an inpatient rehab treatment facility near you.
Do All Drugs Require Medical Detox?
Anyone addicted to one of many substances or behaviors, like a porn addiction, can benefit from inpatient treatment to assist them in their recovery. However, some drugs can be much harder to quit taking when a person tries them on their own, including alcohol, benzodiazepines, and opioids, for which medical detox at an inpatient rehab center is highly recommended. These substances either have more severe withdrawal symptoms or could be treated with a Medication Assisted Program (MAT) or both. Everyone is affected by substances differently, based on their physical, mental, and emotional makeup. Still, in general, these substances consistently affect individuals in ways where getting help with detox can be very beneficial. At Muse Treatment’s drug addiction treatment center, each patient’s overall health and mental status are assessed before creating a care plan. Our drug addiction treatment professionals can develop a program for you or your loved one that begins with day one of drug and alcohol detox and ends with aftercare and community support groups for the best possibility of staying clean and sober over the long term.
Drugs That Require Medical Detox
The drugs that can cause an addiction needing medical detox include:
Alcohol
Alcohol is a substance that most often takes a long time to become dependent on, instead of other well-known drugs. For example, cocaine addiction can occur after very few instances of use. However, the extended length of time it takes to become addicted to alcohol results in a detox and rehab process that is lengthy as well. This is one of the reasons why medical detox is suggested for patients struggling with alcohol addiction. Alcohol detox can result in severe and dangerous withdrawal symptoms. When a person suffers from withdrawal symptoms, they can often relapse when not under supervision. This is a step in the wrong direction, but it can also be hazardous if an individual drinks excessively. Alcohol withdrawal symptoms can include effects on the body like shakiness, sweating, nausea or vomiting, fast heart rate, tremor, disorientation, headache, insomnia, seizures, loss of appetite, and behavior changes, including agitation, restlessness, and irritability. Additionally, individuals can become anxious and nervous after alcohol withdrawal.
Know what to expect if you quit alcohol cold turkey:
https://musetreatment.com/blog/quitting-alcohol-cold-turkey-what-to-expect/
Benzodiazepines
Benzodiazepines are a category of prescription drugs used for many legitimate applications. These include treating stress-related conditions, such as anxiety disorders, insomnia, and epilepsy. It can also be used during treatment for alcohol withdrawal. Nicknamed benzos, these drugs can be addictive and should be closely monitored when prescribed. This means that individuals should consult their doctor and pharmacist before beginning the use of benzodiazepines.
Additionally, patients should report any change in the effect benzodiazepines have on them to their doctor and pharmacist as this can be a sign of tolerance which can indicate the beginning phase of addiction. Medical detox is vital for benzodiazepines because drugs in this category can stay in a person’s body for up to 28 days. Physical withdrawal symptoms are slurred speech, impaired vision, vomiting, and flu-like symptoms. Psychological withdrawal symptoms include irritability, insomnia, anxiety, depression, and memory loss. Being treated in a drug and alcohol medically supervised recovery center can ensure that people struggling with addiction to benzodiazepines stay on track as they begin their drug-free lifestyle.
Opioids
Opioid addiction and recovery encompass illegal drugs like heroin, and prescription medications, primarily painkillers, part of the legal pharmaceutical category of substances. In either case, medical detox is recommended for several reasons. First, as opioids begin to leave a person’s body as part of detox and withdrawal, they can go into shock. This can result in symptoms that include difficulty sleeping, intense dreaming, stomach pains, sweating, fever, and more dangerous examples like depression, suicidal thoughts and tendencies, anxiety, aggression, and tremors. A person’s opioid dependence can also be severe enough to require Medication Assisted Treatment, or MAT, which allows them to be slowly weaned off of the drug or drugs they have been abusing. Even taking opioids as prescribed can cause dependence to begin, and any change in the effects of prescription opioids should be reported immediately.
Signs You Need Medical Detox
The best way to determine if you need medical detox is to consult a professional. A doctor, nurse practitioner, or other medical professionals can assess many factors that can help decide whether or not you need inpatient drug detox. Some signs that a person needs treatment for substance abuse include abnormal eye movements, abnormal heart rhythms, dehydration, fever, rapid breathing, rapid heart rate, and shaky hands. Treatment programs can help almost anyone who feels like drugs or alcohol harm their lives. However, if you or a loved one is abusing or has become addicted to one of the categories above, medical detox is more likely than not to be necessary. Detox centers like Muse Treatment have many options to choose from for substance abuse care plans and trained professionals to explain all of the choices offered.
Safe Medical Detox at Muse Treatment Center in Los Angeles
When it comes to substance abuse detox, a patient’s safety is one of the most critical components. By participating in a supervised, inpatient program, the highly trained staff can help prevent relapses, make patients more comfortable, and assist with transitions from one phase of treatment to another. Once someone takes part in a medical detox at Muse Treatment, they can continue with various forms of care, including everything from traditional outpatient treatment to online therapy.
If you have been struggling with drug or alcohol abuse or just feel like you want to talk to someone to assess how substances affect your life, give us a call. We will answer any questions you have about substance abuse, addiction, treatment, our facilities, or any other aspects of recovery; please give us a call at (800) 426-1818 today. We’re here and ready to help.
