Everything You Need To Know About Substance Use Detox

The Process of Detoxing From Substances

The detoxification process involves several steps. The details depend on the specific medical professional and the exact nature of the substances to which someone is addicted.

Each person will experience detox differently. In addition, each detox process is unique, even if someone has previously gone through the process.

The following steps outline the typical detox process.

Identification

The first step is for a provider to get to know the person who is seeking help. It is important for a provider to know how often someone has been using substances, the amount taken, and how long the person has been addicted to that specific substance.

Cessation

The next step is for the person with substance use disorder to begin the process of slowly reducing or stopping the use of substances. It’s important to do this under a physician’s care, with a trained professional who can help with symptom reduction in a hospital or other medical setting.

Moderate the Effects

After someone stops taking a specific substance, their body must clear the remaining substance from its system.

As someone stops using drugs or alcohol, withdrawal symptoms will start to appear. Symptoms can vary depending on the type of substance involved.

One of the goals of medical detoxification is to provide support that can help someone manage symptoms. This can include IV hydration, over-the-counter medications, or even prescription medications that might help treat the symptoms and make the withdrawal process more bearable.

Monitor the Effects

As someone goes through this process, medical professionals will monitor vital signs. These include heart rate, blood pressure, oxygenation, respiratory rate, and temperature.

Taper the Treatment

Tapering means gradually reducing a person’s medication doses. Instead of abruptly stopping substances, the process will end gradually. This way, any rebound or reactive symptoms can be avoided.

If other medications are being used to support someone through the withdrawal process, these will also be tapered over the course of several hours to several days.

Release

The last step is to conclude the detox process and set the patient up for the next phase: effective treatment.

After someone has gone through the withdrawal process and has had substances cleared from their system, it’s important they build skills to help them stay sober for the long term.

Understanding the Severity of Withdrawal Symptoms

It’s critical to understand that symptoms of withdrawal can vary from person to person. This depends on the nature of the addiction.

Some symptoms are severe enough that relapse may occur to stop them from happening. Others can be life-threatening, which is why it’s important to work with a licensed health care professional to go through detoxification.

Here are a few examples.

Alcohol Withdrawal

Symptoms may include shaking, sweating, agitation, nausea, vomiting, and anxiety. Alcohol withdrawal can lead to a rapid heart rate, tremors, disorientation, insomnia, and seizures. This withdrawal syndrome must be managed by a medical professional.

Opioid Withdrawal

Someone who is addicted to opioid medications can experience anxiety, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain.

Benzodiazepine Withdrawal

Symptoms can include increased anxiety, extreme muscle tension, sleep disturbances, panic attacks, heart palpitations, profuse sweating, headaches, cravings, and hand tremors.

In certain situations, benzodiazepine withdrawal can also lead to hallucinations, seizures, psychosis, and an increased risk of suicidal ideation. These issues must be addressed by trained medical professionals.

Withdrawal symptoms can vary depending on the duration and severity of the specific addiction.

Can’t I Just Detox at Home?

Quite simply: no. People who struggle with addiction seek help from experienced medical professionals for one reason: safety.

Withdrawal symptoms can be life-threatening, especially for people with an addiction to benzodiazepines or alcohol. Medical professionals will monitor the process and keep you safe.

It’s difficult and dangerous to quit a substance “cold turkey.” You should rely on medical professionals who can assist you through withdrawal completely and safely.

If you’re dealing with other conditions, including mental health challenges, medical professionals can help you manage withdrawal according to your individual needs.

The withdrawal process can be uncomfortable—often, extremely so. No one has to go through it alone. Medical professionals may not be able to relieve all symptoms, but they can help you feel as comfortable as possible.

The bottom line: you may be risking your life if you choose to detox without medical supervision.

Once you have completed detoxification, your care team can connect you to support services for your continuing recovery from addiction.

How Do I Know Whether to Reach Out for Help for Myself or a Loved One?

It can be difficult to figure out if you, or someone you know, needs help with reducing their dependency on a substance. If someone may need help, it’s a good idea to reach out to experts to find out how best to proceed.

For example, you may want to talk to your primary care provider. Your doctor can review the topic with you in depth and can refer you to local treatment specialists, if needed.

By working together with your doctor, you can place yourself or your loved one in the best possible position for success.

Warning Signs: When Someone May Need Help With Addiction

Red flags you may want to watch for include:

• Falling behind on work or schoolwork
• Skipping out on personal and professional obligations
• Making attempts to hide certain types of behavior
• Relationship issues with family members, friends, and coworkers
• Mood swings that fluctuate quickly between anger, sadness, and euphoria
• Statements of concern from family members, friends, and coworkers
• Financial difficulties that could be the result of feeding an addiction

If you or a loved one are experiencing these issues, it may be time to reach out to a professional. The sooner you act, the better you can maximize chances of making a full recovery.

Knowing the Risk of Relapse

Although addiction treatment has a high success rate, it’s still possible for people to relapse. If someone relapses, there’s no need to be ashamed or embarrassed—it is common.

It’s important for a person’s support network to respond to relapse with care and compassion. It’s also important to understand why someone may relapse. These reasons may include:

• Returning to the same environments or challenging situations that led to addiction in the first place
• Experiencing extreme stress when leaving addiction treatment; stress can be a major contributing factor to relapse
• Lacking gainful employment; this makes it difficult to develop a new routine and stay sober
• Lacking a strong support system that can help them remain sober
• Not knowing how to deal with cravings when they leave treatment

Many people who relapse do so almost immediately after leaving the treatment process. If they relapse within the first week, it’s a sign they’re not making it through withdrawal.

Someone who relapses may need to go through detox again in order to clear substances from their body. They can then learn more about why they relapsed and how to prevent it from happening down the road.

Does Detox Actually Work?

Yes, detox for addiction treatment is proven to work. With the help of trained professionals, people can place themselves in the best position for recovery.

Experts help people make it through withdrawal symptoms and avoid potential relapses. If people move through that first week of treatment without relapsing, they are more likely to be able to maintain long-term sobriety.

The recovery process does not end just because someone makes it through detox. It’s important to address the root causes of why someone may have developed an addiction in the first place.

It’s critical for people to enroll in long-term treatment in the form of outpatient visits or support groups. A trained mental health professional can help people manage cravings that commonly develop after leaving a treatment program.

This is incredibly important, not only for helping people get sober, but to stay sober as well.