In most instances, when a layperson uses the term ‘drug detox’ it is done with a sense of ignorance. People are taking the detox procedure quite lightly, not understanding what it means. When someone is into an addiction, there is mention of putting them through a drug detox treatment, but hardly do the planners of the treatment (which in most cases is the family of the patient) know what this treatment will entail and in what ways it will benefit the patient’s condition. There is also ignorance about the fact that there are different kinds of drug detox that prevail and that choosing the right option from among them could make the difference between recovery and relapse. Here we try to shed light on some aspects of drug detox as regards to what an average layperson must know about it.
What is Drug Detox?
Detox or detoxification simply means removing toxins from a person’s body by completely cleansing it from within. This is done in several instances, and drug detox is just one subset of the entire treatment genre. People who are obese might undergo drug detox or people who have digestive problems might. Here the intention is to clear all the unwanted materials accumulated in their bodies that might be a result of faulty digestive processes. In a similar manner, people who are into drug addiction will also be detoxified, i.e. their bodies will be purged of all the residual toxins that will have been produced by the addictive substance they were prone to consume.
What is the Difference between Drug Detox and Drug Addiction Treatment?
Drug detox is an important part of the entire drug addiction treatment process in most parts of the US. Most states will have a program that revolves around the drug detox treatment. But it must be remembered that the drug detox program will only cleanse the body of the person from the addictive substance. It is a biological cleansing process. The process will not be able to remove the addiction from the person’s mind. This is the reason the detox process is never a complete treatment program. Though there are centers that provide only a detox program, it must be noted that these treatments would not be complete.
In order to have a complete drug addiction treatment program, the person must have a detoxification done, but it must also be followed with a strong aftercare process. This aftercare process will counsel the patient on how he or she can permanently stay away from the temptation of using the substance. This is what actually counts of the recovery; because the patient will be trained on how to remain addiction-free for as long as possible.
How is the Drug Detox Program implemented?
Most centers have a common pattern of implementing the drug detox program. First the person is analyzed to check for any health complications or mental issues that might come in the way of the implementation of the program. If there are any of these problems, the patient might be led to alternative therapies.
Once the diagnoses are all done, the patient is put into an isolated setting, far removed mentally from their families and friends. Total abstinence from the substance is commenced. Some centers will also begin a healthy lifestyle program at this point. But, within one or two days, the person’s body will begin asking for the substance of addiction. Depending on the nature of the addiction, the person will feel a strong reaction from the body. This is known as the withdrawal process.
This is the reason why medical supervision is important. The patient will be monitored for the withdrawal process and suitable medicinal therapies will be begun. The patient will be given medication that can reduce the temptation for the substance and can help to stabilize the body and bring it back to a normal state. In most cases of addiction, the withdrawal process is gone in three or four days, but if the addiction of the person is severe, it might even take as much as a month to pull the person completely out of the withdrawal.
What are the Purposes of the Drug Detox?
The basic purpose of the drug detox treatment is definitely to purify the person’s body from the accumulated toxins so that it can stay healthier and future health complications can be prevented too. But there is another important reason also. By detoxification, the substance is completely removed from the person’s body and that really helps the person to come out of the craving for the substance. This goes a long way in bringing a speedier recovery to the person.