In 2019, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration estimated that over 13% of Americans used an illicit drug, and more than 50% of people drank in the month preceding the survey. Many of those who abuse drugs or alcohol struggle with physical and psychological dependence, especially when someone uses them consistently and in significant amounts.
Why is a Drug and Alcohol Detox Center Necessary?
If someone is using drugs or alcohol heavily, it begins to rewire the structure of their brain, causing it to become used to the presence of the substance. As a result, their body becomes dependent on the drug or alcohol, leading them to need to use the substance just to feel normal. When they don’t use drugs or alcohol, they begin to go into withdrawal.
These symptoms occur because the brain and body are trying to reach a state of homeostasis as it removes the substance from its system. This change can result in major fluctuations in the chemicals in the brain and can have significant amounts of mental and physical symptoms.
Some people may have symptoms that can be mildly uncomfortable or even dangerous, which may include:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Muscle aches and pains
- Delirium
- Hallucinations
- Mental health symptoms, such as depression or anxiety
It’s best to attend a drug detox program to mitigate these symptoms and ensure your long-term health.
Benefits of Attending a Drug and Alcohol Detox Center
Withdrawal can be incredibly challenging and may be dangerous at times, especially for someone who hasn’t been through detox before. If you’re considering going through the process, we recommend that you seek an expert’s guidance. Then, if the withdrawal symptoms get too severe, their trained medical team can help and mitigate them. Management of withdrawal is a major benefit of our drug detox center in Massachusetts.
The end goal of detox is to be as safe as possible, but certain substances require more intense detox processes. As a result, it’s best to find a detox program that is tailored to the substance you’re trying to recover from.
For instance, we recommend getting detox services for conditions such as:
In addition, a substance abuse treatment center can provide a safe and comfortable setting where residents can recover in peace. Under medical supervision, individuals can work the drugs or alcohol out of their system during detox.
What is Medical Detox?
People often attempt to stop using alcohol or drugs on their own. They believe they can stop at any time and that they can handle it. This usually turns out to be just wishful thinking that often results in a relapse. Going through detox can be severely painful, emotionally and physically, and sometimes it causes a psychosis that can precipitate suicide. Professionals in medical detox monitor vital signs and administer medication to manage the worst of the symptoms.
Medical detox is a way of safely managing the extreme physical symptoms associated with quitting substance abuse.
The duration of the process and the types of medications used will vary depending on:
- The substance used
- The patient’s personal and family history
- The available resources at the detox center
Which Substances Require Medical Detox?
Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD)
One of the most common addictions where medical detox is necessary is alcohol addiction, also known as alcohol use disorder. Severe alcoholism affects all age groups and medical detox is effective. When the addiction is out of control and the individual needs alcohol to manage their daily life, this is the time to look into a medical detox.
Medical detox is the best approach to manage severe alcoholism because of the potentially life-threatening withdrawal symptoms.
Withdrawal symptoms include:
- Nausea and vomiting
- High fever
- Restlessness and anxiety
- Seizures
- Delirium tremens (DTs)
- Hallucinations
Opioid Use Disorder (OUD)
The use of large quantities of prescription opioids and heroin creates dangerous withdrawal symptoms. Because of the physical dependence, the drug user needs more and more of the drug just to not experience the withdrawal symptoms. These can cause a wide range of physical and psychological symptoms.
Symptoms include:
- Nausea and vomiting
- Depression
- Rapid heart rate
- Anxiety and depression
- Diarrhea and abdominal cramps
Although not necessarily life-threatening, these symptoms can be hard to handle on your own without medication.
Benzodiazepine Addiction
Benzodiazepines are central nervous system depressants that help treat anxiety and panic. Like opioids and alcohol, your body develops a tolerance to these drugs, and withdrawal symptoms include:
- Anxiety
- Headaches
- Tremors and muscle spasms
- Nausea and vomiting
- Chills or sweating
- Seizures
The Medical Detox Process
The Washington Circle Group, experts organized to improve the quality and effectiveness of substance abuse treatment described three essential elements in the drug detox process. They may take place all at once or in steps. They are:
- Initial assessment: Assessment includes testing for substances of abuse in the blood, measuring the concentration, and screening for co-occurring mental and physical conditions. The information is used to develop a personalized detox plan to manage the withdrawal symptoms. This evaluation is also the basis for the treatment plan after detox is completed.
- Stabilization: Stabilization includes the medical and social processes of helping the individual through withdrawal and into a substance-free, medically stable condition. This may or may not include medications. It also includes informing the patient on what to expect during their treatment program and the part they play in their treatment and recovery.
- Promoting the patient’s entry into treatment: This step involves preparing the patient for entry into treatment. It asserts the importance of following through with the complete course of treatment.
What’s the Difference Between Medical and Nonmedical Detox?
The main difference between the two is the use of medication. Medical detox uses medications to help people withdraw from substances, but nonmedical detox doesn’t use drugs for that purpose. But there are some other differences such as:
- Medical detox may take place in a hospital or a medically staffed detox center with 24-hour medical supervision. Nonmedical detox takes place in a treatment center. Patients have space to recover and get support from other people who have been through the experience.
- Medical detox is a hospital-type procedure managed by physicians and nurses. Their job is to supervise the detox and discharge the person when they are clean of substances. Nonmedical detox is a treatment center procedure managed by clinicians including, counselors, recovery support coaches, interns, and nursing staff.
- The length of stay for medical detox will vary. It may be a few days to a week or so. For some people, detoxification may be partly accomplished during the rehab process.
Treatment After Medical Detox in Massachusettes
The purpose of drug detox is to prepare the individual for rehab. Depending on factors such as the duration and severity of the addiction a person may need to enter one of these programs:
- Residential or, Inpatient Treatment–This is the highest level of care. The patient lives in the treatment facility in a highly structured program.
- Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP)–Sometimes called day treatment, the individual attends therapy sessions 5 days a week at the treatment facility and returns home in the evening.
- Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)–A lower level of care than PHP, this outpatient program requires less time commitment.
- Outpatient Program (OP)–This is the lowest level of care, has a shorter time commitment, and is a good step-down program from a higher level.
Write a New Chapter in Your Life
At Chapters Recovery Center, we do not offer detox services, but we’re proud to refer out to experts in drug or alcohol detox. To learn more about the addiction treatment programs we provide, and to learn about the drug detox programs in Massachusetts we refer our patients to, please contact our team at Chapters Recovery Center today.