Guest Post
‘In my work as a Sober / Wellbeing coach, I rarely encounter those who are struggling with drug addiction – actually I take that sentence back – Alcohol IS a drug! Its just that we tend to compartmentalize alcohol which is of course legal and normalised from other drugs which most of us accept are harmful and will require medical attention or specialist support to deal with. I asked a US writer to share some thoughts about drug detoxing’ If you are concerned about drinking too much, don’t hesitate to get in touch.’
Drug detox is the action of allowing the body to clear itself of all substances from its entity. Usually, when a person is detoxing from drugs, they will experience withdrawal symptoms. The body is working on acclimating to the lack of drugs in the system, which is why the withdrawals can be intense. Because of this, it is good for a person to be fully aware of what to expect when they decide to detox.
Methods
There are a handful of methods that an addict can try in order to detox from drugs successfully. Detoxing is the first step to recovering from addiction, so it is crucial to do it safely.
For some, they may decide to detox at home, this means they will give up drugs “cold turkey” in hopes of getting everything out of their system faster. This is dangerous because some withdrawal symptoms can become deadly, so if a person chooses this option, they must have a support person with them at all times to avoid serious injury.
Detoxing from drugs is an unpleasant experience. Since it can also turn dangerous quickly, it is best and safest to go through a detox center Los Angeles. Being in a not only keeps a person safe while detoxing but also gives them the support they will need. In addition, their methods are set to keep a person as comfortable as possible during this process.
They may go with a method known as tapering, which is where they will take smaller doses of the drug throughout a period of time until they cut them off completely. This is used to lessen the withdrawal symptoms but does not eliminate them entirely. They may also combine cold turkey and tapering as medical professionals constantly monitor the person. This makes it so they can provide treatment for specific withdrawal symptoms and can provide continual support after detox is complete.
Expectations
Withdrawal symptoms usually begin the day after the detox has started. At a detox facility, the professionals there constantly monitor throughout and maintain their overall health. Depending on what drug a person was addicted to will help determine the best-individualized plan and aid in determining which symptoms are most likely to arise.
For example, if a person is detoxing from meth will most likely experience symptoms that may cause fatigue and affect their mood. They may also encounter depression. Many other withdrawal symptoms include mental health issues such as anxiety and suicidal thoughts, so because of this, there may be times the medical professionals decide to prescribe medication to help alleviate those symptoms.
Afterwards
Only after a person has completed the detox process can they begin the addiction treatment. The whole time they were detoxing, the focus was on getting through all the symptoms of withdrawal, so once that is over, the concentration can then go to figuring out the original cause for the addiction. It will take a team of therapists and healthcare professionals to help understand and cope with the different struggles that will come up so a relapse can be avoided.
Its important to remember that getting freedom from the drugs or alcohol is just the start of the process. The work begins when we focus on optimum health and wellbeing, and start to care about ourselves enough to want to focus on a life we don’t need to escape from!
Join us in The Sober Club for support, accountability and connection, but please note this is for ‘grey area drinkers’ not those who are clinically dependent.