Do I Need Medical Detox?
If you are dealing with a drug or alcohol problem and you aren’t really sure what your next step is, chances are you may need detoxification to get substances out of your system. Whether you are new to this process, or someone who has relapsed and again needs an addiction treatment program, detox is typically the first step to get you on the path towards recovery. We will help to provide answers to some of the questions you might have in this article.
In short, if you have been abusing drugs or alcohol for a period of time and you know that you should cut-back and can’t, detox is where you should start your treatment. What we are referring to is medically assisted process, with healthcare professionals, and medication alternatives to help reduce cravings, balance withdrawal symptoms and treat any medical conditions that arise.
Detoxification Questions & Answers
To help you gauge if you need a detoxification process, we provide questions and explanations for you to answer. If these are struggles you are faced with currently in your drug or alcohol use, then perhaps it is time to look into some treatment options.
Is it time for you to stop using / drinking?
The need for detoxification can be the result of how long and how hard you have been abusing drugs or alcohol. If you feel you need to stop, then maybe it is time. Chances are if you have been abusing substances for an extended period of time you are most likely going to need this treatment to reduce the toxicity levels in your body and help you with the withdrawal struggles you may experience.
Have you been taking higher quantities recently?
Increases in amounts of drugs, alcohol or a combination of both can greatly increase the levels of toxicity in your body. This can increase the severity of withdrawal you may experience and also the health risks. The very thing that drug detoxification is put in place to treat. Increase in amounts also escalates the dangers of overdosing. Your body has developed a tolerance to your substance of choice, but still too much may lead to lethal consequences. Detoxing can bring you down from these highs and attend to any medical needs that may develop in withdrawal.
Do you get sick when you don’t use?
This is the physical signal of drug or alcohol withdrawal. When you stop using, usually in the first 24-hours you will begin to experience a range of discomforts and health maladies. They can seem minor, but depending on the severity of addiction can be life-threatening to some. Withdrawal symptoms also depend on the types of substances that are abused. Alcohol withdrawal is considered very difficult and life-threatening when it comes to delirium tremens. Stimulant withdrawal is generally not regarded as something that needs an intensive detox. However, still there are cases where stimulant withdrawal has been difficult for those who are severely addicted. If you experience illnesses and withdrawal when you stop or taper off your drug of choice, it would benefit you to get help from professionals when you detox.
Do you get depressed when you don’t use?
This is the psychological signal of withdrawal. Ending use of drugs or alcohol can also result in psychological struggles, the chief among these being an intensified craving for your drug of choice. Many people will experience depression, mood swings and feel quite bleak. It isn’t always depressive episodes however when it comes to psychological withdrawal. Those who have been abusing benzodiazepines to suppress anxiety disorders can experience intensified anxiety when they withdraw. The real concern is that these conditions can make a person very volatile, which can lead to suicidal thoughts and actions. Part of medical detox is to get you stabilized from these conditions and to provide monitoring and support.
Consultation and Assessment
If you are unsure whether you need detox for drugs or alcohol, always consult the professionals. Talk to your medical doctor about options available to you. They should be able to provide you with an assessment on whether you need this care. Another resource available to you is contacting addiction treatment providers. They could help you with a general assessment over the phone. When you call us here at Cirque Lodge, we get you in touch with an experienced professional here at our facility that can help determine the best course of action for you.
Always Follow Detox with Treatment
The overall consensus of chief research agencies and leading addiction programs recommend that detox is just the first step. It is IMPERATIVE that you follow this up with a treatment program to address your addiction. The National Institute on Drug Abuse, the drug research division of the National Institutes of Health often reiterates that ‘Detox alone with no follow-up is not treatment.’ Though detox gets the substance out of your system and thinking more clearly, You need further care to help you address your cravings and the behavioral vulnerabilities of using.
Treatment also attends to a multiple number of needs to help you come to grips with the disease of addiction. That is what you’re dealing with when it comes to the inability to stop using or drinking, a complex brain disease. An effective addiction treatment program is tailored to attend to these needs through therapies, psychiatric care and behavioral health programs. Here at Cirque, we do this in a therapeutic mountain environment. We believe that in addition to these effective therapies that treatment should be fun and engaging. Through our nature based programs we help individuals overcome their addiction and once again find their vibrancy for life.
If you need help with questions about medical detoxification or about treatment for addiction, we have the answers. We encourage you to call today.
1-800-582-0709
