The 411 on Medical Detox Programs

According to recent studies, more than 20 million Americans struggle with substance use disorders. A significant percentage of the victims shy away from seeking professional treatment, citing barriers such as financial burden, societal stigma, lack of information, and fear of termination.

What happens to this percentage that fails to seek professional help? Most turn to cold turkey methods and self-detox. Unfortunately, these methods rarely yield positive and long-lasting results and could pose unexpected health risks. Rather than enduring the painful side effects of self-detox strategies, start researching everything you need to know about medical detox programs. For some substance use disorder sufferers, residential detox lends to lifelong sobriety.

What is medical detox?

Detoxification is a crucial step towards recovery. Typically, it's the first step after admitting a patient to a rehab facility. Detox facilitates the safe weaning or cleansing of alcohol or drugs from an individual's body. Medical professionals supervise detoxification and manage clients' withdrawal symptoms for safety purposes, so their pain and discomfort don't advance to an unbearable level.

Unfortunately, addiction conditions the body and mind to depend on the substance of choice. Abruptly stopping drug or alcohol intake after developing a dependency can become problematic, causing the patient to experience unpleasant withdrawal symptoms such as nausea, tremor, vomiting, and anxiety, among others.

In most cases, if a team of medical professionals doesn't supervise the substance use disorder sufferer, these patients are more susceptible to relapse or even overdose. Experts advise against self-detox measures due to the significant percentage of patients requiring medication-related assistance to complete the detoxification process.

How long does the medical detox process take?

Detoxification can take anywhere from a few days to months, depending on the severity of your withdrawal symptoms and how long these symptoms take to subside. The detox process also depends on the following factors:

• The extent of the addictive behaviors/impulses
• Type of substance abused
• Period the dependency problem has lasted
• The amount and frequency of substance abuse
• Method of substance intake and abuse

Who needs a medical detox program?

Medical detox programs are the best options, especially for victims suffering from severe substance use disorders. Withdrawal symptoms range from mild to severe and can lead to the contraction of life-long health conditions and even death.

Medical detox programs provide 24/7 medical supervision and support from professionals well-equipped to handle emergencies, such as heart failure. If your case is mild, these healthcare professionals may clear you for outpatient detox and discharge you immediately.

Your doctor will examine your condition to determine if you are the right candidate for in-patient medical detox programs using various criteria. Once assessed and deemed eligible, a team will admit you for anywhere from three to seven days.

What to expect from medical detox programs

Like any other medical procedure, detox experiences vary between patients. Medical detox programs are customized according to your medical needs and substance of choice. Generally speaking, these treatment programs consist of three primary steps:

Assessment

Your doctor will screen and evaluate your physical and mental health status. You're likely to be asked questions about your drug abuse history, family history, medical background, and psychiatric history. These evaluation tests help the medical team understand your addiction's severity, allowing these healthcare professionals to design a treatment plan specifically tailored to your unique substance use disorder.

Medical stabilization

As the term would suggest, medical stabilization involves restoring an individual to a substance-free state as comfortably and safely as possible. Depending on the seriousness of your substance use disorder, your medical doctor might prescribe medication and specific psychosocial and therapeutic interventions to motivate you towards recovery and sobriety.

During the detoxification process, your medical team will closely monitor your withdrawal symptoms to prevent life-threatening medical emergencies. The goal here is to ensure your body weans off the substances successfully, without disrupting your mind or body.

Transition steps and preparations for treatment programs

Medical detox alone can't guarantee life-long sobriety and recovery from substance use disorders. Detoxification is often the curtain-raiser for the medical detox program that centers on intensive around-the-clock therapy.

Your doctor will walk you through what to expect from the treatment process after you've detoxed successfully. Here, your physician will outline the side effects of the withdrawal process and will offer coping mechanisms that you can implement when the cravings reappear.

Why is medical detox the better option?

It's safer

In the presence of medical practitioners, your risk of suffering from severe withdrawal symptoms drops dramatically. Your chances of completing detoxification are also significantly higher when supported by a team of medical professionals.

It reduces the chances of a relapse

Mental health professionals address the root causes of your addiction, while other healthcare professionals tend to the physical effects of detox. For long-term sobriety, pairing psychological and physical rehabilitation is vital, as it reduces your chances of a relapse and overdose.

It provides an effective treatment plan

Doctors forecast how your body is likely to react to detox and lists the expected side effects through an in-person evaluation. These evaluations help the doctors construct a treatment plan to improve your chances of long-term sobriety and minimize the risk of experiencing life-threatening side effects during the detox process.

Final thoughts

Relying on self-detox techniques can expose your body to long-term ailments and even death. For optimal results, only trust the experts during the detoxification process.