What Drugs Require Medical Detox?
What Is Medical Detox?
Whenever a person is addicted to a drug or alcohol and stops using or drinking, they will go through a drug and alcohol detox. This process means that over some time, usually from a few days to a couple of weeks, the drug and alcohol substances will leave the person’s body who is suffering addiction because they are no longer being introduced.
Medication Assisted Treatment plans, or MAT for short, are a specialized type of drug detox offered by some inpatient detox centers, like Novo Detox. Medication Assisted Treatment plans are used when certain prescription medicines are introduced to help with the process and prevent relapses. If you would like more information on the specific medically supervised treatment plans and other levels of care we have for people struggling with drugs or alcohol, please give us a call.
It is highly recommended that anyone suffering from addiction take part in a medically supervised drug and alcohol detox treatment program instead of trying to detox at home by going cold turkey. However, only some substance abuse issues, opioids and alcohol being the two most commonly treated, usually need a Medication Assisted Treatment program. This type of drug addiction detox takes longer. Still, it also helps prevent relapses because it slowly weans a person off the substance so they do not experience extreme withdrawal symptoms that could be dangerous to their health. Standard medical detox in rehab centers like Novo Detox for issues other than alcohol and opioid addictions provides a safe place for people to go through withdrawal.
In medical detox, people going through drug withdrawal are treated in several ways:
- The drug addiction treatment staff ensures that patients eat and get adequately hydrated during the detox process.
- Many symptoms of withdrawal can be treated with over-the-counter medicines at the treatment facility.
- Rest, exercise, and cognitive behavioral therapy are part of the overall detox process.
Drugs That Require Medical Detox
Opioid withdrawal can be hazardous in several ways, and that is why medical detox is highly recommended for substances in this category. Additionally, any commonly abused substance that will cause drug withdrawal symptoms and may result in someone using it again is a candidate for medically supervised detox. This includes stimulants, depressants, hallucinogens, and other commonly abused substances, including alcohol. Relapse prevention is a big part of why medical drug and alcohol detox is recommended for most people who are addicted to drugs. A relapse can lead to binging, which can result in an overdose.
Common Symptoms of Withdrawal
Each category of substances typically has its own set of withdrawal symptoms. However, whether it’s opioid withdrawal, cocaine withdrawal, or symptoms of withdrawal from any other substance, they range from mild to severe. Common withdrawal symptoms across all drug categories are muscle aches, excessive hunger, fatigue, lethargy, loss of appetite, night sweats, shakiness, clammy skin, craving, feeling cold, sweating, and agitation. They can also include crying, excitability, irritability, restlessness, self-harm, and delirium tremens.
How Medical Detox Makes Withdrawal Safer and More Comfortable
Withdrawal and detox from commonly used drugs are made safer and more comfortable when supervised for a number of reasons. First, there is no quick and easy way to relapse if you are in a drug-free environment. Second, drug withdrawal treatment staff members take care of your basic comforts, ensuring you’re not too hot or too cold, hungry or tired, and can’t sleep. The more comfortable you are, the more likely you are to stick with your inpatient treatment and complete detox to move on to the next phase of recovery.
Medical Detox at Novo
At Novo Detox, we offer specific detox plans for each type of substance. We create a custom plan for each of our patients and take a holistic approach to healing, including acupuncture. Our goal is to help as many people as possible lead a drug-free lifestyle free of addiction. Call us at (844) 834-1777 today for more information about our substance abuse treatments, including detox, residential rehab, and outpatient therapy.
