Tips for Choosing Between the Drug Detox Methods

More oftentimes than not, the decision to enter drug detox comes with much frustration and heartache. Likewise, being able to successfully complete detox is essential to the recovery process. With so many different types of drug detox methods available, understanding how the detox process works can go a long way towards picking the drug detox method that’s right for you.

According to the SAMHSA, any one drug detox method should –

• Include an evaluation process to determine the patient’s treatment needs
• Incorporate measures to ensure the patient’s safety
• Work to eliminate all traces of drug toxins from the system

As different types of drugs can bring on different types of withdrawal effects, finding a safe drug detox method should be a primary concern as some withdrawal symptoms can be life threatening. A drug detox method should also provide some form of guidance on the importance of receiving ongoing treatment for the psychological aspects of addiction.

Types of Drug Detox Methods

Detox marks the first stage of any drug recovery process. Unless a person makes it through this critical stage, drug use will not only continue but also get worse.

The most commonly used detox methods include:

• Medication-assisted detox
• Going “cold turkey”
• Holistic drug detox
• Rapid detox

Type of Addiction

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Opiate, alcohol, stimulant and sedative addictions all affect the brain and body in different ways. Over time, brain cell functions and bodily processes undergo considerable damage from excess drug use.

Some types of addiction require a medically safe treatment environment to ensure patients don’t endanger themselves or others. Other types of drug use, such as marijuana addiction tend to produce less severe withdrawal effects in which case, safety is less of a concern than the effectiveness of the detox method.

Severity of Addiction

Choosing which method will work best for you has more to do with the severity of the addiction, the type of drug used and the length of time using than how any particular method or approach works.

People still at the early stages of addiction may benefit from the convenience and comfort afforded by the rapid drug detox method. As withdrawal effects tend to be less intense during the early stages of addiction, both holistic and cold turkey methods may work well in terms of effectiveness and level of safety.

Medication Therapies

Long-term addictions, regardless of the type of drug involved, warp brain and bodily functions to the point where some form of physical support is often needed to make it through detox. Alcohol and opiate addictions can be especially difficult to overcome in the detox phase.

Under these conditions, medication therapies using methadone, buprenorphine, clonidine as well as other drugs offers addicts the best chance of a successful detox recovery.

Considerations

The last thing you want to do is make it through the detox stage only to end up using drugs within a week’s time. Regardless of the drug detox method used, detox only treats the physical aspect of addiction leaving the psychological aspect well intact.

For this reason, detox should always be followed by ongoing counseling, psychotherapy as well as regular attendance at 12-Step support groups. Otherwise, old habits, routines and drug cravings will soon drive a person back to old drug-using behaviors.

For help finding detox centers near you, call 800-996-6135(Who Answers?) today!

Sources

1. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2006). Detoxification and Substance Abuse Treatment: 1 Overview, Essential Concepts, and Definitions in Detoxification-Guiding Principles in Detoxification and Substance Abuse Treatment.
2. National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2016). Understanding Drug Abuse and Addiction: What Science Says- 8: Medical detoxification.