MEDICALLY SUPERVISED DRUG DETOX
Medically supervised detox not only helps minimize physical withdrawal symptoms, it can save a life.
Detoxing after years of drug abuse can be dangerous and even deadly. However, with medical supervision and residential care at Ventura Recovery Center, medical detox symptoms can be greatly reduced for a easeful transition into sobriety and peace.
Are you in need of an effective and painless drug detox program?
Is Medically Supervised Detox Necessary?
In most cases Yes. Those who have developed an addiction to drugs realize they cannot stop. The substance is controlling their lives. In many cases, an addict is unable to accomplish detox from drugs or alcohol on their own. Once addicted to drugs, the body and the brain become accustomed to the presence of drugs or alcohol in the system.
Medically Supervised Drug Detox is the first important step towards a successful recovery. Without medical supervision, withdrawals can be uncomfortable and sometimes even dangerous. During the detox process, the body no longer has the drugs or alcohol it depends on. The system reacts and can go into shock or convulse. This process should be monitored by a medical professional. We offer safe and comfortable detox process by providing medically supervised care, anxiety relief and rest in a safe and comfortable environment. Medications and one-on-one counseling guide our clients along the road to freedom from drug and alcohol addiction.
Drug Detoxification helps the body and the mind find balance. With addiction, drugs can linger in the body for some time. While someone may feel mentally ready to stop taking drugs and start a new life, the body needs to catch up and fully withdraw from the foreign substances.
Medically Supervised Drug Detox is the best first step towards sobriety. Rest and medications help ease physical drug withdrawal symptoms. An accredited drug detox center will provide a safe, serene, nurturing environment for those detoxing. What is entailed with medical drug detox? Are the withdrawal symptoms painful? What are some medications available? Do different drugs harder to quit? We will answer these and many more questions below.
WHAT IS DRUG WITHDRAWAL?
Withdrawal symptoms can vary. Which drug or combinations of drugs have been abused can play a huge part in what symptoms present themselves. Here is a list of various drugs and their withdrawal symptoms.
Alcohol
Prolonged alcohol abuse can severely impair brain and bodily functions. Withdrawal symptoms without medical supervision can be severe and potentially life threatening. Alcohol withdrawal symptoms can include:
- Headache
- Heart Palpitations
- Extreme Anxiety
- Muscle tremors
- Pain
- Psychotic episodes
- Hallucinations
- Delirium Tremens
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Seizures
- Suicidal Thoughts
- Cravings for Opiates
Amphetamines
Prescription Ritalin and Adderall are amphetamines as is the illicit drug methamphetamine.
Amphetamines are stimulants that dramatically increase brain activity. This results in sharper mental focus, increased energy, and simulated temporary euphoria. Overuse and subsequent cessation can cause a host of adverse effects. Symptoms can include:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Lack of energy
- Paranoia
- Craving
- Memory loss
- Interrupted sleep patterns
- Hunger
- Disinterest in previously pleasurable acts
- Strange or dangerous behavior
Opiates
Drugs in this class include heroin, Vicodin, Oxycontin, and morphine. When someone stops taking opiates after prolonged use, they may experience the following withdrawal symptoms:
- Muscle Cramps
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Flu-like Symptoms
- Nausea
- Cravings for Opiates
Cocaine
Withdrawal from cocaine without medical supervision can be dangerous. Symptoms can last for several weeks. Symptoms can include:
- Irritability
- Anxiety
- Inability to mentally focus
- Hallucinations
- Paranoia
- Intense cravings (high risk of relapse)
Many will read this list and think “I can’t go through with it!” Although these symptoms can seem frightening, they can be managed and overcome. The good news is that with proper medical supervision in the proper treatment facility, many of these symptoms never surface. The emotional and psychological challenges that come with quitting drugs is difficult enough. There is no need to add to the trauma by endangering your life by detoxing alone. With treatment at a residential inpatient treatment facility, the transition from the depths of addiction to freedom can be much easier and far more effective in the long run.
VRC is a life saver! I have been to other treatment centers before and none of them had anywhere near the level of care given to clients here. Program is well run. All the staff are very friendly, professional and sincere in their care for everyone coming through. If you follow the simple instructions given here, you are well on your way to getting your life back on track.
I can’t stress enough how thankful I am for VRC and how much I recommend it!
Max S. Arnold, MD
Inpatient Medical Drug Detoxification
Medically Supervised Drug Detox at a qualified inpatient recovery facility can make a huge difference in someone’s quest for sobriety and a new life. Benefits include constant supervision for safety, prescribed medication to ease withdrawal symptoms, group and individual therapy options for emotional support, and a safe, calm environment to rest, renew and heal.
The initial phase of treatment at a reputable facility begins with a comprehensive evaluation of the client’s drug use patterns and past. A proper evaluation should address these issues:
- What drugs were taken
- Historically how often were the drugs taken
- When was the last time the client used the drug
- What dosage is normally used
- How long has the client been abusing the drug
- Has the client tried to quit before?
- How long were earlier attempts at sobriety successful?
- What were the symptoms of withdrawal, if any?
- What other medications are taken
- Any other health conditions
- Are there psychological/ mental issues?
Once an in-depth evaluation is made, an individualized treatment plan can be devised. At this phase a physician determines which withdrawal medications to prescribe. A therapist will visit and provide emotional support. During this initial phase of drug detoxification, the client needs a lot of rest and quiet. A good hearty meal plan replenishes the body, while rest and relaxation heals the mind. The staff monitors vital signs and emotional health to ensure safety.
In short, drug detox is tough. Symptoms can range from simple and flu-like to seizures and death. With consequences that can be so dire, it is highly recommended that someone attend an inpatient drug detox center if they are trying to quit drugs. A medically supervised environment that provides quality care is the best way to start a new life free from addiction. There, you receive the medical supervision and psychological care you need. You can rest, relax and heal away from the common stresses of everyday life. Your physical and emotional well-being, truly the most important things in life, are worth it.
The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Why Can’t I Detox from Drugs at Home?
A body consistently abused by addiction can be severely weakened. Quickly removing the toxins from a system that has grown to rely on them can be extremely dangerous . Also, the emotional dependence on a substance to survive the day to day is not treated with a kit you can buy at a drug store. Psychological dependence can be nearly impossible to overcome without help and the support of others who have the same experience. Trying to quit “cold turkey” or try the new “rapid detox” protocol that is newly popular are not smart choices if you want long term meaningful sobriety.
Some Ways to Detox at Home
Cold Turkey: When you go “cold turkey” you stop using the drugs all at once. This can throw the body into sudden acute withdrawal. This could cause medical crisis in a body that has become dependent on the drug to thrive. Hallucinations, seizures and even death can result. Intense cravings without psychological therapy and peer support often lead to relapse.
Tapering: This is the process by which the drug is gradually removed from the system. The doses become smaller and smaller until the body is free of the drug completely. This method, on paper, looks like an effective approach to quitting drugs. If just the physical aspect of drug use was the issue and ”willpower” is strong, it does indeed look like a viable option. However, addiction doesn’t usually work like that. Drug addiction is a chronic disease of the body and the mind. Without social and emotional support, most of us cannot summon the strength to taper off drugs. The psychological craving is too strong. Relapse occurs more often than not.
Home Detox Kits: Simply put, home detox kits just don’t work. They claim to use herbs and vitamins to cleanse the body. Studies show that these kits do NOT have the ingredients necessary to remove toxins from the body quickly. Therefore, users are spending money to go cold-turkey!
Rapid Detox: This is a relatively new technique that sounds like the perfect solution to detox. The client is sedated and fed intravenous drugs that render the drug inactive. The detox is finished in just a few days. Rapid detox sounds perfect, right? It works quickly and completely. Done and done. However, studies show that rapid detox is not more effective than other methods. Those using rapid detox are also proven to have the same withdrawal symptoms as someone going cold turkey. So, people who use rapid detox are suffering the discomforts and health risks of withdrawal and have no guarantee that they will remain sober.
We can help you get your life back.
“We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.”
-Albert Einstein