Drug detox: the first responses in the battle against addiction

Before a drug addict can benefit from what a rehab centre has to offer, it may be necessary for the addict to be detoxified. This means having them attend a drug detox centre to go through the purging of the drug from the body. This involves a physical withdrawal that can be quite unpleasant, depending on the substance involved.

The drug detox also involves just getting the addict out of the immediate drug using situation that they’re in. Just being placed in a safe environment that is apart from the chaotic environment the addict may have been coming from is a useful first step.

The drug detox centre is usually separate from the rehab centre. It deals exclusively with the physical challenge of stopping drug use. The patient usually stays there for no more than a week or two before they are ready to take the next step towards recovery.

There are several stages of drug detox. First the patient has to be evaluated to determine which substances he or she is under the influence of, along with the amounts. Also, it is necessary to determine whether there are other factors at work, such as mental illness.

The second phase is to stabilize the patient so that they can go through the process of detoxification. This may or may not involve administering medication. The patient is given an explanation of what may be ahead for them. They should know what options exist for the treatment and recovery that will follow drug detox.

It will be up to the professionals administering the drug detox whether family and friends of the addict will be allowed to visit and to offer support.

And the third phase of the drug detox process is to direct the patient to the next step: treatment. Without this most crucial aspect of the recovery process, then the drug detox may not do any more than postpone the next episode of drug use.

There are certain drugs that are more likely to require detoxification. Opiates, like heroin, Oxyontin, methadone, morphine, codeine, and dilaudids are very addictive. And stopping the use of these drugs will require a physical withdrawal.

Drugs like cocaine, ecstasy and ketamine may not require a drug detox before treatment can take place.

What comes next after drug detox?

Once the detox process has been completed, the patient will be better equipped to go forward with the next stage of recovery. This usually means some form of treatment.

This is usually administered at a treatment centre that begins to address the psychological and social elements to drug addiction. The drug detox does not address these aspects of the problem.

Drug treatment involves a combination of group therapy, individual therapy, and education. Once the addict becomes aware of what has encouraged their drug use, they become better equipped to modify their behaviour.