Detox centers

Detox is short for detoxification, which is the generic term reserved for the chemical changes that occur when one’s body has become accustomed to regular and routine administration of a specific drug or a number of drugs, including alcohol.  The human body does whatever is needed to keep its chemical balance in a stable equilibrium which is called “homeostasis”.  When alcohol and other drugs are introduced to the body, it reacts, as best it can to these poisons.  (The body reacts to alcohol and other drugs as foreign substances, or poisons.)

The main purpose of  a living body is to survive or continue living, so when poisons are taken into the body, it develops chemical mechanisms to better tolerate and expel these substances.  Over time, the body becomes accustomed to this new chemistry and when it is changed abruptly, the body goes into a greater or lesser degree of shock, which can sometimes be life-threatening, but is always uncomfortable.

Generally speaking, this process can take from 4 to 14 days, depending on the type of drugs or alcohol, the amount being taken and whether there is a mixture of these substances.  Each category of drugs has its own set of physical reactions that occur upon one stops taking them. The removal of some drugs, such as opiates, cause symptoms similar to a severe case of the flu, but it is not life-threatening.  (However, if a person has other physical problems, such as heart disease, these withdrawals or detoxifications may need medical supervision since the stress of the detox may push the body into causing these other health concerns to worsen.)

Other drugs, such as benzodiasapines (ex. Zanax and Valium), barbiturates and alcohol can cause seizures, again depending on the amount being taken and the duration of continual use.

Professional Detox services are divided into Social Detox and Medical Detox, depending on which category of  drugs one has been taken.  Heroin withdrawals, or detox, has been dramatized by television and the movies as being the most severe form of withdrawals, when actually it isn’t life-threatening and can be managed in a Social Model Detox or even at home.

Large amounts of alcohol and other drugs mentioned above as being high risk for complications of seizures, require Medical or Medically Assisted Detox. It should be mentioned that even though opiate detox isn’t a physical threat, it is so uncomfortable and has such a strong emotional component, that Medically Assisted Detox, using Buprenorphine or other opiates to step-down the dose over time gives one the greatest chance of success.

Many opiate detoxes without medical assistance will fail because the patient will resort back to his drug of choice rather than confront pain and anxiety of five miserable days of withdrawals.

So, how do you decide which model of detox is most appropriate?

Making this decision should be left in the hands of a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor or some other medical professional since there are many considerations that need to be examined before one decides to stop the use of of alcohol and other drugs.  Sometimes it is a difficult decision as to whether an alcohol abuser needs medical or social model detox.  It depends on many variables besides the quantity consumed, so, again, it is prudent to have a professional help you with your decision regarding which level of detox is appropriate.

This information is provided to give you an overview of alcohol and drug detox and should not be taken as medical advice concerning the specific needs of a person requiring detox.

Detoxification is the first step in confronting an addiction problem, but, on its own, will not solve an addiction problem.  Of course, to treat someone for addiction, they must be clearheaded enough to participate in their treatment and detox is the first step in this process.

Sometimes people confuse detox with Biophysical Treatment because this form of treatment uses an extensive detoxification procedure which removes the toxins created by alcohol and drug abuse from the body.  This procedure can only be done after someone has thoroughly detoxed from their drug of abuse.

Drug and alcohol detox

As mentioned above, there are serious considerations that must be addressed in selecting an appropriate detoxification program.  Choosing Medical Model, or Medically Assisted Detox or Social Model should be dependant on the type of drugs being detoxed, the physical and emotional state of the patient and, of course, the level of funding available.

There are detox programs that are provided by government funding, and many of them are okay in that they provide the lifesaving medical care needed, but you can’t expect to have one’s personal needs met by programs of these type.  There are also detox programs that provide neurological support with amino acid I/V drips that speed up the process and bring back mental acuity to a level that isn’t seen in traditional detox programs.

There are also detox centers that provide five-star hotel-type settings where the patient has the advantage of private rooms, stereos and flat screen TV’s, person computers and direct phone lines, as well as gormet meals and massage.  Of course these benefits are necessary, but if one can afford this level of support, there is no better time to have this care than when one is being confronted with drug cravings and depression.