RSS Drug Detox
Any good drug and alcohol treatment program should include an initial drug detox program. This is an important step in the recovery from substance addictions as it cleanses the body, preparing it for treatment. Such cleansing will make the addict’s body much more receptive to any treatment that is given. But what should you expect from a detox program?
Detox, short for detoxification, is the process whereby toxins are removed from the addict’s body. These toxins can be the drugs themselves or by-products of those drugs that have collected in the body over a period of time. The body does not have any use for these toxins so they are often stored in the fat of the body or collect in the cleansing organs such as the kidneys and liver. If these toxins are not removed or cleansed from the body before any drug and alcohol treatment program is started, the chances of inadequate treatment and relapse are greatly increased. This is because the presence of these toxins in the addict’s body can trigger intense cravings for the drug they were abusing.
There are many drug and alcohol treatment centers that will describe only 2 different detox methods. There are actually three. The first two most common methods of drug detox are non-medical and medical. Non-medical detox generally involves the patient going ‘cold turkey’, in order for the body to rid itself of these toxins. Under this type of detox, the patient is often supervised 24 hours a day and provided with a healthy diet and plenty of exercise. This type of detox is used for milder addictions whose withdrawal does not involve severe symptoms.
Medical detox is used for the withdrawal from more severe and deep-seated addictions that often result in dangerous drug withdrawal symptoms. This type of detox involves treating the patient’s withdrawal symptoms whilst simultaneously cleansing the body of toxins.
The third method of detox is natural drug detox. This method involves using natural treatments, such as acupuncture, sauna detox, or herbal remedies to cleanse the body of the harmful toxins that can lead to relapse. Much success has been recorded using the natural method of detox as there is no risk of addiction to any medications and toxins are completely removed from the body.
Detox is a very important part of a successful alcohol and drug addiction treatment program to cleanse the body of unwanted and prohibitive toxins and prepare the patient for any treatment they may undergo to rid themselves of addiction for good. Detox provides the ‘clean slate’ that is so much needed in order to increase the chances of a successful recovery from drug addiction and decrease the chances of any future relapse.
