25 Jun What To Expect From Medically Assisted Detox
Drug detox is the process of weaning your body off its dependence on drugs and/or alcohol. Drug detox is the first step toward recovering from drug addiction. Medically assisted detox refers to detoxing under professional medical supervision. Your medical team will help you overcome withdrawal symptoms safely, but also help prepare you for counseling and therapy, both of which are essential parts of a lasting recovery.
What can you expect from a medically assisted detox program? The exact process varies slightly depending on whether you are looking at an inpatient, outpatient, or in-home program, but the fundamentals for each are much the same.
In general, you can expect:
Initial evaluation
A preliminary consultation with a certified clinician to develop an understanding of your addiction, your concerns, your goals, your health and preexisting conditions. This evaluation includes both a physical and psychological assessment. Together, all of this information helps your detox team understand the best treatment for your needs.
Detox
Your body starts to go into withdrawal after you have stopped taking drugs or alcohol. The detox process helps you safely overcome your body’s reliance on the effects of drugs and alcohol. Your medical team will monitor you throughout detox so they can provide support, intervene and prevent relapse as needed, and/or prescribe medications as needed to help improve your comfort.
Support groups and/or counseling
Some detox centers offer individual or group counseling to encourage patients through the detox process and reinforce drug-free living.
After detox
Following a successful detox, you are ready to return to your normal life.
Additional programs
Many inpatient detox centers offer additional programs to help support a drug-free lifestyle, including counseling, coaching, sober companionship, case management, and more.
Is it safe?
Whether in-home, inpatient, or outpatient, medically assisted detox is very safe. Your medical team is always available to support you during the withdrawal phase. They will prescribe medications to reduce any potential health risks and improve your comfort. Your team will also intervene as necessary to prevent relapse.
Drug addictions that require medically assisted detox
Medically assisted detox is important to help you overcome any kind of addiction. However, professional care is especially important for certain drugs due to the associated health risks that come with withdrawals. These drugs include:
- Opioids (prescription and illicit)
- Alcohol
- Benzodiazepines
- Heroin
- Cocaine
Advantages And Disadvantages Of Medically Assisted Vs Self-Detox
Since cost is a big consideration for many people, self-detox may sound like an ideal alternative to traditional and in-home addiction recovery programs. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of medically assisted vs self-detox.
Self-detox
There is no shortage of detox kits, detox drinks, and DIY detox manuals on the internet. These often claim to help you overcome your addiction in days. Whether or not they work depends on factors such as the type and duration of the addiction, the severity of the addiction, whether there are any underlying mental health issues, and your support system, to name a few.
Advantages: Self-detox is low-cost, convenient, can be done on your schedule, and private and discreet.
Disadvantages: Self-detox may also potentially be dangerous to your health, depending on the drug you are detoxing from. Self-detox may not work, and any results may not last. This option does not address underlying triggers or mental health conditions.
Medically assisted
As discussed, some types of drugs can cause potentially dangerous withdrawal symptoms, so medically assisted detox is not only preferable but essential. In addition to this, medically assisted detox includes treatment for co-existing health conditions as well as any underlying mental health issues for comprehensive care.
Advantages: Medically assisted detox is a safe way to reach a recovery that lasts. Your medical team monitors your health throughout the process and will prescribe medications that have been scientifically proven to work. Your team can also take into account any medications you are currently taking to avoid unwanted drug interactions.
Disadvantages: Medically assisted detox can be expensive. These programs can be disruptive to your time and may not be convenient for everyone. Inpatient and outpatient facilities may not be a comfortable environment for some people.
At-Home Medically Assisted Detox With Elite Home Detox
Elite Home Detox brings all the advantages of medically assisted detox into your home. Our in-home service allows you to enjoy a discreet, convenient, and comfortable detox on your time and schedule. One of our team members is onsite with you 24/7 during detox, giving you both the privacy and dedicated attention that traditional detox centers cannot offer.
Our medical team is always available to answer your questions and help you attain a recovery with lasting results. If you want to know more about how we can help you detox at home, contact us today.