What is Medication-Assisted Detox?
Every year, millions of people all across the country suffer from drug abuse and drug addiction. It impacts their ability to live a quality life, puts their health and wellness in harm’s way, affects those that love and care about them, and sometimes even leads to a loss of life.
Being admitted into a rehab center can be life-changing for most individuals suffering from addiction. With the use of behavioral therapy, medication, and other therapeutic techniques, residents have the support they need as they work to overcome their drug addiction.
Anyone who has ever been to or known someone that has been to rehab will likely be familiar with the term detox. It’s often one of the first barriers someone has to get through when overcoming drug addiction and is crucial to the overall recovery process and treatment.
What is the Purpose of Detox?
Detox is a way of rewiring the mind, body, and soul to grow independent from the drug you’re addicted to. It isn’t a cure for drug addiction, but many people suffering from addiction need to detox before entering a treatment program.
There are three major steps in the detoxification process – the individual’s assessment, stabilization, and cultivation. In the evaluation, doctors and mental health professionals learn what substances need to be cleared out and what symptoms to expect.
Once assessed, the primary goal is to keep the individual substance-free while the drug or substance is naturally removed from the body. The detoxification process can take several days or even several weeks. It largely depends on the drug in question and the severity of the addiction.
What is Medication-Assisted Detox?
During the detoxification process, one will likely experience withdrawal symptoms as the body readjusts to functioning without the presence of drugs or alcohol. During withdrawal, a person must face the temptations and urges to use again. During detox, severe withdrawal symptoms often push a person to relapse, before treatment can truly begin.
This is where medication can help play a significant role in the initial recovery stages, because it’s designed to help the patient cope with many physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual withdrawal symptoms. It can be the difference between success and failure during a detox.
With the withdrawal symptoms taking a backseat, patients can focus more of their time, energy, and effort on the other aspects of treatment – including therapy and making the necessary lifestyle or behavioral changes. This puts the patient in a better position to succeed in treatment.
What Medications Are Used During Detox?
While doctors have a number of FDA-approved medications to utilize during the detoxification process, two of the most commonly used medications include Vivitrol, which blocks opioid receptors for one month at a time, and Zipitrol, which prevents drug users from getting ‘high’ when using drugs.
Depending on the drug used, the withdrawal symptoms, and the severity of addiction, other medications may be used as well. They may include antiadrenergic agents, anticonvulsants, antidepressants, anti-nausea medication, benzodiazepines, buprenorphine, methadone, Modafinil, Naltrexone, Suboxone, and Subutex.
It’s important to note that these medications must be prescribed to the individual and should be taken under the supervision of a doctor or mental health professional. People shouldn’t detox alone, and they certainly shouldn’t attempt to self-medicate to avoid withdrawal. Medication-assisted detox should always be supervised by medical professionals for the safety of the individual.
Benefits of Medically-Assisted Detox
A medically-assisted detox program can completely change an individual’s life, especially if they’re having difficulty coping with the withdrawal symptoms. Not only can it help reduce the effects of symptoms, but it can reduce the individual’s ability to get ‘high,’ taking away their incentive.
Medication-assisted detox can save someone’s life. It can give them peace of mind when making their way through recovery. It helps them focus more on therapy and less on their addiction. It’ll reduce the chance of relapse and increase the chance of recovery.
Getting out of the initial recovery stages is often the most challenging part. In fact, most relapses happen during the first 90 days of treatment, and that’s why medication is often the most important aspect of those first 90 days. When used properly, medication can be a game-changer.
How to Find Medication-Assisted Detox Programs Near Me
Are you or a loved one addicted to a drug? Are you ready to finally receive the help you so desperately need? Do you need a quality and proven way to detox drugs from your mind, body, and soul? If you answered yes to any of those questions, then you’ve come to the right place.
At Brightside Recovery, we ensure our residents receive the best treatment in a controlled and supportive environment that’s designed to help them overcome addiction. We offer an Illinois outpatient treatment program that takes into account each individual’s unique needs and condition.
If you’d like to learn more about our facility or are interested in admitting someone you love, don’t hesitate to contact us today. We can’t wait to help you and your family move past this!