Needing help managing medications is nothing to be ashamed of. People who use increasing amounts of psychoactive drugs are not villains; they are people in immense physical, emotional, and spiritual pain. An inpatient medical detox program is the best way for doctors to determine which of your medications are helping you, which medications need to be adjusted, which medications are causing unpleasant side effects, which medications need to be replaced, and which medications need to be slowly removed from your system. We understand that even the thought of confronting this problem is more than you feel you can manage; it’s worth it, though. You’ll see.
The first step in treating chronic substance use disorder is detoxification. While the word “detox” might sound intimidating, we cannot begin to explain how much easier it is to treat someone when the unnecessary medications are removed. Many drugs of dependence prevent psychological healing, so these barriers need to be removed safely and gradually.
Medical Detox Makes the Difference
Being prescribed addictive drugs without being given a proper warning and follow-up care causes harm on physical and psychological levels. While some people are able to occasionally take addictive drugs without experiencing destructive side effects, many of us cannot. You don’t need to have an addictive personality to become chemically dependent. Opioid dependence often starts when patients who are recovering from surgery are told not to miss any doses of their antibiotics. Since opioids cause clouded thinking, it is difficult for post-surgical patients to differentiate between the pills they need to take in regular increments and the pills they need to take when they are in pain.
Instead of getting lost in the unfairness of your situation—we know it’s easy to do—our team at CeDAR can help you confront the medical and psychological issues that are holding you back from living your best life.
What Are the Stages of Detox?
No matter what combination of drugs you have in your system, most people who are withdrawing from addictive substances like alcohol, fentanyl and other opioids, stimulants, and benzodiazepines experience the following stages of withdrawal:
- Stage 1: Disorientation, anger, exhaustion, insomnia, nausea, abdominal pain, loss of appetite
- State 2: Abnormal heart rate, sweating, irritability, breathing problems, confusion, clouded thinking, back and abdominal pain, paranoia, feelings of guilt
- Stage 3: Potential high fever, hallucinations, seizures, and relapse
What Does Withdrawal Feel Like?
Acute withdrawal usually involves flu-like symptoms and intense anxiety. It usually begins between 6 and 12 hours after using a drug of dependence. It can last anywhere from a few hours to a few days. This timeline is different for each person, but the absolute best place to detox is in a medical treatment center like CeDAR’s. While seizures are rare, they do happen, so it is best to be in an addiction treatment center. You will be surrounded by professionals who are committed to helping you start your recovery on the right foot. Your withdrawal timeline will depend on your body type, tolerance, type of drugs taken, amount of drugs taken, and when you last used.
Enrolling in a medical detox program will help ensure that you are safe, cared for, and as comfortable as possible. People may experience the following symptoms: nausea and vomiting, stomach pain, depression, exhaustion for the first few days of treatment.
Mind and Body Detox
As you transition from detox to residential treatment, your doctors will work to help restore a healthy chemical balance in your body. This involves the gradual, tapered removal of a particular drug (or drugs) from a person’s system. People who have never experienced withdrawal symptoms may not understand the physical and mental agony of trying to detox without assistance. We offer the following treatment programs at CeDAR:
For a chemically dependent person, detoxing without assistance is usually unsuccessful.
The clouded thinking, difficulty managing emotions, and physical impairments associated with chemical dependency often cause people to relapse. If you are tired of being controlled by addiction, contact CeDAR by calling 720.848.3000.