Medical Detox is the First Step in Beating Addiction

Addiction is a serious problem that impacts countless individuals and families across the country. Addiction is a disease. It is a serious mental health issue and should be treated as such. Sadly, in the past, there was a stigma surrounding mental health conditions. Now, that stigma is starting to fade. This has given rise to numerous new treatment options that can help people who are suffering from an addiction to drugs and alcohol.

For many people who are starting the road to recovery, this period begins with something called detox. For those who might not know, detox is the process of removing drugs and alcohol from the body. This can be a challenging period of time because people are going to go through withdrawal. This is where medical detox can be a great first step.

What is Medical Detox?

A medical detox facility is a specified area in a treatment center that is staffed with doctors and nurses who can help individuals cope with the withdrawal symptoms that are going to develop. When someone is addicted to drugs or alcohol, the body views these substances as a necessity for life. Therefore, when people go for a while without these substances, they are going to feel ill. In some cases, withdrawal can even be life-threatening.

The symptoms of withdrawal are going to vary depending on the substances to which the person is addicted; however, there are a few common signs of withdrawal. Some of the most common symptoms include fevers, shakes, chills, sweats, agitation, emotional lability, and trouble sleeping. Some of the serious symptoms can include hallucinations, which involve hearing or seeing things that aren’t actually there. Some people even end up thinking that bugs are crawling on their skin. In the most serious cases, people can even have seizures.

Clearly, withdrawal can be difficult for people to handle. This is why it is important for people to go through the process of “getting clean” in the presence of trained doctors and nurses.

Who Should Go to Medical Detox?

While not every patient is going to need to go to detox, this can be helpful for a large number of people who are addicted to alcohol or drugs. Some of the people who might benefit from detox include:

  • Anyone who has a physical addiction to certain drugs or alcohol
  • Individuals who would like to go through the process of withdrawal in the presence of other people
  • Those who would be going to life-threatening withdrawal symptoms without the presence of medical professionals

There are a few common drug addictions that might require the presence of detox personnel. Some of the examples include:

Heroin: The withdrawal from heroin can lead to extreme discomfort. This should be managed by trained medical professionals who know how to handle this situation.

Pain Pills: Some of the most common examples include OxyContin, Percocet, and Vicodin. These are opiates that can lead to serious withdrawal symptoms that merit the attention of medical professionals.

Alcohol: Withdrawal from alcohol can lead to the development of something called delirium tremens. This is a withdrawal syndrome that can be life-threatening in severe cases.

Benzodiazepines: If someone suddenly stops taking these drugs, such as Xanax and Valium, this can be a life-threatening situation. This is why detox is necessary.

How Long Does it Take to Go Through Detox?

The exact length of time it will take someone to go through detox is going to vary. Some of the factors that will play a role include the identity of the addictive substance, how long that substance has been used, the amount of substance that was taken, and when the last dose was. Some detox processes will take a couple of days. In other situations, the entire process might take up to two weeks. For this reason, it is important for everyone to have support when they go through the detox process. This is a critical part of stopping substance abuse and breaking addiction’s hold on the individual. A detox center can be a great place for someone to start the addiction treatment process. Detox is the first step on the road to recovery.

The Detoxification Process with the Help of Laguna View Detox

Medical detoxification is the first step in addiction treatment. Anyone who would like to have access to the latest addiction treatment resources should rely on Laguna View Detox. We are a luxury drug and alcohol rehab center located in the scenic area of Laguna Beach, CA. Our professionals have a tremendous amount of experience working with alcohol and drug addiction. If you would like to learn more about how we can help you with addiction treatment, please contact us today. We look forward to hearing your story.

Five Signs it Might be Time to Go to a Medical Detox

Addiction can take many forms and one of the most common addictions is alcoholism. When someone has developed an addiction to alcohol, they are going to turn their lives upside down in an effort to feed this addiction. One of the problems with trying to break an addiction to alcohol is that the substance itself is legal. This means that people will have no trouble continuing to feed their addiction as it begins to consume their family members and friends along with the individual. Fortunately, there are professionals who are willing to lend a helping hand. One effective treatment option is called medical detox.

Medical detox is designed to help someone get through the toughest stages of addiction treatment. In many cases, this involves the first few days. There are a few signs that it might be time for someone to consider going to a medical detox center.

Prior Efforts Have Been Tried and Failed

First, if prior treatment efforts have tried and failed, then it might be time to go to a medical detox center. One of the most common reasons why prior efforts to stop are unsuccessful is that it is simply too hard. There are withdrawal symptoms that will start to set in shortly after someone with alcoholism stops drinking. This is one of the nasty side effects of substance abuse. The withdrawal symptoms alone can drive someone to start drinking again. This is why professional help is a must.

An Intervention Has Taken Place

Often, substance abuse will get so bad that family members and friends will try to have an intervention. This is a meeting where loved ones confront the individual with the issues at hand. This can be an incredibly stressful process and, fortunately, leads to the individual trying to get help shortly thereafter. If an intervention is taking place, consider offering medical detox as one of the treatment options. That way, someone can recover from alcoholism under the guidance of trained professionals.

Withdrawal Symptoms are Setting In

If withdrawal symptoms are setting in, it is time to go to medical detox. Withdrawal symptoms can take many forms. For example, some people start to develop agitation, anxiety, sweating, and even fevers. Other symptoms might even include hallucinations and delusions, which involve seeing or believing in things that either aren’t there or aren’t true. Furthermore, some of the worst cases of alcohol withdrawal can even lead to seizures. Seizures can lead to brain damage if they aren’t managed appropriately. Therefore, it is essential for those who suffer from alcohol withdrawal to seek help from trained professionals. The symptoms of withdrawal can be incredibly severe.

Someone is Drinking in the Morning

When alcoholism starts to get out of control, the individual will start drinking in the morning. One of the reasons why this happens is that someone is starting to feel the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal when they wake up in the morning. Alcohol withdrawal can start to develop only a few hours after the most recent beverage. In this case, someone has gone all night without drinking. Therefore, the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal are starting to develop. For this reason, anyone who is drinking in the morning needs to consider going to medical detox. This is a critical step on the road to recovery.

Alcoholism Has Landed Someone in the Hospital

Finally, if alcoholism ever puts someone in the hospital, that individual needs to head to a medical detox center. There are countless reasons why alcoholism might land someone in the hospital. Sometimes, people suffer serious injuries because he or she was involved in an auto accident secondary to drunk driving. In other cases, alcoholism places someone in the hospital due to the development of delirium tremens, also known as the DTs. Either way, these are signs that alcoholism has a firm grip on someone. This grip cannot be broken without the help of trained medical professionals. That is exactly what someone will get when he or she goes to a medical detox center.

Rely on the Professionals at Laguna View Detox

It is important for everyone to know that medical detox can be a helpful way to get through some of the toughest stages of addiction treatment. At Laguna View Detox, we are a luxury drug and alcohol treatment program. We are located in beautiful Laguna View, CA. We provide medical detox services and inpatient treatment for those who suffer from various types of substance abuse. We seek to use innovative treatment methods along with proven, traditional, successful treatment options for the benefit of our patients. We would be happy to help you as well. If you would like to learn more about how we can help you and your family, please contact us today!