The WoW Style

With the high prevalence of drug and substance addiction, medical detox plans offer solutions to individuals by providing structured and safe methods to detox from these substances.

The high risks associated with withdrawal from harmful substances make medical detox plans provide an avenue for recovery and free from dependence. Drug and substance dependence may cause the following detrimental effects:

• Physical – Addicts may seek to inflict bodily harm on their bodies when deciding to stop the intake of drugs unceremoniously. For instance, the individual may be involved in an accident, become vulnerable to sexual assault or harm, or have injuries on the body due to wrong drug injection. The internal organs may also start failing, and the nervous system impaired. Other physical changes include baldness, falling of teeth, and deterioration of the skin, and overall poor health.
• Psychological /Mental – The high toxins in the body impair judgment making hallucinations, psychosis, suicide, and depression rampant. Addicts may also experience difficulty in decision making, memory loss, and loss of attention span.
• Behavioral – Excessive drug or substance abuse may lead to changes in a person’s social and interpersonal behavior, which affect the way they interact with others. For instance, patients may become secretive and refrain from communicating with their family and close friends for fear of reparation.

Professional medical detox is recommended due to the physician’s and therapists’ safety measures to ensure the individual is adequately supervised to prevent any potential harm. As much as home detox procedures are also available, it is advisable to seek professional assistance when undertaking such a process to ensure that they are productive and work.

Medical detox plans may be:

• Short term plans where a patient takes medications for a limited period to ease discomfort and stop symptoms and relieve pain.
• Long term plans where a patient is put on detoxifying plans for a long time to curb intense withdrawal symptoms to stop chances of relapse until they are deemed drug free.

Physicians may also seek to prescribe additional medications to aid with the detox depending on the type of drug that the patient was using. This requires further analysis to determine whether the patient will need inpatient or outpatient services.

Inpatient services ensure round the clock observation in the treatment center. Being the most common plan, inpatient services are best in dealing with addiction treatments despite being expensive. Outpatient services are more affordable and offer patients a chance to come in for their medication without residing at the center. This option is, however, done to patients with mild alcohol addiction cases.

The first step of medical detox is to research and find a comprehensive rehabilitation program that may have all the facilities required for an all intensive service. This will help establish a controlled structure that will guide the addict in analyzing how to live a healthy, drug-free life. The rehabilitation program also helps addicts identify the root cause of their addiction and identify ways of sustainability after the medical detox that will ensure they do not resort back to harmful behavior. As medical detox cannot seek to replace treatment options, it is the first step to recovery.

As there is no wrong time for medical detox, one should consider a medical detox plan when they experience neurological issues and cognitive problems which affect their quality of life. For instance, the persistence of fatigue, headaches, depression, nausea, and rapid weight loss should steer an individual towards visiting a medical detox center.

Aftercare services after medical detox are crucial in ensuring the patient does not relapse back into old habits. There are various options to consider from 12 step programs, support groups, and counseling services.

Benefits of a medical detox

Medical detox benefits greatly outweigh the risks as they seek to enhance the quality of life significantly. Some of the benefits of a medical detox include:

• Successful addiction treatment

Detox plans are the first step in addiction recovery. Medical detox plans offer a safe and preventive way to cope with withdrawal symptoms, which propel the individual towards treatment and therapy. The presence of qualified physicians prevents harmful reactions, which may deem fatal if not carefully observed.

• Ensures treatment sustainability

Addicts who undergo medical detox plans are capable of successfully proceeding to treatment plans after the process. The physicians’ role is to ensure the patient is carefully vetted to understand their mental capabilities and determine if the detox plan is customized based on the results. They are more likely to complete the rehabilitation program and live better, healthy lives without relapse.

• Exposes underlying health problems

Since addicts are prone to organ failure and peripheral health problems, a supervised detox plan exposes likely risks that may be hidden and susceptible to failure. Different drugs pose different challenges to the body, which may develop at a slow rate—for instance, mental health problems, abdominal pain, organ failure, and possible infections. Medical detox seeks to curb potential health risks to the patient, thus eliminating re-infection.

• Support system

Addicts require a stable support system that enables them to move past the addiction stage and transgress to healthy living. The medical detox assures the patient of a permanent structure that offers companionship during a potentially dangerous time.

• Offers uninterrupted treatment

Intensive medical detox plans offer patients a chance to recover without interruptions from their environment, such as the workplace, school, or family.

Factors to consider before a medical detox

When deciding to start a medical detox, you should research to find the best facility with the right environment. Research is best done with your therapist or physician’s help as they will advice you on credible facilities to consider, and determine which detox options are suitable for you. For instance, will you require medically managed detox or a medically monitored detox. You will also have to consider the program’s length, the type of amenities offered in the program, and the treatment plans available to patients. Also, check to ascertain if the detox center covers insurance for treatment.