Alcohol

Many people consider alcohol to be different from other drugs. Alcohol is legal and it is socially acceptable. What some people do not realize, however, is that alcohol is one of, if not the most dangerous substance to quit. Once the body has become dependent on alcohol, withdrawal can be deadly.

Alcohol Detox is the process of managing alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Alcohol withdrawal refers to the set of symptoms that are observed when an individual suddenly stops drinking alcohol after a period of prolonged or excessive use. The severity of alcohol withdrawal depends on a number of factors including: how long you have been drinking, how much you drink, your general health and age.

In Alcohol Detox, medical professionals are on hand to manage your withdrawal symptoms and make sure the process is both safe and comfortable. Often, fear of the withdrawal process is the biggest barrier to people seeking treatment. Alcohol Detox allows you to stop drinking without uncomfortable and dangerous alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

Opiates

Opiates are a class of drugs that are derived from the opium poppy plant. Drugs like heroin, morphine, oxycodone, opana, and kratom are all considered opiates. Opiates are highly addictive, and withdrawal can be very painful.

Opiate detox is the process of weaning a person off of opiates and controlling the withdrawal symptoms.  Withdrawal symptoms are the physical effects of purging the body of addictive substances. It occurs when a person becomes tolerant to a drug.

Tolerance results when the body adapts to regular opiate use over a long period of time. Eventually, it takes more and more of the opiate to produce the original effect. This is what happens to long term opiate users. Their bodies expect the opiates. When the opiate use is stopped or the dose is significantly reduced, the body reacts in a physical way. This is why the opiate detox process is so important. In opiate detox, medical staff can administer medications to manage your withdrawal symptoms and ensure that the process is both safe and comfortable.

Withdrawal from opiates can cause unpleasant symptoms. Some common opiate withdrawal symptoms include extreme pain, tremors, muscle cramps, sweating, chills, rapid heartbeat, itching, restless leg syndrome, runny nose, sneezing, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and weakness.

In opiate detox, medical professionals administer medication to manage these symptoms. They often give “replacement” medications to lessen the effects of withdrawal. Beyond the “replacement” medications like buprenorphine or methadone, you will also be given meds to treat muscle spasms, high blood pressure, anxiety, and insomnia.  They also monitor your vital signs to ensure that the process is safe.

Benzodiazepine

Benzodiazepines are mainly prescribed to treat generalized anxiety disorder and insomnia. Many people who stop taking these medications experience increased anxiety or restlessness. Users often develop a tolerance to benzodiazepines, or benzos, after taking high doses for a long period of time.

The withdrawal symptoms of benzodiazepines are physically and emotionally painful and can be life-threatening if the user stops “cold turkey.” Those with a history of taking higher doses or taking the substance for a prolonged time have the worst withdrawal symptoms. Withdrawal symptoms include: sweating, panic attacks, nausea, dizziness, headaches, insomnia, hallucinations, seizures and irritability. Taking benzos more frequently, in higher doses, in more potent forms and/or for a prolonged time all increase the duration of withdrawal.

Quitting cold turkey can even cause death in some circumstances. A supervising physician must be present to monitor for potentially fatal symptoms, including seizures and suicidal behavior. Medical detoxification from benzodiazepines often involves tapering down from the drug. Tapering down can mean reducing the dose or prescribing a less potent benzo. The strategy used is determined by the severity of addiction and the type of drug that was abused.

Stimulants

If you are using stimulants, like cocaine or amphetamine, you may think you have it under control. But, if you have reached a point where you begin to feel sick when you aren’t using, then you are no longer in control and you need help. Stimulant abuse can cause a number of serious issues, among them a withdrawal syndrome that can linger for months, even years. Detox from stimulants can take an extremely long time, much longer than most detox programs. People often feel irritable, depressed, and experience cravings long after they stop abusing stimulants.

Stimulant withdrawal effects can be psychological and physical. The psychological withdrawal from stimulants can be especially severe, leading some former users to relapse; others may even become suicidal or violent.  Physical withdrawal  symptoms can include: agitation and restless behavior,  depressed mood,  fatigue, generalized malaise, increased appetite, vivid and unpleasant dreams and slowing of activity. For this reason, stimulant users are advised to seek professional medical help when quitting the drugs.

Medical detox programs help to manage symptoms of withdrawal, making the whole process more bearable and productive. In general, a taper method will produce less severe withdrawal symptoms. Stimulant detox should take as long as it needs to, and the doctor and patient must be able to agree that the patient is ready to begin focusing on addiction treatment instead of just on managing their withdrawal symptoms.