Detoxification is considered as the first and one of the most crucial steps in overcoming the addiction of drugs or alcohol. Â Medical professionals are of the opinion that detox is a necessary step to achieve complete de-addiction of the patient. However, detoxification process can be quite taxing for the patients and hence the whole process requires constant support from the family members as well as the medical personnel in the treatment center.
What is Drug Detoxification?
Withdrawal symptoms are the body’s reaction to the removal of drugs or alcohol, on which the body was dependent for long. Withdrawal symptoms include increased cravings for the removed substance. The duration in which the body tries to defeat the addiction to the substance is called detoxification.
Types of Drug Detox
There are primarily three types of drug detox methods. They are:
1)Â Â Â Â Residential Social Model Detoxification: This method does not involve any support from the medical personnel and is also marked by the absence of any medication. Â It is best for individuals with mild addiction history. Successful detoxification of the patient through this method only requires 5-10 days. During this process, the treatment centers take care that the patient should get adequate nutrition and rest. The patients are monitored round the clock by a staff of the treatment center. Some treatment centers also include drug education or alcohol education in the process, whichever is appropriate for the patient’s recovery.
2)Â Â Â Â Medical Model Detoxification: This method of detoxification is generally recommended for patients who require medical attention because of their ill health or are expecting rigorous withdrawal symptoms. Medical model detoxification is crucial for all the patients who are marked by medical conditions like seizures and delirium tremors during withdrawal. This process is generally carried out in hospitals as it requires medical attention and medications. Medical Model Detoxification requires round the clock monitoring of the patient by the medical staff in the hospital.
3)Â Â Â Â Rapid Detox: is a medical procedure in which the addict’s opiate receptors are cleansed for opiates and its traces. This is primarily done with the help of medicines. Rapid detoxification usually takes a few hours during which the medical personnel give anaesthesia to the patient, and the patient is required to stay in an intensive care unit. This process demands careful monitoring of the patient by the physicians and medical personnel in the hospital. A person who is detoxified through this method usually requires taking prescribed medicines for almost a year. This is to ensure that the physical cravings do not re-occur.
Conclusion
Since detoxification is the first step in the treatment of addiction, it would not be an exaggeration to say that these detoxification methods pave the way for effective rehabilitation and treatment of the patients. Most of the detoxification methods are very challenging for the addicts and need to be tackled with sensitivity and compassion. It is also very important that staff of the treatment center takes the complete drug history into consideration, before determining on a particular detoxification model or method.
