Many addicts reach a point where they want to overcome substance use disorder. Some addicts opt to detox at home independently because it is cheaper, more convenient, and more discreet than a licensed detox facility. While it has its benefits, detoxing at home has several risks that can be fatal. Many experts advise addicts to overcome dependence on drugs under supervision by addiction specialists. Professionals help you deal with lethal withdrawal symptoms and the high chance of relapse during detox.
Despite the risks, you can recover from substance use disorder at home. You can try detoxing at home with the blessing of an addiction specialist. Addiction specialists will prepare you for common challenges you will face. Home recovery is relatively safe for addicts with mild drug use. If you choose this option, here are a few things you need to know.
There are many challenges to detoxing at home. The silver lining is that you can make some modifications to cope with most of them. If you are recovering from addiction at home, here are the changes you need to make.
You can start using drugs again if they are within reach. Throwing it away will make it harder for you to get it. It will take longer to find them, giving you a chance to rethink your decision to continue using drugs. Keeping drugs out of reach will help you stay clean. It will also remove a trigger that may cause a relapse.
Some addicts maintain busy schedules. It is difficult for them to spare their time for recovery from addiction. However, taking time off from your activities is ideal for a successful recovery. You will return to these tasks after a few days or a week when you finish the problematic parts of detoxification. Taking a break is appropriate because you may experience withdrawal symptoms that affect your productivity and interactions with others.
Recovering from addiction has difficulties. You will cope with these challenges better with support from people close to you than without them. They get help if you experience severe symptoms and perform small chores you cannot or struggle to do.
Drugs change how your body works. They may alter how your body organs function, putting you at risk of developing illnesses. You may have struggled to consume all the nutrients your body needs while depending on drugs. Consuming a balanced meal helps your body return to its normal functioning. This change gives you the strength to cope with detoxification.
Relapse is a severe problem for recovering addicts. Triggers such as peer pressure, stress, and depression can make you fall back to drugs. Identify these urges and deal with them. For example, you can avoid friends that encourage you to use drugs. You may also engage in activities like exercises to take your mind off things that trouble you.
Recovering from addiction at home can have some complications. You should be ready if such happens. Making your emergency contacts accessible helps you cope with these difficulties. You should have emergency numbers, such as 911 and that of your doctor.
People with similar challenges can help your recovery. Sharing experiences gives you insights for coping with difficulties and inspires you to complete your detoxification process.
You can detox at home without medications. Natural detox involves stopping the use of drugs without taking medicines to help you detox. While it is difficult, you must research before trying this method of recovery from a substance use disorder.
It would help if you also consumed a balanced diet, exercised, and had the support of those close to you to succeed.
People who detox at home naturally can try these techniques.
Cold Turkey makes you susceptible to withdrawal symptoms, especially when quitting the use of opiates, alcohol, or benzodiazepines. This alternative is not advisable for people with severe addiction. Some addicts prefer to recover using this method because it involves stopping the use of drugs at once. They find it hard to use the drug with many restrictions.
This option is safer since it lets you slowly stop your drug usage. It helps you avoid the withdrawal effects people experience when they quit using drugs at once. This scenario involves gradually reducing the dose of substances you take. Your body adjusts better as you deprive it of the narcotics it has become dependent on.
You can taper in the following three ways
You should be ready for some expected withdrawal symptoms before detoxification. However, some unforeseen dangers may arise. The common risks that you will face when you detox without supervision include:
You can have a relapse. Staying sober is difficult. Once the drug is out of your system, you will struggle not to use it again. This scenario often happens when you do not identify your trigger for drug abuse. You are likely to struggle to identify what triggers you to drink. If you identify them, coping with the craving will be difficult. These challenges make it easy for you to relapse if you detox without professional supervision.
You can have an overdose. Once you relapse, you will likely consume more drugs than you typically would. This is because your body might not break down the drug like it has been doing. This occurrence makes you take more substances as you have not felt their effect, which causes an overdose.
You face drug-specific risks. Drugs have different withdrawal symptoms. If you detox at home, you can miss preparing for a fatal effect. This lack of preparation can make you helpless when you have the symptoms. You will not know the medications you need to ease them. Some of them, such as irritability and hallucinations, can make you harm yourself or those around you.
Some people have detoxed at home without complications. However, their success has no bearing on your fate. Your case can be different. You may experience severe withdrawal symptoms that cause permanent physical or mental disorders. Your preparation is likely not to have accounted for intense withdrawal symptoms. A relapse can cause an overdose or death.
Detoxing at home can be dangerous for people who have other medical conditions. Issues such as anxiety or pre-existing heart conditions can intensify withdrawal symptoms. In addition, your health, age, and the number of withdrawal episodes you have had can influence the severity of your withdrawal symptoms. Detox safely with the help of experts from Ascendant New York Drug and Alcohol Detox to avoid your detoxification being detrimental to your health.
Each detoxification is different. People experience withdrawal symptoms to varying extents depending on various factors. For example, a BMC Psychiatry study shows that addicts react differently to quitting using benzodiazepine. In addition, the psychological effects of withdrawal from benzodiazepines and alcohol may persist after physical symptoms disappear.
The severity of the effects depends on the dose of substances consumed, age, physical health, and duration of abuse. Large amounts of drugs taken over a long period often mean more severe withdrawal effects. However, this information is not adequate to know all the withdrawal symptoms you may have and their severity.
A relapse is a risk that faces recovering addicts. However, it is widespread among addicts who try to quit drugs at home. These fallbacks worsen with each that happens. You are likely to relapse because you have not identified your triggers or you do not know how to deal with them. Going back to using drugs is dangerous because it may cause an overdose or death.
A study that examined the relapse rate for alcohol had the following results.
After three years:
After 16 years:
Based on these results, people who sought help coped better with the urge to use the substances they were quitting. Specialists prepared them for the difficult life of staying sober.
Home detox is not the only option you have to recover from addiction. These alternatives may be the right fit for you.
Inpatient Treatment
Inpatient or residential treatment involves checking in at the detox facility for the detox. You receive 24/7 care from licensed specialists. After a careful assessment, a specialist develops a treatment plan that works for you and monitors you to ensure you overcome the addiction. The specialists also counsel you and your family and prepare you for life after you leave the facility. Your admission lasts a few days, weeks, or months. This treatment is the right option for addicts with severe dependence on substances.
Outpatient Treatment
This alternative comprises regular visits to the facility for treatment. The specialist schedules these visits well to facilitate your recovery. It allows you to continue with most of your activities and is safe. Outpatient treatment is appropriate for addicts struggling with mild addiction.
Contact 911 when you feel you may require emergency care.
For example, call if:
If You Are Looking After Someone Who Is Detoxing, Call If:
Seek Immediate Medical Care If:
Specialists can help you cope with the various risks that you face when you detox on your own. They guide you on what to expect, withdrawal symptoms, and dealing with the risk of relapse.
Ascendant New York Drug and Alcohol Detox provides a conducive environment for detox. In addition to this, Ascendant has a team of professionals to help you identify your triggers and effective ways to deal with them.
Detoxing from hard substances like alcohol and benzodiazepine can have severe effects. Professionals help you deal with them. You can receive therapy through the residential treatment program or the outpatient treatment option, among many other treatment options. Specialists advise you on changes you need to make to avoid a relapse. They also guide you on effective ways to resist the urge to use drugs.
Detoxing at home can be dangerous. While others have done it, your case can be different. You may experience severe withdrawal symptoms, harm your family, or have permanent disorders. Your likelihood of relapsing is also high.
Consider alternatives such as residential or outpatient treatment before settling on home detox. If you must detox at home, seek guidance from addiction specialists at Ascendant New York Drug and Alcohol Detox. They will guide you on what to expect, changes to make, and how to deal with the challenges you may face.
If you determine that medical detox is the safest option, Ascendant’s drug and alcohol addiction treatment in New York can offer you a comfortable environment to withdraw from drugs or alcohol.
Reach out to Ascendant New York Drug and Alcohol Detox today for a medically safe detox and substance abuse rehabilitation.
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Amanda is a prolific medical content writer specializing in eating disorders and addiction treatment. She graduated Magnum Cum Laude from Purdue University with a B.S. in Social Work. As a person in recovery from disordered eating, she is passionate about seeing people heal and transform. She writes for popular treatment centers such as Infinite Recovery, Ocean Recovery, The Heights Treatment, Epiphany Wellness, New Waters Recovery, Gallus Detox, Recovery Unplugged, Absolute Awakenings, Achieve Wellness, Refresh Recovery and adolescent mental health treatment center BasePoint Academy. In her spare time she loves learning about health, nutrition, meditation, spiritual practices, and enjoys being the a mother of a beautiful daughter.
Last medically reviewed August 31, 2022
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