Drug Detox

If you have developed a dependence on drugs or an addiction to drugs, the prospect of stopping can be very daunting. With certain drugs, a physical dependence can occur if you have been taking them frequently and for an extended period of time.

Other drugs can cause psychological dependence, and this can make them even harder to stop. You may well worry about how you will cope without drugs and how you will manage the withdrawal symptoms – These concerns, while very common, can lead you to delay seeking life-saving drug addiction treatment and help.

Perhaps you are always thinking to yourself “Today is the day I stop taking drugs”, only to find yourself using them an hour later and promising yourself you will try again tomorrow.

We at Detox Plus understand the physical and mental battle a person suffers when they try to stop a drug they are addicted to. We can help you to manage drug withdrawal symptoms with the assistance of a medical drug detox, and by undergoing a bespoke addiction treatment programme, you will have the recovery tools that will enable you to stay drug-free.

 

What Is A Drug Detox?

A drug detox is a process by which the body becomes free of drugs. There are various ways of achieving this, but depending on the drug you are addicted to it may or may not be safe for you to quit drugs on your own. Even if it is safe to stop drugs on your own without help, you may find it mentally and physically too much to bear.

Many individuals who are drug dependent set themselves up for failure by not seeking appropriate help and treatment before attempting detox. This can lead you to end up feeling hopeless and taking more drugs than ever before.

The good news is that a drug detox is not something you have to do alone. There is professional help available to ensure that you succeed in coming off drugs and making the process as painless and as comfortable as possible.

 

Which Drugs Require A Drug Detox?

If you are addicted to a drug, you may be wondering if it is safe to stop without professional help. There are certain drugs, that once physically dependent, it is not safe to stop alone.

Some drugs cause a psychological dependence these are also not safe to stop without help. The following drugs benefit from the clinical safety of a medical drug detox where there is a dependence present :

Common Illegal drugs that cause dependence

• Heroin
• Opiates
• Valium analogues
• Fake prescription pills
• GHB
• GBL
• Ketamine
• Cocaine
• Crack cocaine
• Skunk
• Crystal Meth
• Cannabis

Common prescription pills that cause dependence 

• Co-Codamol
• Codeine
• Benzodiazepines: Diazepam, Lorazepam, Nitrazepam, Clonazepam etc
• Barbiturates
• Sleeping pills: Zopiclone, Zolpidem
• Opiate painkillers: Morphine, Methadone, Fentanyl, Oxycodone, Oxycontin, Hydrocodone, Subutex, Dihydrocodeine, Tramadol etc
• Pregabalin
• Gabapentin
• Psychiatric drugs
• Anti-anxiety medications
• Ritalin
• Adderall

Common legal drugs that cause dependence 

• Alcohol
• Many over the counter medicines if abused

 

Types of Drug Detox Available

If you want help to stop taking drugs but don’t know how you may be considering a drug detox to help you. There are various methods of detoxing from drugs, and it is worth seeking advice from a professional as to which drug detox is best for you and will likely work in the long term.

It is worth remembering that some drugs should never be stopped suddenly where there is a dependence, this can cause dangerous withdrawal symptoms that if not treated medically can become life-threatening very quickly.

Detox Plus is here to help and advise you in any way that we can. Following a telephone assessment of your drug taking and history, we can recommend a detox plan that is safe, and that will work for you as an individual.

Please call and speak to one of our expert drug treatment advisors

Full Medical Drug Detox – What is a medical drug detox?

A full medical drug detox is a detox whereby approved medication is administered to minimise or stop drug withdrawal symptoms. The medication replaces the drug or drugs completely following a comprehensive medical assessment by a qualified doctor or psychiatrist experienced in prescribing drug detoxes.

The patient is then continually monitored by qualified nurses and/or a doctor within a residential detox clinic, or rehab setting while the medication is gradually reduced and stopped. Withdrawal symptoms are reviewed regularly, and medication is adjusted where there is a need. Clinically this is proven to be the safest way to detox from drugs.

Medically Assisted Drug Detox – What is a medically assisted drug detox?

A medically assisted drug detox is similar to a full drug detox in that an approved medication is used to replace the drug and is prescribed by a doctor. The main difference being is that an assisted drug detox is not fully controlled and continually monitored.  

Quasi-residential drug rehabs often offer medically assisted detoxification with lower levels of support than a fully residential rehab or detox clinic. Medically assisted drug detoxes are often successful if the individual is motivated to stop the drugs they are addicted to. Providing the patient completely adheres to the detox regime; this type of detox is safe.

Quitting Drugs Cold Turkey – What is cold turkey?

Quitting drugs cold turkey where there is a drug dependence is extremely dangerous. Cold turkey is the name given when an individual abruptly stops taking drugs and tries to endure the withdrawal symptoms unassisted by medication or support. Needless to say, this is usually very dangerous and often unsuccessful.

Gradual Drug Withdrawal Detox – What is a gradual drug withdrawal detox?

A gradual drug withdrawal detox is where the patient tries to reduce the drugs they are taking over some time in order to lessen the severity of the withdrawal symptoms. This should only be attempted with the assistance of a doctor who can plan and prescribe a drug withdrawal regime. It is a detox method often used in the community for prescription drug addiction.

The success of the detox depends on how motivated the patient is and the levels of support that they have to help them through the withdrawal period. Attempting to gradually withdraw from a drug alone can often backfire if you attempt to do it too quickly or are unable to control the amount of drugs you take.

What is pharmaceutical drug detox?

Pharmaceutical drug detox is any detox that involves a pharmaceutical medication to ease or counteract drug withdrawal symptoms. This can be conducted in the community or within a drug rehab. Certain medications are medically approved by the Department of Health to be used for the purpose of drug or alcohol detoxes.

For example – Diazepam and Chlordiazepoxide are medications approved to be used in alcohol detoxification. Subutex and Methadone are drugs approved to be used in heroin detoxification.

Ideally, a pharmaceutical detox should be conducted within a professional detox clinic to ensure that the detox is completed safely and correctly.

What is a home drug detox?

A home drug detox is a detox administered by a doctor or nurse prescriber while you stay in the comfort of your own home.

This may sound appealing, but home drug detoxes do have their drawbacks. For a start, you will have to arrange for someone to stay with you for the duration of the home detox as it is unsafe to carry out alone. Also, there will be the temptation to use alcohol or drugs as you will not be in the protected environment of drug rehab or drug detox clinic.

A home drug detox only works for highly motivated individuals who have a very good support network they can rely on 24/7

Detox Plus recommends full medical detoxification and medically assisted drug detox within the safety of one of our CQC registered detox clinics as the safest method of detoxing of stopping drugs.