Archive for December, 2011
Drug Detox Rehab
People suffering from addiction need medical and therapeutic interventions. Though most of the people think they can get off the habit by themselves, drug addiction rehabilitation requires professional help.
The first step in drug rehabilitation comes with detoxification. This is the process of cleaning the body off toxins left by drug abuse. And for most patients, it is the most difficult phase of treatment.
Detoxification causes painful symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and uncontrollable shaking. The body in this phase is craving for the substance and is reacting to its absence.
Detox Rehabilitation
Dealing with addiction needs to be immediate. The abrupt withdrawal from drugs can cause sweats, cramping, and constipation, with extreme cases resulting in possible seizures and delirium. With long-term drug abuse, detoxification can be dangerous without proper medical supervision.
A patient who wants to be rid of his addiction must choose the right detox center and program. For quality services, a center must be able to provide a controlled setting where proper medical intervention can be administered. And it must be capable of crafting programs that will help the patient sustain his recovery even after his release from the facility. The center must also adhere to principles that preserve the dignity of patients under their care. Read the rest of this entry »
Alcohol Detox
Alcohol detox implies the removal of alcohol from the body of an alcoholic. Alcohol detox is brought about by abstinence from alcohol, medication, and altering the diet of the patient. Detox is not possible without support from friends and family and a commitment on the part of the patient.
The liver and kidneys normally carry out detoxification in the body. However in hardened alcoholics, alternative detoxification processes become necessary. There are several general practitioners, nurses, and pharmacists who volunteer in detox centers for alcoholics.
In most cases, detoxification can be done at home. This is when the alcohol consumption is moderate, but in complicated cases that involve symptoms such as hallucinations, severe withdrawal symptoms, and multi-substance misuse, inpatient detoxification becomes necessary. Volunteers even conduct community detox programs, usually in compliance with the Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). Alcoholics attending AA meetings are stressed upon the need to be determined to give up alcohol.
In extreme cases, medication is used to detoxify heavy drinkers. This is also termed pharmacological detoxification. Here, the patients are forewarned that they may suffer anxiety and insomnia for a couple of days. The most common drugs used for alcohol detoxification are benzodiazepines, with Chlordiazepoxide being the most preferred benzodiazepine used. Diazepam is also widely used, but fatal effects may occur if it is mixed with huge doses of alcohol. Hence, supervision is necessary for use of diazepam as a detoxifier. Read the rest of this entry »
About Drug Detox
Selecting a method of drug detox depends on whether an individual wants to avoid a positive test at work or if they wish to be completely clear of additive substances as a step towards a major change in lifestyle. The latter goal could be reasonably described as rehabilitation, or ‘rehab’ for short. Rapid opiate detox was introduced twenty years ago by doctors in Israel and has since been modified by safer medications that have FDA approval.
Rapid Detox
Withdrawal from a medication in the absence of supportive intervention can last for several days. The symptoms can be very unpleasant and painful, to the point that this puts people off going ‘clean’. Rapid detox, which involves placing the patient under anesthesia so they don’t feel the severe pain and other symptoms, is reputed to affect complete clearance in as little as two hours. This is expensive and the safety of this approach remains to be proven. It is also a very extreme way of passing a laboratory test.
Reasons For Testing
There are many reasons why an individual may be asked to submit to a routine lab test. It may be related to a job or be necessary to get a job. Other reasons for testing include competitive sports, as part of a physical examination required for taking out life insurance and people who are on probation or parole. A young person may be asked to test for drugs at school. Obviously, the only foolproof way of being 100 per cent sure to pass a test is to abstain completely. Read the rest of this entry »