Drug Detox

Drug detoxification, often referred to as drug detox, is the process by which the body rids itself of the toxins accumulated from drug use. At best uncomfortable and often painful, withdrawal symptoms accompany detox. Many withdrawal symptoms can be treated with prescription medications, and untreated withdrawal can even be medically dangerous in some cases. Detox is the first step in the recovery process from drug abuse. For the best chances of long-term recovery, detox should be accompanied by medical assessment and referral to an appropriate program for subsequent treatment. Relapse is highly probable unless the accompanying aspects of addiction are treated, such as behavior issues, family dysfunction, and physical health problems.

Factors Affecting the Severity of Withdrawal Symptoms

The process of detox is different for different individuals. A number of factors influence the severity of withdrawal symptoms. The type of substance abused, frequency and duration of use, and the dose habitually administered influence the severity of the symptoms. The physical and mental health of the user is also an important factor. Many users have what is called a dual diagnosis, that is, the presence of an accompanying mental health disorder and a drug abuse disorder at the same time.

Alcohol Detox

Symptoms of alcohol withdrawal can include restlessness, nausea, vomiting, sweating, dry mouth, anxiety, and paranoia. Severe symptoms may be experienced in some cases, such as seizures, hand and body tremors, and hallucinations. Medications may be used to treat symptoms in some cases.

Cocaine Detox

Recovering cocaine addicts are likely to experience symptoms including fever, vomiting, constipation, bodily aches and headaches. When recovering from long-term cocaine addiction, however, the symptoms can be worse. Hallucinations, seizures, self-mutilation, brain damage and even death can occur. Recovering addicts may also experience an emotional crash after several days of abstinence, which often includes depression, insomnia, anxiety, and cravings for cocaine. Antidepressants, tranquilizers, benzodiazepines, and other medications may be used to control some of these symptoms.

Heroin Detox

More people drop out of heroin detoxification than any other drug detoxification process. The opiate molecules of heroin themselves act like natural endorphins, controlling the body's experience of pleasure and pain. In turn, natural dopamine is not present, and without heroin, the body is unable to tolerate pain. Individuals in heroin detox may experience bodily pain, especially in the legs and back, nausea, vomiting, insomnia, sweating, diarrhea, muscle spasms, and extreme anxiety. Detox from heroin and other opiates is often assisted by the use of medications such as opiate blockers, and in some extreme cases, individuals undergo rapid medical detoxification under general anesthesia. Though riskier, rapid detoxification eliminates toxins in as little as 8 hours, when detoxification under normal circumstances takes a minimum of a week.