Detox will tear the guts out of you. It has to. That’s the way rehab works: a wholesale reformulation of a New You. To beat addiction, you’ve got to get Different; you’ve got to change the very substance of who you are…because that Who is an addict, and nothing you do could ever change that.

So yes, detox will tear the guts out of you. And it will hurt. Like hell. And when it’s done, when you’ve been hollowed out and left for dead and then brought back to life by doctors who know exactly what you need…you’ll never be so grateful for anything else in your whole entire life.

Detox programs are widely available for drug addictions today. There
are different programs for different addictions but the main goal of
any detox program is to rid the addict’s body of the addicted substance.
Detoxification is the first step to treating an
addiction. It simply eliminates the drug from the person’s body; it
doesn’t address any of the important parts of addiction such as behavioral
changes, psychological impacts and social issues. Those aspects of
addiction are addressed in drug treatment programs which should be used after
the detox.

Detox programs involve either a medical detoxification and or a
non-medical detoxification of the addict’s body. Medical detox encompasses
a wide variety of detoxification techniques used by medical
professionals. They can include everything from simple observation by
professionals during the natural physical detoxification of the addict’s body to
medical intervention including tranquilizers or other drugs to lessen the
addict’s withdrawal symptoms. Different medical detox programs are used
depending on the type of drug, how severe the addiction is and the
general philosophy of the detox facility.

Non-medical detox means allowing the body to rid itself of drugs
(including alcohol) If no more toxic substances are introduced. This is
sometimes called going cold turkey. Many people try this option for
addictions such as cigarette smoking and other nicotine dependencies.
Non-medical detox can be detrimental to the user in cases of severe
addictions and heavily dependent drugs. Check with a physician before using this
type of detox.

Drug detox can be a painful process, both mentally and physically.
Side effects or withdrawal from heroin, for instance, can include
nausea, dry throat, headaches, hallucinations, fevers, chills, shakes,
paranoia, and a host of other un-pleasantries. Alcohol addicts often go
through what are known as DTs during withdrawal. Heavy opiate users might
have to be brought down with specific detoxification medicines. In
certain cases, going cold turkey can actually create major health hazards
which will require hospitalization. Detox is best done under the
supervision of a medical staff trained in drug treatment and specializing in detoxification.

Some things to consider when choosing a medical detox
program include the number of medically trained staff on site versus the
number of patients, the philosophy of the detox program’s facility, what
post-detox treatments are available (if any), how the actual physical
detoxification process will take place (for example, will there be a nurse
available at all hours?), and what the facility specializes in.

With knowledge and courage, the right detox program can be found to
help any addict begin the process of drug addiction recovery.