Dealing with any type of drug or alcohol addiction can be extremely challenging. Unfortunately, millions of people across the country struggle with addiction daily. When attempting to overcome an addiction, one of the first steps is to ensure there are no illicit drugs or alcohol in your system. Ridding your body of these harmful substances is done through a process called detoxification. In many cases, those battling addiction wonder if it is safe and a good idea to attempt to detox at home. It is important to recognize that this may not be the best option.
You Are Setting Yourself up for Failure
If you are depending on yourself for your entire treatment plan, you may be setting yourself up for failure. If you want your best chance at recovery, you need to take advantage of any other resources you can find that will help you to get better. Simply staying home and hoping you get better will, at best, make you feel alone with your problems. You will have no way to deal with the physical and psychological issues you face as you detox.
Detoxing at Home Can Be Physically Dangerous
Even if there are other people in your home who can watch you, it can be dangerous to try to detox at home. Your body can go through a lot of trauma as you go through withdrawal. There is a significant change that you will be uncomfortable throughout the process. As a result, you may experience physical pain and suffering. Without medical support, you could end up experiencing cardiac arrest, seizures, and/or difficulty breathing. Some people who go through detox without medical assistance suffer permanent injury and even death.
At Genesis Medical Detox, we are equipped to deal with medical emergencies that come about because of detox. Our medical professionals know what to look for and how to make you more comfortable while you go through the detox process.
Detoxing at Home Can Be Psychologically Dangerous
As your body goes through physical changes, your mind is also trying to cope with the changes. If you are alone, you will feel even more alone as you go through detox by yourself. If you already have a mental health issue, it will likely be exacerbated as your body detoxes.
Most people going through detox report feelings of anxiety or depression. Those feelings can lead people to use drugs and alcohol again just to feel better.
You Are More in Danger of Relapsing if You Do Not Have Support
Detox can be an overwhelming process. You may experience discomfort, cravings, pain, loneliness, and other feelings that make you want to find immediate relief. This can make your medical situation even more dangerous. If your body is already going through trauma because you are withdrawing, adding drugs and alcohol to the mix could just cause more harm. Unfortunately, many individuals who attempt to detox on their own end up relapsing quickly to avoid the symptoms associated with withdrawal. Having our team medically supervise your detox can help to ensure you do not return to substances in order to alleviate your symptoms.
Some Examples of Withdrawal Side Effects
Some drugs are more dangerous than others when it comes to withdrawal. However, even drugs that may seem relatively safer can cause serious side effects physically and psychologically.
Withdrawal From Alcohol
Alcohol can be one of the most dangerous substances to withdraw from without assistance. Some people have died from alcohol withdrawal. If you are physically tolerant and then stop drinking alcohol all at once, you may experience:
- Rapid heart rate
- High fever
- Intense sweating
If you experience delirium tremens, or “the DTs,” you may hallucinate and suffer seizures or cardiac events. Any of the serious side effects of alcohol withdrawal could be deadly.
Withdrawal From Opioids
This is another substance that can have deadly side effects if you try to go through withdrawal without medical assistance. Some of the side effects include high blood pressure, rapid heartbeat, and vomiting. Some people going through opioid withdrawal become severely dehydrated. If you have medical assistance during withdrawal, your team will treat those side effects as they occur.
Withdrawal From Benzodiazepines
This is another drug that has a high risk of physical dependence. Once your body becomes dependent on a drug, you will suffer physically and psychologically when you stop taking it. One of the most dangerous withdrawal symptoms from benzodiazepines is psychosis, which can cause you to lose touch with reality and make dangerous, irrational decisions. Some people also experience seizures during withdrawal. These symptoms should be treated medically if they occur.
Psychological Withdrawal Symptoms
While physical detox symptoms are dangerous, psychological symptoms can be dangerous, too, if they are severe. Some common psychological symptoms that may occur as drugs and alcohol are leaving your body include:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Irrational thoughts
- Trouble concentrating
- Irritability
- Memory loss
- Confusion
- Hallucinations
- Paranoia
- Depression
Even if you have never experienced these kinds of psychological problems before, it can be overwhelming. If you are trying to detox at home, you might even be dangerous to your family. Experience a memory lapse during detox while at home could result in forgetting to perform simple tasks, like forgetting to turn off the stove, which can lead to big problems later. If you are in charge of children, you may make mistakes caring for or treating them badly because you feel irritated or uneasy.
Let Our Professionals Help
When you try to go through withdrawal on your own, you have to suffer through all these side effects without assistance. The people who love you probably do not understand the scope of what is happening to you, and they will not know how to help. At Genesis Medical Detox, we understand what you are going through when your body starts detoxing from drugs and alcohol. We understand how difficult it can be, and we work hard to make sure that you understand that these feelings will not last forever.
At Genesis Medical Detox, we understand how difficult it can be to take that first step. We are here to support you in your decision so that you can start your new life in recovery. If you have any questions or if you would like to schedule an appointment to speak with us, you can contact our office today by calling 844-895-0537.
