When a person develops an addiction to drugs or alcohol, their body begins to conform to their dependency. The chemical makeup of their brain may change as a result of long-term substance abuse, making it difficult to quit using. When addicts do attempt to quit drugs or alcohol immediately, often on their own, they will likely struggle to cope with withdrawal symptoms and swiftly return to their habit. The physical dependence that occurs in the brain and body is what makes it so difficult to get sober. That’s where a detox treatment can help. Clearbrook Treatment Centers offers Massachusetts detox for drugs and alcohol abuse that provides patients the support and the care that they need to safely wean off of their substance of choice and regain their health after addiction.
What Happens When You Detox?
Medical detoxification is a process in which the body is slowly and safely weaned off of the substances it’s become dependent on. Physical dependence occurs as a result of long-term drug or alcohol abuse. After a while, the body becomes dependent on these substances to function normally, and the individual will exhibit symptoms referred to as withdrawals.
Withdrawal symptoms are notorious for being uncomfortable, painful, and sometimes fatal, so much so that many addicts return to using or drinking when they try to quit cold turkey. Cold turkey or at-home detox attempts can be dangerous, as the individual may experience a complication and struggle to receive medical support in time. This is where medical detox comes in.
As the name suggests, a medically monitored detox is led by medical personnel who are trained to safely treat withdrawal symptoms and act swiftly in case of emergencies. Medical detox treatment is usually the first step for patients participating in a residential treatment program or other substance-specific treatments and is completed in three steps: stabilization, detoxification, and monitoring.
Stabilization and detoxification usually go hand-in-hand. The goal of these two steps is to help patients begin the weaning process and slowly regain their stability after long-term drug or alcohol use. Our Massachusetts detox may wean patients off these substances by placing them on a tapering schedule – which slowly reduces their doses – and also placing them on a safe detox medication (as needed). These combined efforts work together to help the individual feel as comfortable as possible during this process while keeping them safe from any severe symptoms.
When detox is attempted at home without medical assistance, the individual is at risk of complications related to withdrawal symptoms. At our Massachusetts detox center, our staff monitors withdrawal symptoms round-the-clock and offers constant supervision to ensure the safety and health of patients throughout their stay with us. Our medical personnel can also prescribe detox medications that are essential to the recovery process during a medically monitored detox.
Common Withdrawal Symptoms of Drug Addiction
Without proper assistance, a drug or alcohol detox can be extremely dangerous, even life-threatening. The physical symptoms of detoxification are often uncomfortable and painful, particularly in cases when the individual is detoxing from alcohol, benzodiazepines, opioids, or other kinds of prescription drugs. However, each person is different and may therefore experience different symptoms during their medical detox for addiction treatment.
Usually, the primary factor that contributes to any differences in the severity or longevity of symptoms is the person’s substance of choice. The duration of the person’s addiction, the doses they’d take, and whether they used multiple substances may also affect the intensity of withdrawal symptoms.
Below are some of the most generally common withdrawal symptoms that patients experience during drug and alcohol medical detox:
- Depression
- Irritability
- Excessive sweating
- Anxiety
- Paranoia
- Hallucinations
- Insomnia
- Addiction cravings
- Fatigue
- Aggression
- Mood swings
- Inability to focus
- Suicidal thoughts
- Body aches
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Nausea
- Body chills
Because medically assisted detox varies depending on the substance the individual is addicted to, we offer a variety of substance-specific detox programs. These detox treatments can help patients smoothly transition to one of our Massachusetts drug rehab programs.
Clearbrook’s MA Detox Facility
Some benefits of our detox in Massachusetts include round-the-clock support, accountability, and decreased risk of relapse. Not only does this program offer clients a safe and comfortable space to detox, but it’s also necessary to reach the next phase of recovery and achieve lasting sobriety.
Before detoxification, every patient will undergo a full health assessment with one of our team members. This assessment focuses on the severity of the person’s addiction and their current health condition to determine the best course of action. Our specialists may also ask about the person’s medical history, whether they’ve had any previous attempts at detox or tried to quit, and more.
We don’t take addiction treatment lightly, so we want to cover every detail of the person’s substance use disorder to ensure we create the best possible treatment plan for them. Our medically monitored detox is led by our trained and licensed staff of medical personnel, which includes doctors, nurses, and more.
While undergoing care in our detoxes in Massachusetts, patients will receive round-the-clock care to ensure their safety and health at all times. Complications such as dehydration and suicidal thoughts can be life-threatening, so we make sure to stay close to patients and offer them all the support they require. Patients who come to our Massachusetts detox center with additional health conditions that may or may not be a byproduct of their addiction will also be referred to another medical professional if necessary.
Finding Medical Detox Near Me
A medically assisted detox is only the first step in the recovery journey. While the physical dependency may be addressed with detox, the mental and emotional aspects of addiction still require attention for a full recovery. After detox, patients usually transition into our Massachusetts inpatient drug rehab program. During this phase of their treatment plan, clients will live on-site and attend weekly sessions with our counselors, participate in individual and group therapy gatherings, and more.
Our Massachusetts detox center is only one of several medical drug detox centers in the Clearbrook family. We pride ourselves on offering efficient and safe care to each of our patients. Our goal is not only to maintain the health and safety of patients during their stay with us but to also give them the tools they need to sustain long-term sobriety.
For more information about the detoxification process, our addiction treatment services, or the mental health care we offer, contact Clearbrook Treatment Centers today.
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