Prescription Medication Detox

Many medications prescribed by doctors also have the potential for abuse and addiction. The most commonly prescribed and abused prescription drugs include opiates, benzodiazepines, and stimulants. These medications are used to treat a variety of ailments, including chronic pain, seizures and anxiety, and ADHD, respectively. When taken as prescribed, these medications are safe and effective, but when misused, the risk of dependence increases. To safely recover from drug dependence and withdrawal symptoms, it’s recommended that the individual undergoes prescription medication detox.

What Is Prescription Drug Withdrawal?

Although not all prescription medications come with the risk of dependence and addiction, some of the most commonly prescribed drugs do come with these potential risks. For instance, commonly abused opioids like OxyContin or Roxycontin (oxycodone), Vicodin (hydrocodone), Demerol (meperidine), Roxanol (morphine), and Actiq (fentanyl) are associated with abuse and addiction, so much so that an opioid epidemic has been ongoing since the introduction of OxyContin in the late 1990s.

Benzodiazepines are also addictive, including medications like Valium (diazepam), Xanax (alprazolam), Nembutal (pentobarbital), Klonopin (clonazepam), and Ativan (lorazepam). These drugs are designed to depress the central nervous system, and the intense feeling of relaxation that occurs when high doses are taken is what usually hooks users.

Stimulants are the third most addictive prescription drug class, which includes substances like Ritalin, Concerta, and Methylin (methylphenidate); Adderall or Dexedrine (dextroamphetamine); and Focalin (dexmethylphenidate). These drugs are designed to stimulate nerve activity in the central nervous system, making them especially popular among college students and business professionals who abuse these drugs to enhance their performance at school and work.

Prescription drug withdrawal symptoms occur when a person has developed a dependence on medication. Dependence occurs when an individual needs to take the drug to feel good or “normal” and to avoid experiencing a variety of uncomfortable symptoms. When these individuals cut back on their drug use or attempt to quit cold turkey, they’re likely to experience severe withdrawals, which often drives them back to drug-taking behavior.

Prescription Drug Detox Symptoms

The duration and severity of detox from prescription drugs vary depending on the type of drug, how long the person has been using the drug, and how much of the drug they’d take.

Common withdrawal symptoms of prescription drugs include:

  • Changes in appetite
  • Changes in mood
  • Congestion
  • Delirium
  • Fatigue
  • Hallucinations
  • Irritability
  • Muscle pain
  • Nausea
  • Restlessness
  • Runny nose
  • Seizures
  • Shakiness
  • Sleeping difficulties
  • Sweating
  • Tremors
  • Vomiting

Usually, withdrawals experienced during medical drug detox reflect the symptoms of the ailment the drug was originally taken to treat. For instance, because benzodiazepines are designed to treat seizures and insomnia, it’s common for individuals detoxing from benzos to experience trouble sleeping and seizures during withdrawal. Our Clearbrook rehab in Massachusetts offers a safe and medically led prescription medication detox geared towards making the withdrawal process as painless and comfortable as possible.

How Prescription Medication Detox Works

Medically assisted detox is usually the first step in addiction treatment for patients who are deemed medically unstable in their clinical assessment. Withdrawal symptoms can be both distracting and life-threatening, which is why our Massachusetts rehab focuses on addressing these problems in a medical setting to ensure clients’ safety and completion of treatment.

In our detox programs, patients receive medication-assisted treatment (MAT) as needed to reduce the discomfort and intensity of withdrawals, allowing them to rest and recover as comfortably as possible. We also introduce our clients to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) during detox to help them recover from the psychological challenges of detox, such as coping with cravings. Additionally, clients are placed on a tapering schedule, which slowly decreases drug doses to prevent severe withdrawals or complications from occurring all at once.

Once detox has been completed, patients at our prescription drug rehab can then move forward with our therapy programs and services. To help those in recovery develop a sober lifestyle and learn how to cope with relapse triggers and cravings, we provide individual and group counseling, holistic treatment, and more. These practices are designed to address psychological factors that have contributed to the individual’s drug use to prevent them from relapsing in the future.

Finding Prescription Medication Detox Near Me

The team at our Massachusetts inpatient drug rehab is available 24 hours a day and is ready to provide you or a loved one with the support needed to get sober. Contact Clearbrook Treatment Centers today for more information about our addiction services and how to get started.

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Oxycodone Withdrawal

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