Detox

Methods of Drug and Alcohol Detox

Alcoholism and substance abuse can be the most daunting dilemmas one will ever face in a lifetime.  There are various methods of drug and alcohol detox available because intervention and treatment is not always a simple process.  Successful treatment also does not guarantee that an addict or alcoholic will not come back to his or her old ways.  A relapse can occur at any given time – even after a long period of abstinence.

Most of the time, repeating the treatment process is inevitable.  Addicts and alcoholics neither have the strength nor the constitution to keep away from drugs or alcohol.  Once they are back with their old habits, the whole process of treatment is back at square one.  Treatment is not a walk in the park, for the person being treated and for the one providing treatment.  It leaves an undesirable aftertaste and is not worth repeating again and again unless necessary.

How does one make sure that an addict or alcoholic keeps away from drugs or alcohol?  What are the methods of drug and alcohol detox that can deter an addict or alcoholic from drugs or alcohol?

The treatment approach must be individualistic. All addicts or alcoholics should have their own specific treatment regimen, a regimen tailored and designed to suit their unique needs. This will increase the efficiency of treatment and decrease the chances of relapse.  The goal of treatment should be to keep an addict or alcoholic away from drugs or alcohol – for good.

The right medication, combined with counseling and therapy, is a must. Addiction is a very complicated and debilitating disease, but it is treatable.  Medication is almost always needed during treatment to alleviate or treat physical disorders caused by the substance abused.  Counseling will also help with the psychological and emotional trauma experienced by the addict or alcoholic.

Treatment must be readily available and accessible. An addict or alcoholic will not wait to undergo treatment in a facility.  Even if an intervention is successful, it is imperative that he or she be put in a rehab facility immediately.  This should be the responsibility of the interventionist; a competent interventionist is familiar with the various treatment facilities in every state, and has good, long-standing relationships with them.

The duration of treatment is as vital as the treatment itself. The treatment of addiction is a laborious, time-consuming process, but it is the road one must take if the goal is to stave off urges and keep away from drugs or alcohol for good.  As a treatment regimen is planned, the duration should be, also.

The needs of an addict or alcoholic may change during the course of treatment. An individualistic approach to treatment will ensure that the specific needs of an addict are addressed, however, these needs will not be constant throughout the treatment process.  Cases and treatment regimens must be reassessed on a regular basis to determine changes and adjust parameters of treatment as necessary.

Monitoring drug use or alcohol intake during treatment should be a priority. This should be obvious and self-explanatory.  The whole point of treatment is to keep an addict or alcoholic sober.  Monitoring should be done to make sure they are sticking to the regimen and staying away from drugs or alcohol.

Treatment may not always be voluntary, but that does not mean it will not be effective. Oftentimes, an addict or alcoholic will not be willing to undergo treatment.  This is the reason interventions are sometimes required before treatment.  This does not mean, however, that an intervention must be successful in order for someone to be accepted in a treatment facility.  Sometimes it is necessary to resort to involuntary treatment if an addict or alcoholic refuses to face the problem.

Addiction Treatment cannot be done overnight; it may even require a number of episodes that go through a span of weeks, even months.  In short, it takes time.  How long will depend on the addict’s or alcoholic’s determination and the efficiency and efficacy of treatment.  The methods of drug and alcohol detox stated above will have little or no effect without the combined effort between the addict and the medical practitioners and healthcare professionals responsible for treatment.