It also sometimes encourages residents to depend on staff rather than developing the tools to stay sober on their own. Participating in support groups for people with substance use disorders can also provide great opportunities for meeting new people and sharing with others who have had similar experiences. This may seem like the easiest and cheapest way to detox, but quitting cold turkey can have serious health risks. Some substances are too strong to stop cold turkey without supportive medication. A 2011 study found that combining an effective detox program with quality outpatient treatments could lead to significantly improved outcomes for some participants. But it may be possible to detox in a hospital without going through the ER.

Preventing drug misuse in children and teenagers

Without some kind of guidance or assistance, many individuals who are addicted to drugs or alcohol are unable to navigate the symptoms of withdrawal. However, the exact timeline varies depending on the intensity of drug or alcohol consumption and the severity of withdrawal symptoms. The single most important piece of guidance we can share is to look for evidence-based, medically supervised drug detox. For that reason, we offer case management support to all clients. This includes help with needs like filing for short-term disability and medical leave, as well as housing and other vital concerns. The objective is to address the practical issues that can get in the way of completing a detox program.

Who Needs Medical Detox?

People who are recovering from an addiction will be at risk for relapse for years and possibly for their whole lives. Research shows that combining addiction treatment medicines with behavioral therapy ensures the best chance of success for most patients. Treatment drug detox approaches tailored to each patient’s drug use patterns and any co-occurring medical, mental, and social problems can lead to continued recovery. Although there’s no cure for drug addiction, treatment options can help you overcome an addiction and stay drug-free.

How Does Medical Detox Address Addiction?

Still, public figures have increasingly scapegoated harm reduction amid the country’s failure to contain its substance use crisis. In recent years, much of the backlash has come to focus on harm reduction, the philosophy and practice of reducing the most acute drug-related harms without expecting abstinence from drug users. Pugh, from Intelligence for Good, says those uploading the posts to multiple platforms may be using automated tools to do so, and they are not manually entering all their details time and time again. “You definitely can see a difference in some of the more sophisticated actors who have clearly used some SEO-manipulation tools,” Pugh says. Some, she says, will use emoji or slang terms to avoid automatic content moderation that platforms put in place. “I use Eventbrite to show people what services I sell,” the person behind one account, going by the username Usa Best Vcc, tells WIRED in a Telegram chat.

Medical Professionals

Without immediate access to a doctor, you may be putting yourself at risk. Medical detox takes place at a detox facility, so you can be closely supervised and monitored by your doctor. No matter the substance, medical detox is the most recommended and widely used treatment for substance use disorder with dependency. Intensive inpatient medical rehabs offer the highest level of care and monitoring. These programs can keep you safe and medically stable while you taper off dangerous drugs. Drug addiction, also called substance use disorder, is a mental health problem.

• Talk with your health care provider or see a mental health provider, such as a doctor who specializes in addiction medicine or addiction psychiatry, or a licensed alcohol and drug counselor.
• An intervention presents a loved one with a structured opportunity to make changes before things get even worse and can motivate someone to seek or accept help.
• Substance withdrawal—a syndrome with physical, behavioral, and cognitive symptoms that happens when a person stops using a substance after regular use—is one reason people struggle with this.
• If more severe symptoms arise, you can be placed in a hospital or another setting that offers a higher level of care.

Cannabis often precedes or is used along with other substances, such as alcohol or illegal drugs, and is often the first drug tried. Inpatient, where you live at a hospital, detox clinic, or rehab center during the process. Despite being aware of these harmful outcomes, many people who use drugs continue to take them, which is the nature of addiction. As a person continues to use drugs, the brain adapts by reducing the ability of cells in the reward circuit to respond to it. This reduces the high that the person feels compared to the high they felt when first taking the drug—an effect known as tolerance.

• The National Institute on Drug Abuse explains that substance use essentially re-trains the brain to seek out those substances.
• The information learned in detox supports personalized treatment that encourages continuing sobriety.
• STAT’s coverage of chronic health issues is supported by a grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies.
• This setting may be appropriate for those with mild to moderate withdrawal symptoms.

MAT involves medications, such as methadone and buprenorphine, to reduce the withdrawal symptoms and cravings from stopping drug use. These drugs bind to the same receptors in the brain as the addictive substance, producing similar effects without causing intoxication. It’s crucial to receive ongoing treatment and address other health issues, especially if you have a co-occurring mental disorder. Detox is preparation for the hard work of recovery and sober living, which starts after completing the detox process.

For that reason, detoxing on your own, without any guidance or supervision, is generally not wise. Identifying success in the realm of addiction treatment may require people to reframe preconceived ideas about what recovery means. Therefore, it’s a good idea to consult with a physician before quitting any drug cold-turkey. It may also be helpful to contact a drug detox center to determine whether or not a medically managed detox program is right for you.