As you might have figured out, no single style of addiction treatment works for everyone. You might be the type of person who responds well to equine therapy (horses), to group work, to wilderness treatment, EMDR, 12-step, Rock to Recovery—each individual needs to work with a team to find the treatment approach that works for their personal orientation. When it comes to detox, getting the drugs and poison out of your system, the options are a fewer. But there is one thing that is universally agreed upon (even by the FDA): a do-it-yourself detox is not only a bad idea, it is dangerous.
Detox Basics
Before deeper psychological recovery and behavioral treatment found in a rehab or an IOP is even an option, the immediate physical addition has to be brought under control. Because an addict’s body has begun to depend on addictive substances, when the drugs are taken away, their body will go through withdrawals. These are typically pretty uncomfortable. They manifest in physical symptoms that range from shivering to seizures (and just about everything in-between). Detox gets you through that process, which typically takes about a week.
At SoCal Detox our program alleviates the withdrawal symptoms with professional care and our specialized program puts you in the right space for long-term healing.
The Do-it-yourself Detox Options
There are quite a few kits in existence that try to sell a person with a substance abuse problem on the possibility of detoxing themselves. Some of these are actually dangerous in and of themselves. In fact, before we go on, we need to be very clear, detoxing on your own is dangerous and potentially life-threatening.
However, people considering doing it themselves often believe a few things that make them think it’s a good idea. They think it will be cheaper. Or they are intimidated by the idea of a detox, so they hope being home with their friends close by and their music, movie, or video game collection to distract them will help them get through it. While some of those things sound like pretty good reasons to try a do-it-yourself detox, there are too many downsides.
The Down Sides
First off, as comfortable as your home is, it is also the place you have been the getting high. You know where your stash is, and your dealer knows how to find you. Your buddy might even show up unannounced with your substance of choice. That kind of temptation at the moment when you are most vulnerable is almost always too much for an addict to handle. As well, home life is pretty good, but it also has its stressors—job, family, school—difficulty with any of these could cause you to give up on the whole process.
Most of all, if you try to detox at home, there is no medical supervision. Even if you try to taper off your substances, you are going to be enduring dangerous and painful withdrawal effects. As well, withdrawal-related emergencies occur on a regular basis. It is one of the ugly realities of drug addiction: getting clean is dangerous. Medical supervision alleviates these dangers and the pain involved.
The Biggest Issue With Do-it-yourself Detox
These are all big issues. But one that affects even more than your immediate safety is this: where is your brain? Recovery is a serious decision about some serious business. This is your life we are talking about. It is your health, your relationships with your family, your spouse, your friends; it is your job and your ability to sustain a livelihood—basically, everything important in life is affected by your decision to get clean. Your brain needs to get around this fact.
Don’t shortchange detox or recovery. There are some things you can skimp on in life, but getting clean is not one of them. You can be unsure and have fears and doubts. But if you are going to find transformation in your life, if you are going to try anything, you owe it to yourself to do it right.
Making the Difference
Do-it-yourself seems to be an attractive option. However, going to an inpatient medical detox makes all the difference. There you will get individualized attention, meds to help you handle the withdrawals, and best of all, professional guidance.
Here at SoCal Detox we are committed to you for every step of the recovery process. Here is some more information on our programs for after you made it through the detox process: Aftercare and Residential Stabilization With SoCal Detox.
What if I am a social drinker? Even if you believe you can detox safely because you don’t have “that bad of a problem,” you might be putting yourself at risk by trying to quit alone. When in doubt, the safest approach is to talk with a professional and get detox help.
If you or your loved one has considered detox of any kind (do-it-yourself detox or medically assisted), please call us today. Our experienced team will be happy to chat with you about all your options: 888-590-0777.
