When it comes to alcohol and substance abuse, maintaining a proper treatment process is ideal in ensuring that patients can stick to their addiction treatment program
A supervised detox process ensures that the physician is present during the detoxification process and able to monitor the patient’s progress throughout the procedure. The success of the detox plan is hugely dependant on the medications that individuals are given. Medical and supervised detox is given to individuals who are both affected by the substance psychologically or physically.
A supervised medical detox will greatly help an individual secure their chances of a future without addiction. Licensed physicians or medical professionals are always present during this procedure.
However, who qualifies for medical detox?
Individuals who qualify for a medical detox are those who physically struggle with substance and alcohol addiction, and use them infrequently and in large amounts. These individuals are also those who have built up a tolerance of the drug due to constant drug use. As a result, they tend to consume higher amounts instead of lowering their intake.
Patients who crave substances can also benefit from supervised detox as it helps lessen the constant urges of using. Patients who are active addicts and are constantly using the substances will benefit from this therapy.
After the detox process, patients are carefully evaluated and moved to either inpatient or outpatient rehabilitation centers. Severe cases of addiction often require inpatient service to closely monitor progress and prevent possible relapse.
The process of supervised detox
Upon arrival to the detox center, the patient will undergo a consultation process which ensures the patient can communicate to the physician or counsellors their background history. This includes basic information such as age, duration of addiction, type of addiction, and any underlying medical conditions.
This information helps the facilitators to formulate a suitable treatment plan according to individual body type. This first step can be nerve-wracking, therefore finding the right detox center that ensures the patient is comfortable is vital.
A thorough medical check-up is later done to assess the health status of the patient. This enables the physicians to check whether there are any possible conditions or deficiencies that should be addressed first before placing the patient in the detox program. A comprehensive evaluation will ensure the patient will be able to be incorporated into the detox program.
During the detox process, the patient’s health is supervised to ensure that the withdrawal symptoms are handled. A supervised detox will ensure that the proper medications are administered t the patient that will aid in the detox process.
Opioids require medication that will help ease cravings and reduce discomfort. The medication is slowly weaned off the body after being introduced after three to ten days. This is usually slowly replaced with fluids and supplements to help with the treatment process. Some painkillers are also administered to the patient.
Although supervised detox aims in reducing withdrawal effects, there are still some minor side effects that the patient might face. For instance, mood changes are a common sign during and after the detox process. The patient might experience anxiety or agitation which may lead to depressed feelings and thoughts. This is normal as substance abuse leaves individuals in a constant state of euphoria as they seek escapism.
There are also body changes that affect the senses and cause flu-like symptoms, constant headaches, or tremors. The intensity of drugs and substances alters the body processes, therefore, making the body reliant on them to stop basic ailments such as these.
Benefits of a medically supervised detox
A supervised detox mitigates withdrawal symptoms and ensures that the patient can handle the detox process successfully. This makes them have a comfortable experience that is devoid of pain.
The patient is also less likely to have another detox again after the process. This is because the body will be free of internalized drugs thus enabling the patient to live a healthy and drug-free life. The patient is also most likely to complete the treatment process.
Supervised detox is extremely life-saving. The influence of alcohol and drugs in the system is detrimental and aims to affect the neurological system changing the body system. Frequent and active use is quelled through medically supervised detox. Detox without supervised care can sometimes be fatal and pose serious damages to the body.
Trained physicians advise addicts to avoid stopping cold turkey, as this can lead to shutting down of body systems due to not being able to the presence of excess and severe toxins. This further escalates the body into stopping vital requirements.
What to look out for when seeking out supervised care
There are several factors to look out for when looking for professionally supervised care services:
- Licensing and registration
The trained physicians or medical staff should be fully licensed to handle the detoxification process, and be registered with the local Medicine Board. This is vital in ensuring the patient receives top-notch professional care and services.
- Communication skills
The detox process can be challenging to addicts, and make them think twice before embarking on the journey. Therefore, the medical staff should be able to engage the patient through proper communication skills, through encouraging and explaining to them all the benefits of the process, and why it is a good fit for them. Constant reassurance will make the patient feel that they aren’t alone, and make them want to get better both for themselves and society.
- Individual and group therapy
Therapy is the first step in the detoxification process. Therefore making sure the center has credible therapists who take into account all the questions and concerns of the patient are vital. As most addicts aren’t able to decipher that they should undergo the detox process, the therapist should be able to show them the quality of life that awaits them after getting clean. The patient should be able to make the decision based on how much they want to make the change in their lives, to prevent possible relapse in the future.
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