In most cases of addition, especially drug addiction, an individual gets physically dependent on a certain substance. Once an individual gets dependent on a substance, he or she is not able to function well and may feel physical pains when he or she doesn’t take in the drug. The reason is that the drug has already affected the chemical balance in the brain allowing the person’s structure to crave for the certain drug in order to obtain balance. Much worse is that the body later on tolerates the drug that enters the system, thus, resulting to a higher amount requirement the next time the drug is taken to attain the desired result.
From its very description, addiction is the condition of being enslaved to a habit , such narcotics, to such an extent that its discontinuation causes severe trauma. This trauma can differ in intensity from intense cravings to life threatening illness (depending on the drug), making it virtually impossible for an addict to stop without assistance. Because mainly withdrawal symptoms can be relieved immediately upon consumption of the drug that the body is withdrawing from, the desire to use that drug is remarkably high during this time, often resulting in defeat of the recovery before it can even begin.
To treat addiction, it always starts with the recognition of it. The treatment process can then be carried on. Curing addiction means taking away the dependency on the drug. This would indicate that the person had to stop taking the drug. However, slowing down the body of an addict from taking in the drug would lead to withdrawal symptoms. And it is not easy having to deal with these symptoms. The severity of the symptoms depends on the kind of drug the person is addicted to. Detoxification should be done to stop pains of withdrawal symptoms.
The process of detoxification is the cleansing of the toxins in our body. Relating this to, it is the taking away of the drug residues from the body and controlling the symptoms of withdrawal. Detoxification is not the whole treatment process but it is the first step towards recovery. Taking away the toxins that have been controlling the body system of the addict should be done first before any behavioral based theraphy which would treat the underlying factors of addiction.
Drug detoxification is referred to as the stage of withdrawal during which the person’s body eventually returns to balance after long-term use of an addictive substance. The process may vary depending on the kind of addiction.
Detoxification can be for both inpatient and outpatient basis. Inpatient detoxification allows a close monitoring on the patient. Also, the contact to the substance of abuse could be avoided. Meanwhile, outpatient detoxification allows higher social support. In comparison to inpatients, patients in outpatient theraphy retain greater freedom, continue with their day-to-day activities with lesser disruptions. However, with outpatient treatment, there is an higher threat of no improvement because the patient is more likely to be exposed with the substance of abuse.
The process of drug detoxification seeks to decrease the severity of the trauma associated with the body’s withdrawal from dependence on a particular drug by medically alleviating and monitoring the intense physical symptoms associated with stopping drug use. Once the drug is cleared from the system and the pain and discomfort associated with stopping its use have been alleviated, the other factors contributing to the addiction, such as the emotional and psychological issues, can be taken cared of.
Substance dependence is always a serious problem for everybody. More than intensive treatment, self-determination is also a requirement. The healing process is to be deal very hard everyday.
