Some people addicted to opiate type drugs may want to quit at some point in their life. They start realizing that these drugs may be causing them more harm than good. For them to get clean the first step is detox -and for whatever reason- they may want to do it at home. But, is opiate detox at home safe? While some may argue that withdrawing from opiate use is not life threatening, the symptoms of withdrawal can be quite painful and uncomfortable to deal with.
At home detox from opiates has high risk of failing. Those that attempt to do it alone cannot handle the discomfort associated with withdrawal, and end up taking more opiates just to avoid the painful symptoms. This can create a never ending cycle of continuously trying to quit with no help, only to end up using more of the drug. Keeping along in this manner can bring about unwanted health complications. Addiction not only affects you physically, but it can also cause serious emotional problems.
Withdrawal is quite uncomfortable and detox from drugs is not the same as detoxing at home from other less harmful toxins. Detox under medical supervision is often the safest and most recommend way to rid the body from the toxins of opiates.
According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, detoxification is a set of interventions aimed at managing acute intoxication and withdrawal. Supervised detoxification may prevent potentially life-threatening complications that might appear if the patient was left untreated.
What Withdrawal Symptoms Can a Person Experience While Trying to Detox?
Trying to go cold turkey by detoxing from opiates at home is not just dangerous, but in can put your life at risk. Opiates –such as heroin- is one of the most difficult drugs to overcome an addiction to. Addiction can affect a user both physically and psychologically in very negative ways. Withdrawal symptoms may not only be painful, but they can cause uncontrollable behavior. This can put your life at risk, or those around you in danger. Some of the withdrawal symptoms a user may experience include:
Strong drug cravings are particularly worrisome when detoxing from opiates at home.
- Involuntary leg and muscle movements
- Impaired judgment
- Extreme opiate cravings
- Cold sweats
- Chills
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Abdominal pain
- Join pain
- Restlessness
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Aggressive behavior
- Weakness
- Irritability
- Mood swings
- Flu-like symptoms; fever, cold, and runny nose
- Loss of appetite
At home opiate detox is risky, period. Opiates are highly addictive drugs, and the more a person has used, and the longer the time using them, the more difficult withdrawal will be. Detoxing without medical assistance is unsafe. Some users have experienced such extreme depression trying to quit, they also had suicidal thoughts. In some cases, seizures from withdrawal can occur. Medically supervised detox is the best choice, and can help you avoid relapse in the long run.
Benefits of Medically Supervised Opiate Detox
Licensed medical doctors that supervise the detox process are skilled at managing the painful symptoms of withdrawal, often eliminating them with the use of FDA approved medication. Medication-assisted detox can also significantly reduce the cravings many users feel during detox. This is important, since many users that experience cravings end up quickly quitting, and start using opiates again. Benefits of medically supervised opiate detox include:
- Medications to help ease or prevent withdrawal
- Reduce or eliminate cravings
- Physical and psychological needs are addressed
- Plan of continued recovery can be offered
- Trained staff is available throughout the detox process to assure safety
Detoxing at home can be scary. Many that try it fail, and have experienced complications which needed medical attention. With medically supervised detox, you are not alone. You can be assured that medical professionals do all that is possible to maintain your safety and comfort during the process. You also benefit greatly from the various resources they may have available. This can help you stay opiate free, and look forward to a clean drug-free life.
