How to Drug Detox at Home

The first part of overcoming a drug addiction is to quit taking drugs and wait for all traces of chemicals to leave your system. This is known as a drug detox and most people complete this process in a dedicated facility where experienced staff are on hand to supervise and monitor their progress. But what if you don’t want to detox in a dedicated facility? If you are thinking about how to perform an addiction detox at home, we discuss this in the following paragraphs.

Before You Get Started

It is important to speak with a doctor or addiction specialist before you begin a drug detox. You should know that as dangerous as it is to abuse some drugs, it can be equally, if not more, dangerous for you to just stop suddenly. Talk with your doctor for advice about what to expect during the process. If it is safe for you to detox at home, you will need to learn how.

Finding out how to drug detox at home is very important in terms of your comfort and safety. You should also have a full medical examination to ensure you are in a fit state to be able to detox at home.

It is important that you are aware that a drug detox should never be completed while you are on your own. You will need to have someone with you at all times as it is just not possible to tell how you are going to react as the drugs you have been abusing for a long time leave your system.

What to Know About Detoxing from Drugs at Home

You can have a friend or family member sit with you during your detox, or someone from your local fellowship support group if you prefer. Remember though that a drug detox typically takes around seven to ten days to complete and during this time you are going to need to have someone with you constantly. This will more than likely mean having more than one person in attendance taking shifts, as your helper will need to be awake, even when you are sleeping. This is to ensure your safety.

Whoever agrees to be your helper during the detox should know that he or she is taking on a huge responsibility and that what they are doing is likely to be arduous at times. You should make sure that your helper has a list of people to contact in the event of an emergency. If possible, you should also have the number of a doctor or addiction nurse who has agreed to be on standby and to make a house call if necessary.

There is a chance that you could become aggressive or violent during the detox, so find some people who are willing to come to the house to restrain you if required. This might be some of your neighbours or other family members; just make sure your helper has their numbers.

If you have any medical conditions, your helpers should be aware of these also and have a list they can give to emergency service personnel if necessary.

How to Be More Comfortable During Your Detox

Detoxing from drugs can be a complicated process, and as the chemicals leave your body, you are likely to experience a range of withdrawal symptoms. You might feel quite uncomfortable as well as become restless and anxious.

It might be an idea to ensure that you have set up a calm environment before detox begins. To help you feel more relaxed during the detox, you should make sure that while the lights are on, they are not too bright. In addition, try to keep loud noises to a minimum; play soft music, or if you want to watch TV, keep the volume down.

Do things during your detox that will help to distract you from what is happening. You may want to listen to music, watch a movie, or simply try to nap. Do whatever it is that keeps your mind off the symptoms you are experiencing. If you want to talk to your helper about your feelings, feel free to do so.

Should You Detox at Home?

Just because you might know how to drug detox at home does not necessarily mean that you should. Moreover, although you might like the idea of being in your own home, it is important to fully understand the process and that your doctor has agreed that it is safe for you to do so.

Never forget that detoxing from drugs can be dangerous. There are certain situations and conditions that would make it even more dangerous for you to detox at home. For example, if you have already experienced withdrawal symptoms in the past when you have stopped taking drugs for a short period of time, it is likely that you are going to experience them again during your detox.

The presence of these withdrawal symptoms means that you are physically addicted to drugs and that your detox is probably going to be complicated. If you have experienced any severe symptoms such as intense tremors, nervousness, or hallucinations, we recommend that you do not detox at home.

Underlying health issues are another reason not to detox at home. Both mental and physical health conditions can contribute to how your detox progresses. If you have health problems such as chronic depression, anxiety disorder, lung problems, liver disease, or diabetes, you should seriously consider detoxing in a supervised facility.

How you react during the detox can have a massive implication on your safety and the safety of those around you. However, it is not possible to predict how you are going to react until the detox is in progress. Having said that, if you have previously become aggressive or violent while under the influence of drugs or when in need of them, you are likely to do so again during a detox. In this situation, it is best to detox under the supervision of experienced staff at a dedicated detox facility.

Another issue to consider is whether you have ever suffered with convulsions or seizures. Fits can be a frequent problem during detox and if you have experienced them in the past, you are more likely to see them occur again during a detox. In a dedicated facility severe withdrawal symptoms such as seizures and convulsions can usually be prevented with appropriate medication administered by a qualified medical professional.

What to Expect During a Drug Detox

How your detox goes will all depend on several factors. The type of drug you have been abusing and how long you have been abusing it for will play a role. Your mental and physical health will also have an impact.

During detox, you are likely to experience various withdrawal symptoms as your body attempts to get back to normal. Symptoms range from mild to severe in intensity and can include:

You could experience some of the above or you may experience symptoms not on this list. A drug detox is different for everyone. Nevertheless, in a dedicated detox facility, you will be comfortable and safe throughout. Detox clinics are staffed by individuals who have been fully trained in how to effectively manage a detox from a variety of different chemical substances. They also have experience of the process and know how to react in the event of an emergency.

It is important to think long and hard before you decide where to detox from drugs. Just because you know how to drug detox at home does not mean it is the best place for you. Yes, you might be in familiar surroundings with people that you know and love, but you may be far more comfortable in a facility that is designed to effectively deal with this situation.

For more information on drug detox and what the process is like, please do not hesitate to call us here at Addiction Helper. We have a team of friendly advisors ready to take your call who can provide information and advice on how and where your detox can take place. If you want more information on how to drug detox at home or if you are interested in finding a supervised clinic in your area, we can help. Call today.