23 Jun When is Detox Needed
Detoxification, or detox, is merely the clearing of drugs and toxins out of a person’s system. If you ever go to a health spa, they also do detoxes to get toxins out of your system, though this is a very light form of detox and really is only a short term solution and does not go on to address the underlying issues about why you drink or take drugs.
Sometimes people can detox on their own, without too much discomfort. But serious addicts, who have been using for years, usually need to go to a drug detox center. In most cases they would go to a subacute detox center, which can be either a residential treatment center with a dedicated detox space, or an actual subacute detox center. In both cases there is more medical supervision than in typical rehab. In cases where acute detox is needed people are usually detoxed in a hospital, as the need for this level of detox suggests there is a medical necessity and a possibility of some danger arising from the process. Severe alcoholics, for example, may require more medical observation since they can lapse into seizure or have a cardiac incident. Otherwise, a standard alcohol detox center or residential detox setting will suffice.
In the case of a drug addiction detox, here again, the length of drug abuse and the quantity, along with the physical condition of the addict, will dictate the type of detox needed. In some cases where meth is the drug of choice and the addiction has been long and severe, there may need to be more medical supervision, especially if the patient is malnourished.
At Lanna, we believe that any detox should be followed up immediately with Inpatient rehab to continue the treatment and really understand why people became addicted to drugs or alcohol (or both) and work on their diet, physical condition and mental health and get them healthy and focused on a life without drugs or alcohol.
At Lanna, we work with world-class hospitals to determine whether clients need hospitalization for the detox process, or they are able manage the detox process with medication. If they do require hospitalization, we manage the entire process with them and make sure they get the very best detox treatment possible in a safe and caring hospital environment.
Some people may want to try a holistic detox center. In a holistic detox the individual is treated for mind, body and spirit. Medication is used only if needed. For example, there may be yoga or meditation to address the physical and spiritual needs of the person. But in most cases some form of medication can greatly reduce the symptoms of detox, like sleeplessness, or anxiety, nausea, etc. Many people going through detox feel sick and doing yoga or meditation just isn’t realistic. It’s best to get through the detox period with the most comfort you can and then you can implement a more holistic approach to the next phases of care, when you’re feeling better.
At Lanna, our clinical staff can answer all your questions about detox and treatment when you call. We do not perform detox on site here, but refer our clients to a detox center near them before coming, or have them detox when they arrive in the hospital here, where they’ll get the appropriate level of attention.
But the key to any detox is to get started and it starts with a phone call. So, call us now, we’re here ready to help.
