What Are The Dangers Of Detoxing Alone

by | Aug 27, 2022

Addiction can be a challenging and isolating struggle, but it is important to remember that you are not alone. If you are seeking addiction treatment in Louisville, Kentucky, there is hope.

Detoxification is undoubtedly one of the most effective ways to overcome an addiction to drugs or alcohol. However, detoxing alone at home is never the answer. 

In fact, detoxifying alone can be very dangerous. Here’s everything you need to know about detoxification and why a medically assisted detox is the far safer solution. 

The detoxification process

A drug or alcohol detox is essentially the process of allowing the body to clear itself of any substances that may be in your body. 

Most abused drugs stay in the body for several days while some can last several weeks. A detox is designed to let them leave your system while also managing any withdrawal symptoms that you may experience. Furthermore, it is a process that is designed to reduce the risks of a relapse.

A medically assisted detox can be arranged with admissions to a professional drug rehab center. However, many people still attempt to go “cold turkey” by detoxing alone. Frankly, it is rarely the best decision.

The dangers of detoxing alone

On the face of it, detoxing alone sounds like a great idea. It won’t cost money and gives you the chance to start right away. Unfortunately, there are many reasons why this is an ill-conceived move. 

Perhaps most importantly, an unsupervised home detox could lead to seizures or severe dehydration as a result of the withdrawal. Furthermore, detoxifying at home will often result in more severe side effects than a medically supervised one. Those symptoms include;

  • Insomnia, 
  • Anxiety,
  • Nausea,
  • Mood swings,
  • Physical pains.

Aside from anything else, the lack of emotional support can increase the risk of relapsing as a response to the withdrawal symptoms. For anyone who is determined to try a home detox, telemedicine is the best choice. In most cases, a medically supervised detox at a rehab center is the right solution.

It should also be noted that detoxing alone can be very harmful to fetuses. So, any pregnant woman looking to stop substance abuse must take this into account.

What does a medically supervised detox provide that detoxing alone does not?

A detox isn’t solely about cleaning your body of substances. It is the first step towards a life of sobriety. By choosing a supervised detox, you will gain access to a range of inpatient and intensive outpatient services that are tailored to your circumstances. This additionally means selecting the right support for detoxing different substances.

Different substances impact the body in different ways but a tailored strategy gives you the best shot at sustained success. It can also extend to strategies aimed at patients who have gained a dual diagnosis. A supervised detox can include several stages:

  • Evaluation to see how much of a substance is in the patient’s body and determine the steps needed.
  • Medication-assisted detoxes allow you to gain the support of medication to manage withdrawal symptoms, with decisions based on your personal history. 
  • Stabilization – this is a process focused on medical and psychological therapy to establish a greater level of balance.

Crucially, the detox can be followed by the necessary treatment plan to prevent future relapses. It is shown that the professional route yields far greater success while simultaneously removing the risk of causing further damage.

Download this article

Our Latest Posts

How Can I Get Checked-In Anonymously To An Addiction Treatment Center?

Seeking help for an addiction can be difficult, but admitting you have an addiction in the first place can be even tougher. Everyone who seeks help for their addiction has to go through the process of admitting they need help, which isn’t always easy to do. While...

What to Know Before Asking for Time Off Work for Addiction Treatment

You can get the addiction treatment you need and still keep your job. In fact, your employer may be very supportive of the process.  After all, if you’re a good employee, they’ll want to hold on to you. That said,...

Intensive Outpatient Drug Treatment In Louisville

When you need support to overcome drug and alcohol addiction but also want to keep living your normal life without lengthy stays in rehab, intensive outpatient drug treatment in Louisville is the answer. By providing the best of both worlds, our team of friendly and...

Outpatient Drug Treatment In Louisville

Although an inpatient residential treatment program will often be the best course of action when it comes to severe substance addiction, this is not going to be necessary for everyone. Those who have a mild substance abuse problem with alcohol or drugs may well...

Maximizing the Benefits of Individualized Treatment for Addiction Recovery

Individualized treatment for addiction recovery is one of the most beneficial and essential methods for achieving long-term sobriety. This approach emphasizes tailoring care to each person’s unique needs, preferences, values, strengths, circumstances and life...

Supporting Healthy Coping Strategies to Address Comorbid Conditions

Living with multiple conditions or illnesses can be both challenging and overwhelming. Comorbidity, the simultaneous presence of two chronic diseases or conditions in an individual, is a growing concern that has seen an increase among those aged 65 and older as well...

Investigating Different Types of Interventions to Support Addiction Recovery

Living with an addiction can be a long, chaotic journey. It’s a struggle that is often compounded by the hardships of everyday life – lack of employment opportunities, financial stressors, family issues, and more. While each person's experience is unique and...

Tackling Co-Occurring Disorders: How to Manage Both Mental Health Issues and Benzodiazepine Dependency

Co-occurring disorders where a mental health issue and substance abuse occur at the same time present a unique and complex challenge. This also goes for benzodiazepine dependency and mental health issues. Benzodiazepines, or benzos, are a group of drugs that slow down...

10 Pros and Cons of Outpatient Program Treatments for Addiction Abuse

There are two main options when it comes to addiction treatment - inpatient or residential programs or outpatient programs. The main difference between the two is that residential treatment involves residing 24/7 at the treatment facility while outpatient programs...

Examining the Role of Medication-Assisted Therapy in Rehabilitation Treatment

The use of medication-assisted therapy (MAT) in addiction rehabilitation has been increasing over the years as a way to manage withdrawal symptoms, reduce cravings, and facilitate treatment success. This approach combines behavioral therapies with medications to help...

Our Video’s

Call Now Button