When you are addicted to any substance, one of the major parts of overcoming that addiction is to go through the addiction detox phase. During this process, you will be able to overcome the actual dependency that makes the addiction so strong. In simple terms, detoxing simply refers to the body being cleared of the drug that it is addicted to – and you might be able to understand why this is such a vital and important part of the whole process.
One of the things to know about addiction detox, however, is that it is also incredibly difficult for most people – which is why so much support is required throughout to ensure that it is done right and to make it as bearable as possible. In truth, detoxification is often both mentally and physically intense. If you are due to start detox and you are wondering whether it will be more mentally or physically intense, the answer is below. It’s important to go into the process with as much information as possible.
The Addiction Treatment Process
To get close to the answer here, it can help to understand a little more about the detox process first and foremost. In truth, this is relatively simple on paper, even though it can be a tricky experience to get through. The process itself is normally separated into three distinct stages: evaluation, stabilization, and treatment planning.
In the evaluation stage, it will be discerned how bad the addiction is and what needs to be done for detoxing purposes. We’ll also look at your general health to check that you can currently go through such a rigorous process. If there is any doubt, then we might need to attend to other health concerns first before going through detox, so it is always best to check.
The stabilization process is where the actual detoxing takes place – with the aim being to try and stabilize the mind and body so that they can cope without the substance in question. This can take a while, but it takes as long as it takes, and it needs to be gotten through in order to come out the other side. During this part of the process, we’ll keep an eye on your general health to ensure it is not harming you, and keep you stocked with medications aimed to alleviate the symptoms of withdrawal.
After you are stabilized, it’s time to look at planning your treatment plan. With your input, we’ll discuss what specific methods you should use to facilitate your ongoing recovery – which is, in many respects, the most important part of the entire journey.
The Mental Side
So in terms of what it’s like to go through detox, let’s first look at the mental side of things. Most people can expect some pretty huge changes mentally in the short space of time that they go through stabilization, no matter what kind of level of addiction or dependency they started out with – although of course, stronger addictions will mean more of these effects too.
In general, you might expect to experience a lot of changes in your mood very suddenly in the form of mood swings. You’ll probably feel very angry sometimes, and very depressed at other times, and a lot of people report some anxiety too. For some with particular addictions, there is also the matter of potential hallucinations and delusions occurring, which can be frightening to deal with and hard to know what to do about. Rest assured, we’ll support you through the whole thing to ease it all.
The Physical Side
When it comes to the physical side of withdrawal, these too can be very intense. In short, you might simply feel very unwell. This could feel like a bad flu or something a lot worse. In any case, it’s something that you should prepare for. In more extreme cases, you might experience shaking, sweating, convulsing, and more similar symptoms. You may vomit or excrete a lot, or have a lot of gas. It all depends on the addiction, but these are all things that can easily happen.
With the help of the right medication, these symptoms too can be reduced, but you should at least expect some of them, and withdrawing is generally going to at least feel a little unpleasant.
In Conclusion
All in all, it’s hard to say which is worse – the mental or the physical side. But what we can say is that with the right help, you can get through detox as many have done before you.
