Asking for help is never easy, but when a person struggles with drug or alcohol addiction, seeking professional help is a vital part of achieving sobriety. If you’re asking, “do I need detox?” the answer is likely yes. Detox is the first step in getting sober and represents the time when a person’s body stops physically relying on a particular substance on a daily basis. In detox, a person can receive physical and mental support as they go through withdrawal.
Signs You Need Detox
It’s important to take a personal inventory of your drug and alcohol abuse history to determine if you need a detox. Some of the signs that you need to detox include:
- You experience withdrawal symptoms if you haven’t used it in a while. These can include strong cravings for a drug, tremors, headaches, personality changes, or nausea.
- Your friends and family have told you that you need help.
- You abuse alcohol. While people who abuse any type of drug or alcohol can benefit from detox, alcohol withdrawal can be deadly. A person should always go through alcohol withdrawal at a professional detox facility or hospital.
- You’ve tried to stop using on your own, but always seem to go back.
- You don’t feel you have a safe place or a place where drugs aren’t around to withdraw from drugs or alcohol.
Above all, if you know you need help, you can benefit from a detox. If you observe these symptoms in a loved one, they may need detox as well.
What Can I Expect from Detox?
Once you’ve established that you need detox, you can seek out a detox program that provides support as you withdraw from a particular substance—or substances. Whenever possible, the medical professionals in a detox program can give you medications to reduce withdrawal symptoms. This can include medications to promote sleep and reduce nausea. In addition to this benefit, the professionals in a detox program can help you to learn relapse prevention techniques that will help you to stay mentally strong to resist cravings.
For more information on services when you need detox, please call Everlast Recovery Center at 866-DETOX-25.
