Last Updated on March 19, 2023 by
Drug detox may be part of the process if you are planning to beat your addiction. However, if it’s a serious addiction, you should never attempt a drug detox at home. This guide will go over the seven dangers that you need to be aware of.
If you are dealing with addiction, it’s important to get the help you need. For more information, visit the New Waters Recovery website at https://newwatersrecovery.com/psychological-evaluation/. Let’s take a look now at the following list.
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It can lead to mental struggles
This can be a dangerous thing, even if you have an existing mental disorder. At the same time, you’ll be experiencing thoughts and feelings that may be overwhelming. You’ll be experiencing a wide variety including fear, anxiety, and depression.
You may also feel like you’re worthless. Just know that you’re not alone in this fight. When dealing with negative feelings, you’ll have a therapist on standby ready to help.
These mental and emotional struggles can even lead to thoughts of suicide. You may even attempt it and succeed in the process. This should be one good reason to perform a drug detox under medical supervision rather than at home.
You’ll most likely be alone
If you live alone and attempt a home detox, it may be a massive mistake on your part. You won’t be able to get the help you need. No one will be aware of your struggles.
When you are dealing with severe withdrawal symptoms, no one may be there to respond or call 911. Later on, we’ll discuss them further. You don’t want to be alone when you’re in the worst condition possible.
If you need a drug detox, doing it at home should never be the option. You may live with others, and they may not be around when dealing with withdrawals and other issues.
You’ll face a higher chance of relapse
A relapse can occur at any point during your treatment. That is assuming you’re in the wrong place at the wrong time. If you’re under inpatient supervision, relapse is less likely to happen.
At-home detox can increase this risk. This means you may already have drugs at home. You may also get in contact with someone who has the drugs you crave.
So there’s a chance you may be taking the wrong actions. You won’t be under the supervision of professionals that won’t hold you accountable. Nor will they be able to prevent any relapse from occurring.
Because of its lack of effectiveness, you can expect a relapse to happen at any time if you are doing a home detox. Especially when you are getting over a serious addiction.
You may assume that treatment isn’t necessary.
Needless to say, treatment is something you’ll have to undergo. There’s no other way to say it. When you’re doing an at-home detox, you may think that it’s the only way to beat addiction.
That is not the case. You will need to undergo a time-intensive process that can take weeks or months. It can take up to a year for your treatment to complete.
Once again, the threat of relapse is higher than ever. When you undergo professional treatment, you’ll have people that will help you through the process. Your medical and counseling professionals will be able to help you out.
Not only that, you have a support system that will be able to root for you. If this is enough to help you decide on treatment, then make the next step and find a detox center that will gladly take you in.
You won’t have the support you need for treatment
You won’t have medical and therapeutic treatment at home at all day hours. You’ll be farther away from them. In an inpatient setting, you can call them, and they’ll arrive in a quick amount of time.
It’s better for them to be down the hall from you than clear across town. You want support to be close by rather than far away. You’ll never know that you’ll be having a bad day mentally or emotionally.
Plus, you won’t know for sure that your next withdrawal symptoms will be severe compared to the last ones. Speaking of withdrawal symptoms, let’s discuss that in the next point.
Severe withdrawal symptoms can be fatal.
Severe withdrawal symptoms can lead to potentially fatal consequences. This will be due to the lack of medical care you’re receiving. It is essential that you get the care you need when these symptoms appear.
Even the symptoms that feel the most trivial can get worse in minutes. This is one more reason why you should consider inpatient detox in lieu of doing it at home. The fact that it can save your life should be enough reason to say ‘yes’ to professional help.
You don’t have the proper medication or the equipment to treat the symptoms yourself. You may also not be in the right frame of mind to know what you’re doing. Symptoms may last hours or even days.
This is one more reason why you’ll need professional medical help regarding detox. Don’t take your chances at all.
You’ll continue with your addiction and die from it
In-home detox will pave the way for a potential continuation of your addiction. This can also lead to a potential overdose. You may indulge in your next hit, and it may be your last.
At that point, it’s your addiction that ends you. Not the other way around. It should never be like this at all.
If you need to get the help you need, drug detox through a professional detox center should be the best option, period. Don’t risk your life while trying to save it from addiction.
Overview
Drug addiction is a serious issue that affects millions of people worldwide. When someone decides to seek help for their addiction, one option they may consider is the drug detox. However, detoxing on your own can be extremely dangerous and even life-threatening. Here are seven dangers to be aware of:
- Severe Withdrawal Symptoms: Withdrawal symptoms can be severe, including tremors, hallucinations, seizures, and even death.
- Medical Complications: Detoxing can lead to medical complications, such as dehydration, electrolyte imbalances, and heart problems.
- Lack of Support: Detox alone can be emotionally overwhelming, leading to depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues.
- Relapse: Without the proper support, individuals are more likely to relapse and return to using drugs.
- Overdose: Detoxing can lower tolerance levels, increasing the risk of overdose if the individual relapses.
- Misuse of Medication: Attempting to detox on your own can lead to misusing or not using the right medication to manage symptoms.
- Incomplete Detox: Without proper medical supervision, individuals may not complete the detox process, leading to continued drug use and addiction.
Apart from that, if you want to know about Overall Phases of Drug Treatment then please visit our Health page.
