Traditional detox involves signing up for a detox program away from home and residing in the facility until you have completed the process. However, millions of people don’t get access to detox that they so urgently need because they don’t have the time and resources needed. 

For most people, signing up for a detox program means many days away from work and family, and for some people, it’s not feasible, especially if they’re the sole breadwinner. Home detox programs eliminate the stress associated with staying away from home and the heavy financial burden involved. 

Detox Basics

Detox practices all come down to eliminating toxic substances from the body, and they mainly involve the use of natural methods and maybe a few medical methods. Detox and rehabilitation are two different concepts. One is said to have completed rehabilitation once withdrawal symptoms subside, and the individual is physically and mentally stable. 

However, just because one has gone through the withdrawal and completed rehabilitation doesn’t mean that the drug has been eliminated from the body. The presence of traces of drugs in one’s system leaves one susceptible to falling back into drug abuse. 

Detox is especially important in ensuring that an individual can resist cravings for the drug and is part of any aftercare program for all who have undergone drug addiction treatment.

Detoxing at Home 

When carrying out at-home detox, you should always be associated with an outpatient facility. At-home detox isn’t a decision that is acted upon right away. There has to be evaluation and home visits to determine that your home is a suitable place for detoxing to be carried out. Once that has been established, the provider will prescribe a type of detox regimen according to patient needs and the type of drug that was being used.

Alcohol Detox

For alcohol detox, barbiturates are the primary drug of choice when treating alcohol withdrawal symptoms. The prescription usually starts from a high dose of medication and is then tapered off during the last few days of detox to reduce the chances of withdrawal seizures. Sometimes anticonvulsants such as Neurontin may be added to the prescription.

Opioid Detox

For opioid detox, prescriptions of opioid agonists have proven most effective in reducing cravings and withdrawal symptoms. Drugs such as Methadone are commonly prescribed mainly in patients detoxing from heroin or painkillers. Clonidine is also widely used for detox regimens that cause symptoms such as high blood pressure and arrhythmias, but it’s better suited for inpatient settings.

Sedatives

Patients detoxing from sedatives are usually prescribed drugs such as Librium or Valium to limit dangerous withdrawal effects and decrease discomfort. However, drugs used in such detox varies depending on the sedative that was being abused and the level of addiction. In most cases, patients who had sedative addictions are usually advised to seek inpatient detox facilities.

Over the counter drugs are also available to ease the effects that come with any detox. However, they should not be taken without informing the outpatient detox expert first, as drug interactions may cause serious effects. Such medication includes vitamins, painkillers, mood-boosters, minerals, anti-diarrhea medication, and sleeping aids.

Home Detox: 5 Tips on Doing it Safely and Correctly

Detox at home rids one of the benefits of having 24-hour supervision, medical advice, and being in a controlled environment and having access to prescriptions. How well you prepare for the process may be the difference between whether or not you succeed and the duration of time it will take. 

Here are a few tips on how to do it correctly:

1. Always Consult an Expert Before Embarking on at Home Detox

This should most probably be a group of experts who were conducting the rehabilitation. This is because they know the individual’s history and can correctly assess whether or not one can do home detox without supervision. 

Here are some of the people who wouldn’t be allowed to carry out at home detox:

• People with underlying mental illnesses or who have a history of mental illness 
• People who have a history of convulsions and seizures 
• People are suffering from chronic health conditions like diabetes, liver disease, or heart disease.
• People who have experienced severe life-threatening withdrawal symptoms in the past especially during rehabilitation 
• People on opiates or benzodiazepines
• People who reside in an area prone to drug use 
• People who have been in and out of rehabilitation and detox facilities

2. Have a Plan in Place 

Establish beforehand how the process is going to take place and the projected timeline. It’s best to consult a physician and detox expert to determine what regiment is best and whether medication will be used in the process. However, it’s common to not follow through with a specific plan, and you shouldn’t beat yourself up for not sticking to it. Recovery is most certainly not a linear path.

Detoxing at home is challenging, and so one should always have a second option for when they feel like they can’t do it alone. This may involve saving enough money to check into a detox facility or having a doctor who will be on call when and if things don’t go as planned.

3. Develop a Plan to Get Rid of Cravings 

Cravings are said to be even more intense after going through rehabilitation than during. Time alone can easily make one bored, and this is when relapse mostly occurs. Whether it’s reading a good book or going outside for a walk, one should always be able to control their cravings. 

This is where inpatient detox facilities have the upper hand, as it’s impossible to access drugs while at a detox facility. Individuals who choose to detox at home should seriously think about whether or not they’re strong enough to combat their cravings.

4. Maintain a Balanced Diet and Always Stay Hydrated

A healthy body sets the foundation for a seamless detox process. 

5. Get a Support System 

This is the most important part of going through detox at home. Family and friends are essential to keep you going on days when you might not feel like continuing. When starting, it might seem easy, but a week into the program, you’ll most definitely need people to lean on. In any case, most experts and facilities wouldn’t allow one to carry out detox without evidence of a sound support system.

Home Detox Health Risks

Going through detox is a challenging experience, and it becomes more challenging when conducted at home without regular supervision. Withdrawal symptoms are hard to deal with, and without proper guidance, they could lead to severe conditions. 

Here are some of the symptoms associated with withdrawal during detox:

• Insomnia 
• Vomiting 
• Fatigue 
• Diarrhea

These are mild symptoms that anyone going through detox goes through, and they’re not limited to those doing drug detox. The symptoms are easily treated using prescribed medication and they usually disappear in a few days. 

However, the effects of withdrawal may become severe and one may exhibit seizures, hallucinations, delirium, high blood pressure, and cardiac problems. Such problems should be dealt with immediately as they may become life-threatening. Without medical treatment, such symptoms may cause cardiac failure and stroke leading to death.

Get Help Choosing the Best Home Detox Facility

Getting the right detox facility to help you with home detox is crucial in a full and quick recovery process. Getting the perfect program for addiction recovery in Los Angeles is even harder because there are only a handful of facilities that offer at-home detox. 

MD Home Detox provides top addiction treatment in and we are committed to ensuring that you can carry out detox at home without compromising the quality of a good detox program. We pride ourselves in being the first facility to offer both residential treatment facilities  and at home detox with a personalized concierge across the country.

We are trained in the treatment of a variety of disorders ranging from being the best in LA alcohol treatment and even treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).  We also offer aftercare programs, including sober companions, to reduce the chances of relapse. 

We have several centers across the country, including California, New Jersey, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania and Washington. Contact MD home detox to get the best addiction treatment and drug detox in the USA. Begin your journey to better health and take control of your life.

Final Thoughts

There are generally many apprehensions when it comes to home detoxing. Many people doubt its effectiveness and view it as ‘just another doomed attempt to get clean.’ In most cases, undergoing detox at a licensed facility is the best option for those recovering from drug addiction. 

Home is not always the most controlled environment and it just doesn’t compare to the regimens in detox facilities. However, home detox is better than no detox at all especially for those looking to cut costs. In an environment where there is supervision and support at all times, it is possible to detox at home.