How to detox a drug addict?

Addictive disorders are among the most common neuropsychological disorders in Western societies; In the case of Spain, it is estimated that around 15% of the population suffers from drug addiction. drugs. In addition, the most consumed drug is also one of the most harmful: alcohol, which is currently highly normalized and socially accepted despite being a public health problem.

In this context, there are many people who at some point in their lives wonder how can you detoxify a drug addict, usually thinking of a relative or a friend; the situation is very frustrating and the need arises to do something as soon as possible to prevent those who have developed a dependency of this type from entering a state from which it is very difficult to get out.

How can a person suffering from drug addiction detoxify?

The first thing you should know about detoxification for people who have generated a dependency on hard drugs such as alcohol or cocaine, is that as a general rule this process cannot be carried out by one same. And neither can it be done by the union between the addicted person and one or more people from his family or from his circle of friends who help him. In practically all cases it is necessary to have specialized professional help.

What is this about? Above all, to two factors. On the one hand, addictive disorders are health problems disabling enough to influence much in the capacity that the person has to self-regulate their behavior patterns without the help of nobody; the risk of relapse is very high, because a certain affective ambivalence towards the drug is maintained, and the addict notices that despite the fact that wants to overcome that dependency, in certain circumstances he defends it as one more aspect of his style of life.

Second, there are several hard drugs that, if stopped suddenly after a pattern of heavy use, can put the person's life at risk by triggering cardiovascular accidents. This risk occurs, for example, in the case of drug addiction. benzodiazepines, the barbiturates, or even alcohol (addiction to which can lead to delirium tremens). But that doesn't mean it's impossible to “get off” these drugs; what it does imply is that the withdrawal of its consumption must be carried out gradually and with medical assistance.

So, if you are a friend or family member of someone with drug abuse problems and that situation has led you to ask yourself "how to detoxify a drug addict?", you should know that your main role should consist of in convince that person to start treatment for addictions, since only specialized health centers have the necessary staff and equipment to offer full guarantees.

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The keys to the drug detoxification process

These are the main blocks of intervention when it comes to detoxifying a drug addict in an addiction treatment center:

1. First interviews and data collection

In this initial phase, therapists collect information about the patient and her life context, and from there, establish working hypotheses and design a treatment program tailored to your needs.

2. detox

At this stage, the detox In the strict sense of the word, within the treatment for drug addiction, health professionals assist the person during the first days of abstinence, providing medical and psychotherapeutic resources to cope with an experience associated with a certain degree of discomfort and in which the risk of relapsing to the drug must be minimized. The use of medications to alleviate the symptoms linked to anxiety is common, and a strict follow-up of the patient's condition is carried out.

3. cessation

In this part of the detoxification applied by professionals, a series of tasks and objectives are offered to very short term so that the patient can focus on those goals and get out of the inertia of thought linked to the drug.

In this part, psychotherapy gains importance, since it can be understood as the implementation of a new way of living life without depending on substance use. However, medical follow-up is still important, because the body (and specifically, the nervous system), is also adjusting to a reality that has nothing to do with the former. For this reason, it is recommended that patients carry out this phase through residential treatment, entering the center's facilities and staying the night there.

4. Rehabilitation

At this point in treatment, the patient is significantly more autonomous than when therapy began, but still needs a professional and social support system.

For this, activities such as group therapy or carrying out group projects are usually used, areas such as training are worked on in social skills and managing one's own emotions to limit the risk of relapse and having unnecessary conflicts with others, etc The goal here is that the person is preparing to have a normal life, internalize responsibilities linked to a real context of day to day (and not only limited to the addiction treatment center), and knows how to prevent by himself situations that can lead him to relapse once he does not have the help of therapists.

5. reinsertion

As its name indicates, what is involved here is to continue offering assistance to the person who is in the process of returning "to the world" maintaining certain rules of emotional self-regulation and behavioral. To do this, the patient is offered a lot of autonomy, and the objective is to consolidate the change once the patient has returned to a way of life as an adult and is self-sufficient. To do this, they are offered guidance and help sessions that are somewhat more spaced out in time.

Looking for psychotherapy services?

If you are interested in starting a drug detoxification process or know someone who needs addiction treatment, the team of professionals at APPOINTMENT CLINICS it is what you are looking for.

Our center specializes in psychotherapeutic and medical assistance for people suffering from addictive disorders with or without drug use. We can help you through outpatient care and through residential treatment in our facilities, surrounded by nature and fully equipped. You will find us in Barcelona.