The Risks of At-Home Detox and Why Professional Help is Better
The dangers of detoxing at home are very real. It’s important for anyone who is addicted to a substance to understand how they are at risk during an at-home detox and why getting professional help will put them in a better position.
Those will be the topics that we will cover on this page. Before starting with an alcohol detox or drug detox, you should understand what the process looks like and how to give yourself the best possible chance for success.
When you are ready for addiction treatment in a professional treatment program, Icarus Behavioral Health Idaho is ready to serve you. Give us a call today to speak with a friendly representative and learn more about our medically supervised detox options.
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Understanding Detox: What It Is and Why It’s So Important
The detox process is simply the act of removing drugs or alcohol from the body. As time passes without using drugs or alcohol, the body will naturally clear away those substances. This is a positive thing, of course, but it can come with some very severe symptoms.
Detox is typically the first step in the recovery process. It is physically intense and can even be dangerous. Withdrawal symptoms come in many different forms and can threaten human health in some situations.
All that is necessary to kick off the detox process is to stop using drugs or alcohol. Detox will begin right away and the process will continue for days or weeks, depending on the severity of the addiction.
The importance of detox is that it lays the groundwork for everything else that comes later. You can’t get into lasting recovery without first making it through detox. The severe withdrawal symptoms that will likely be experienced are unfortunately a part of the process that you’ll need to get through before moving on.
One common misconception is that detox is some sort of cure or finish line. That’s not it at all. Instead, detox is the starting point. Think of it as the foundation on which the rest of your recovery can be built.
Common Approaches to an At-Home Detox
We’ll discuss the significant dangers of detoxing at home in a moment. For now, it’s important to note that many people do attempt this approach with a variety of different tactics. While some may be successful, the risk is not worth it in the bigger picture.
Some people simply stop using drugs or alcohol cold turkey and try to stubbornly make it through the withdrawal symptoms they experience. The determination can be admired here but the success rate of such attempts is certainly quite low. When the severe symptoms start to set in, relapsing back to drug or alcohol use is likely.
Other people will try certain strategies like juice cleanses or herbal remedies in the hopes of making the detox process effective. The usefulness of any of these techniques is hard to determine. And, even if they are helpful, the lack of supervision from medical professionals still makes the process dangerous.
Why do people go ahead with an at-home detox despite so many potential challenges? Fear of stigma, for one reason. Checking into a detox and rehab facility may feel like admitting defeat, or acknowledging that they have a real problem.
Concerns over cost can be another factor. Or, some people will mistakenly think that their addiction is not that bad, and the detox process will go pretty smoothly. That is usually not the case.
The Real Dangers of Detoxing at Home
Going through alcohol detox or drug detox at home isn’t just difficult – it’s dangerous. Most people focus on the challenge aspect of the detox process while overlooking the potentially serious complications that can come along with it.
Dramatically altering what substances go into your body will immediately throw your system into disarray. Withdrawal symptoms can start just hours after you stop drinking or using drugs. If you aren’t in a location to have a medical detox, you’ll be on your own without any experienced supervision to keep you safe.
The sections below highlight the different types of risks you’ll take on with an at-home detox. We hope sharing this information will encourage you to opt for a safer, more controlled medical detox process.
Medical Complications and the Health Risks of Home Detox
This is the big one. The withdrawal symptoms you experience during detox can be life threatening. If you experience severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms, or drug withdrawal symptoms, and there is no medical professional available to help you, complications can quickly spiral out of control.
Vomiting and diarrhea are common withdrawal symptoms that you may experience. These are not only uncomfortable but also can lead to dangerous levels of dehydration. This is particularly dangerous if it goes on for a period of days and you are unable to keep food or water down consistently.
Seizures are another common problem during detox. These events can happen suddenly and without any warning at all. Alcohol withdrawal seizures range in severity but can be extremely dangerous.
More Risks of Detoxing at Home: Cold Turkey is Not the Best Option
There are also potential heart problems to worry about as detox unfolds. High blood pressure is common, as is developing an irregular heartbeat. The importance of heart health needs no explanation so it’s evident that this is one of the biggest risks associated with an alcohol detox or drug detox process.
Of all of the alcohol withdrawal symptoms you may experience, delirium tremens is likely the most severe. This is a type of alcohol withdrawal that includes hallucinations, rapid heartbeat, and confusion, among other issues. It’s tremendously difficult to endure and can endanger your life.
The dangers that come with all of these symptoms of the alcohol detox process can all be lessened through the use of medical assistance. That’s not to say that medical detox will be easy – it won’t be. It’s just far safer when you are in the hands of professionals who possess the training, equipment, and medication needed to get you through this experience.
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The Potential for Psychological Distress During Detox
Medical problems are not the end of the harmful withdrawal symptoms you are likely to experience. There are psychological issues that can arise, as well. It’s possible for these to be just as dangerous as your other alcohol withdrawal symptoms.
Depression can emerge, or become more powerful, during detox. You may notice feelings of hopelessness start to arise. Some people will even encounter suicidal ideation as the detox unfolds. In this way, the psychological symptoms of detox can be life threatening just like the physical symptoms.
The Physical and Psychological Dangers of At Home Alcohol Detox
Alcohol withdrawal can also lead to panic attacks. These can be tremendously powerful and overwhelming. They are even harder to manage when you are alone and don’t have medical professionals on hand to guide you and regain control of the situation.
You might also experience delusional thinking or hallucinations during your detox. This is a common part of alcohol withdrawal, especially for those who have drank heavily over an extended period.
Encountering some of these scary psychological symptoms of alcohol withdrawal will be enough to cause many people to turn back to alcohol for relief. Or, if they are particularly determined and stick with the detox despite the alcohol withdrawal effects, a tragic outcome could take place.
A Higher Risk of Relapse
With medical supervision, the chances of a successful detox process go way down. The detox journey is a difficult one that can be made more manageable when you have people in your corner who know how the experience works. Medical detox has been proven to be far more effective in avoiding relapse than attempts to do it alone.
A few factors play into the higher risk of relapse when detoxing from alcohol at home. The first is simply a lack of support. It’s hard to go through something so difficult alone. When you have someone on your side to go through this with you and offer help, that’s a huge advantage.
Medications can also be used in a medical detox to help get you through the experience safely. These medications can bring down the level of discomfort you experience and make you less likely to want to quit partway through.
No Safety Net in the Case of Medical Emergencies
Even if you think you can make it through detox on your own, it might help to view medical supervision as a safety net. Maybe you won’t need emergency medical care while detoxing from alcohol – but maybe you will. Having that option available can put your mind at ease and help you focus on the task at hand.
Detoxing from alcohol is unpredictable. If you knew exactly what was going to happen along the way, you might feel comfortable doing it at home. But you can’t know how it’s going to play out in advance. Adding a safety net goes a long way toward helping you detox.
How a Medically Supervised Detox is Different
Everything around the detox process changes when you bring medical supervision into the picture. The difficult moments will still be there, but the support you have makes it far more likely that you’ll reach the light at the end of the tunnel.
To start, you’ll receive a custom treatment plan based on your substance use history. This is a more professional, accurate way to enter detox. It’s a far better plan than just stopping the use of drugs or alcohol and hoping for the best.
Once the detox starts, you’ll be monitored around the clock to make sure your health is under control. Any serious complications will be addressed promptly to keep you safe and as comfortable as possible. Medication-assisted treatment may play a role during this phase, as well.
You will benefit from the help of professionals beyond just receiving medical care. There is also the emotional support component that can’t be overlooked. You will have access to counselors and therapists and will be given the direction and help needed to keep moving forward, even when things get difficult.
Having medical help while detoxing from alcohol can make all the difference. Detox is a huge first step toward recovery from drug or alcohol addiction and putting the odds in your favor with medical assistance is a great decision.
Work With the Professionals at Icarus Behavioral Health Idaho
We mentioned earlier on this page that detox is only the first step. It’s an important step, to be sure, but just one of many in the addiction treatment process. Going through detox with the team at Icarus Behavioral Health Idaho will not only make detox safer and more successful, but it will also allow you to move right into more substance abuse treatment therapies.
Addiction treatment is a puzzle with countless pieces. It may start with a medical detox that aims to alleviate withdrawal symptoms, but that’s certainly not the end. From there you’ll go through therapy sessions – both individual and group – and experience other forms of care like skill-building and wellness activities.
We offer a wide range of treatments because we know just how many different paths there are to lasting sobriety. No two individuals are the same and our customized approach to treatment, both in detox and beyond, allows us to have success time after time.
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Connect with the Icarus Idaho Team for Support Today
Dealing with severe withdrawal symptoms on your own is asking for trouble. Detox is an important process but it is too difficult and dangerous to go through on your own. Instead, dealing with dangerous withdrawal symptoms while in the care of medical professionals is a far better plan.
To get started, take a moment now to call Icarus Behavioral Health Idaho. It’s never too early to get started with detox and addiction treatment. You’ll be greeted by a friendly voice on the other end of the line and there will never be any judgment regarding your situation. We are simply here to help and would be honored to play a role in your recovery. We hope to hear from you soon.
