

Do I need to talk to my doctor about medical detox to get off drugs or alcohol?

Seeking Medical Advice is Recommended, and more importantly seekeing competent advice.

You have decided that it is time to make a change and you are ready to stop your drug and/or alcohol use and want to know, do I need to talk to my doctor about medical detox to get off drugs or alcohol.

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It is a good idea to discuss your decision to quit drugs or alcohol with your doctor. You should be honest about the types of drugs you have been using and the amount you have been using and how long you have been using. The same goes for alcohol use; you should be honest with your doctor regarding the amount of alcohol you have been using and how long you have been using alcohol.

If you have been using drugs, depending on the type of drug, you may or may not need detox. Some drugs are water soluble and do not require detox. Other drugs, like heroin, morphine, oxycontin as well as benzodiazepines have withdrawal symptoms that are more severe and may require medical attention. The same can be said for alcohol. Some alcohol users develop severe withdrawal symptoms from alcohol use, while others do not. Your doctor will be the best advisor on whether or not you need detox.

Alcohol and drug detox is the process of removing the toxic chemicals that have built up in your system from your substance use and a medical procedure to make sure your withdrawal symptoms are regulated to safe levels while you come off the drugs and/or alcohol. It is not unusual for drug users to also use alcohol and vice versa. Detox will remove all the toxins from your body so that you can start your new life.

There are different types of detox: inpatient, outpatient, medical and nonmedical. Outpatient medical detox is available through a clinic or from your doctor's office. Methadone clinics are facilities where you self report and take methadone; or you may get a prescription for Suboxone from a doctor. Methadone and suboxone are opiate narcotics that work in your body the same way that heroin, morphine, oxycontin and any other opiate drug does; by blocking the opioid receptors that tell your body to feel pleasure and pain. Unfortunately, these methods of detox are seen as ineffective, in that many individuals begin taking methadone or suboxone and never stop taking it. Quitting methadone or suboxone will have withdrawal symptoms and likely the need for detox as you have with any other substance use.

IV therapy medical detox is regarded by doctors as the best method for medical detox. Unlike traditional detox in a hospital facility which uses oral medication; in IV detox therapy, medication is given to the patient intravenously. IV therapy is crucial because it allows the doctor to adjust the medication protocol to meet the needs of the patient and to keep them comfortable, which makes for a greater chance for a successful detox.

When you complete detox, you may want to consider enrolling in a program that can help you rebuild your life. St. Jude Retreats has a program that uses an educational cognitive behavioral program to teach guests how to use self evaluation to make productive choices that result in positive habits and behaviors and lead them to a more purposeful life that is free from substance use permanently.

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