Is It Dangerous to Detox at Home

There’s no guarantee when one makes the choice to recover from alcohol or drugs. With hard work, and following the best practices, it is possible.

In some cases, detoxification may be necessary before entering a residential in-patient treatment center. This is the process that safely manages the acute physical symptoms of withdrawal symptoms associated with stopping an addiction to a substance.

Addiction specialists, doctors and nurses discourage in-home detoxification, yet many still often ask ‘why is it dangerous to detox at home?’

Here are some reasons why detoxing at home can be dangerous:

• When one chooses to detox at home, drug impulses cannot be tempered with other non-addictive medications, making it easier to give up on the process and into the addiction.
• Abstaining from the dependent drug may require nutritional supplements and/or pain relievers for withdrawal aches which is difficult to identify and administer at home.
• Detoxing at home may not provide the addict with an essential nutritional diet that complements the process.
• Detoxification may cause uncomfortable or severe side effects of withdrawals which cannot be administered, stabilized or lessened with proper medications.
• When one detoxes at home, there may be little to no support system for the emotional and psychological challenges that can come with the process.

Depending on the substance, and the individual, the process of detoxification will vary. One may believe that detoxing from alcohol is safer than detoxing from opiates, when the truth is alcohol detoxification is much more dangerous and can even be deadly.

Is it dangerous to detox at home? With the available professional help and support that is available, the consensus is yes. If you or a loved one needs help with addiction, please call your physician, counselor or local hospital for more information.

For more information, or if you have any questions regarding Fair Oaks Recovery Centers of California, please do not hesitate to contact us at (888) 989-9690. Most insurance accepted – Call today!

References

The Guide to Detox. (n.d.). Retrieved April 24, 2016.

Understanding Drug Abuse and Addiction: What Science Says. (2016, February). Retrieved April 24, 2016.