ARIZONA ALCOHOL AND DRUG REHAB RESOURCES

DRUG DETOX

For someone who is addicted to either legal or illegal drugs, detoxification is often a vital step. Stopping the use of many of these drugs can lead to withdrawal symptoms that can be hard for people to manage on their own. Of course, not all of them cause withdrawal, and for some drugs, such as marijuana, symptoms may be very mild.

Drug detox can provide people with the treatment they need for their withdrawal symptoms. It can lessen their severity and even eliminate some symptoms altogether. There are various types of detoxification programs available, and they may be recommended based on what the individual needs.

The best detox programs use a combination of medical and holistic detox methods. Medications may be used to help manage symptoms and holistic treatments like improved diet and an exercise regimen can help the body process the drug. Depending on the individual, detoxing may take 7-10 days or more.

• Medical tapering – When a person gets treatment for a prescription drug addiction, they may first be tapered off the drug. This gives their body time to get used to having less of it in their system and it can effectively minimize the severity of withdrawal.

• Medical detox – A medical detox is often highly recommended for people who are addicted to both prescription and illegal substances. They receive close medical monitoring and can take medications to help with their symptoms.

• Holistic Detox – Holistic detox involves the use of more natural methods to help the body cleanse itself of toxins. Some examples of treatments can include nutritional therapy and exercise.

• Medication assisted treatment or MAT – MAT is for people who are addicted to opioids and/or alcohol, which we will cover in just a moment. For opioid addicts, MAT allows them to take specific medications that have been approved to treat this addiction. When combined with a solid counseling program, this approach has shown to be very effective.

ALCOHOL DETOX

It is essential for alcoholics to detox off alcohol when they decide to stop drinking. Many people do not realize what a dangerous drug alcohol is because it is so readily available in our society. But it actually carries some of the greatest risk because of its perceived safety.

Going through alcohol detox may also involve the use of medication assisted treatment, like we mentioned earlier. MAT allows the individual to take medications to help with their withdrawal symptoms and also receive therapy at the same time.

Choosing to stop the use of alcohol on one’s own can be very dangerous because of the risk of potential complications during withdrawal. Some people may experience delirium tremens or DTs, which is a condition that can be deadly if it is left untreated.

DRUG AND ALCOHOL REHAB IN AZ

Going to drug and alcohol rehab is the step that comes after detox, if it was recommended. Once the physical part of the addiction has been addressed, it is time to work on the psychological part. In other words, the cause of the addiction needs to be addressed.

People start using drugs and alcohol for many different reasons. Some people begin using because they are bored or feeling stressed out.

They see substances as a way to escape. But others begin because they are self-medicating the symptoms of a mental health issue. When this is the case, it is called having a co-occurring disorder.

Co-occurring disorders are very common for people with drug and alcohol addictions.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, about 50% of people who have substance abuse problems also suffer from mental health issues, such as:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Bipolar disorder
• Eating disorder
• PSTD

When these or other mental health issues are ignored and not treated, relapses are quite common. When they are addressed properly, the individual has a much better chance of being successful in recovery because their stated reason for using has been removed.

ALCOHOL POISONING

Someone who has consumed too much alcohol could be a victim of alcohol poisoning.

The problem is that this condition can be mistaken for drunkenness, so a lot of people fail to act when they should.

The following symptoms could indicate that a person has alcohol poisoning:

• They appear to be confused.

• They have hypothermia, which means their body temperature drops.

• They are not responsive, but they are not unconscious. This is known as stupor.

• Their skin may be pale or have a blueish tint.

• They may pass out.

• Their breathing may be abnormal or very slow.

• They may vomit, which can lead to death if they choke on it.

Extreme alcohol poisoning can cause the person to go into a coma, which can be fatal.

DRUG OVERDOSE

There are a lot of different drugs that can lead to overdoses if too much is consumed.

Opioids overdoses are the most common currently because of our country’s focus on the opioid crisis over the last few years. But people can also overdose on cocaine, methamphetamine and other drugs.

The symptoms people experience are often based on the type of drug they took when they overdosed. But they can include:

• Low blood pressure.

• Low or increased heart rate.

• Increase in body temperature.

• Becoming unconscious.

• Significant breathing problems.

• Extreme confusion.