Withdrawal symptoms in drug addiction treatment

When an individual is getting treated for drug addiction, it means that they may not have access to drugs as they would.

Hence, they are likely to go through some tough periods in their lives because of the absence of drugs. This condition is known as withdrawal, and it is a combination of the mental and physical effects that someone experiences when they reduce or stop their drug intake.

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Some of these effects or symptoms can be medically controlled under the supervision of their healthcare provider.

In some cases, withdrawal symptoms can be unpleasant and even prove to be deadly. This is why both the individual and the healthcare professional should work closely together during this phase.

Physical symptoms

When the addict is unable to use drugs for some time, they are likely to experience some physical withdrawal symptoms that people around can notice. Some of these physical effects include tremors, chills or shivering, runny nose, restlessness, nausea, vomiting, hallucination, seizures, dilated pupils, etc.

Healthcare professionals need to pay attention to some of these physical symptoms because they are usually the first things you will notice during the withdrawal phase.

Changes in appetite

Another common symptom that people experience when they don’t have access to drugs is their changes in appetite. This suggests that they are likely to eat too much or eat too little.

Either way, you will observe that they are at both extremes when it comes to eating food. Changes in appetite are one of the body’s ways of responding to the absence of drugs.

Mood changes

When an individual is not able to use drugs for a while, their mood is likely to change. They will experience mood swings and irritability, which will be noticeable to people around them. For instance, they might be in a jolly mood this minute, and the next, they are down and depressed.

Sleep disorder

Sleep disorder is another withdrawal symptom that individuals experience in drug addiction treatment. They might struggle with insomnia- inability to sleep, or hypersomnia- sleeping excessively.

Reasons why detox is needed in addiction treatment

Detox on its own is a dangerous process except if it is medically assisted which ensures safety by reducing withdrawal symptoms.

Detoxification is the act of allowing the body eliminate the drugs in it. The essence of detoxification is to safely handle withdrawal symptoms that come with addiction.

When someone takes the bold step to stop taking alcohol and drugs, they experience withdrawal symptoms which could be distasteful.

Below are some reasons why addicts need detoxification:

Elimination of withdrawal symptoms

The primary essence of detoxification is to reduce or eliminate withdrawal symptoms. If an individual has been taking drugs and alcohol for a long time, toxins are built up in their body. These toxins are what cause withdrawal symptoms when the individual refrains from their addiction.

The intensity of withdrawal symptoms vary from individual to individual. For some, it might be grave while it could be mild in some cases.

Better sleep

It is a known fact that most people who are addicted do not have good sleep. And quality sleep is essential to ensure your body is healthy and fit. When you sleep, your brain undergoes reorganization and it recharges itself.

Poor sleep quality causes some health problems like heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity and a host of others. With detoxification, you will have better sleep which gives your health a boost.

Comfort

If you want to have a smooth addiction recovery, you need to detox. Entering addiction treatment without any form of detoxification is not advised especially if you were addicted to substances like alcohol and drugs.

Hence, to achieve optimum comfort that allows you to keep a clear head all through your addiction process, you need to detox.

One of the mistakes that people make is, they try to detox themselves. This is a dangerous process that should not be tried. It is best for a health professional to be involved in the entire detoxification process.

Functions of counseling in addiction treatment

Counselors provide a quintessential support system for individuals suffering from all kinds of addiction. They form a relationship based on the trust with the patients, and they provide the resources, support and prejudice-free guidance that patients will need on the path to recovery.

Also, counselors help addicts to deal with crisis and manage various issues that comes with addiction.

Here are some of functions of the counselor in addiction treatment

Creating a Therapeutic Alliance with Patients

It is not easy to seek help for addiction treatment as it needs much trust between the counselors and the patients. Hence, it is expedient for the counselor to create a firm bond with their patients called therapeutic alliance.

The therapeutic alliance allows the patient to feel safe with the counselors and open up. This helps the counselor to help them sort out their addiction problem by uncovering the root cause of their addiction.

Trust does not develop instantly, and the counselor gives the patient time to get comfortable with them.

Encourage recovery of the patient

It is correct to say that the counselor is one of the few persons that are intentional about a patient’s recovery. And this is why they don’t display prejudice towards any addicted patient. They help them uncover their abuse pattern and create a treatment plan for them.

Usually, when a patient is addicted, they lack enough motivation to continue. However, with the help of the counselor they have more willpower to continue addiction treatment.

Relapse prevention

When the patient enters fully into the rehab, the work of the counselor is not done yet. There is a tendency for patients to relapse after addiction treatment and it is the counselor’s function to salvage this.

Before the patient completes addiction treatment, the counselor must have designed a relapse prevention plan. The essence of this plan is to prevent the patient from returning to their addiction. Patients who do not have a relapse prevention plan are more likely to relapse than those who have.

FUNCTION OF A REHAB IN ALCOHOL ADDICTION TREATMENT

It is not easy for an alcohol addict to get over the obsessive and compulsive use of alcohol, particularly when the individual tries to do so on a personal basis.

It is one of the top substances which causes addiction in the world, and it looks quite impossible to break free from it.

One of the best moves to make when it comes to alcohol addiction treatment, is to enroll with a professional treatment center that will assist you in properly assessing the associated medical problems.  

There are lots of triggers which cause alcohol addiction, and people who are hooked up in this need to understand these triggers, and how to control them.

However, with proficient treatment centers, it would be easy to address and control these triggers.

An addicted person, before opting for the rehab option, would need to accept the fact that they are addicted.

Most times, it is important that this phase of acceptance is handled by a counselor who would double as a mental health personnel as well.

Once this has been acknowledged, an assessment would be conducted which would define the whole treatment process.

There are two rehab options for any alcohol addict. There is the residential rehab and the inpatient treatment.

For the residential rehab, you will be required to remain within the confines of the medical facility. It is similar to being admitted in a hospital, where you will need to stay for a long period of time.

So for the residential rehab, you will be put under close supervision so that they will effectively monitor your case, and see if there are any changes or not.

The duration of stay could be between weeks to years, and this depends on the intensity of the addiction.

While for the inpatient rehab, the individual would be placed on a particular schedule, where he or she would need to come for treatment during the week. This could go on for a long time.

People in this situation would be allowed to attend to their jobs and families, but measures would be put in place to ensure they avoid triggers.

ALCOHOL AND HOW IT ENDANGERS YOUR HEALTH

Alcohol happens to be one of the most abused substances in the world, alongside with drugs.

Someone who takes alcohol on a regular basis, for several months or years, has the capacity of ruining his or her health in the long run.

This happens because the quantity of alcohol ingested is much, and the frequency of ingestion is more than usual.

People who take alcohol on a moderate basis, would very likely not have any health problems.

Not everybody has the tendency to be addicted, and this is why there are some school of thoughts which suggest that alcohol addiction could be genetic.

Alcohol affects the health of individual, and even though some of them are aware of it, they do not have idea of the specific details on what it causes exactly.

So, they would rather not stop taking alcohol, because they have never for once bothered to find out what it would specifically do to them.

The essential organs such as kidneys, pancreas, liver and heart could be affected when the alcohol intake is too much.

The immune system could also lose its potency, and this could pave way for the entrance of more diseases that the body cannot naturally fight against.

Also, too much alcohol is not good for the brain. Alcohol disrupts the communication pathways of the brain, and hence, the cognitive function alongside with the behavior and mood is affected.

When the brain is damaged, it could be as a result of nutrition shortages caused by alcohol.

When there is proper treatment, the problems associated with the alcohol-induced problem on the brain, can be fixed.

Also, if someone refrains from alcohol for a long time, which is quite impossible, it could help to repair the effects of alcohol addiction.

Someone who drinks heavily would also most likely indulge in unprotected sex, and this could be an avenue for sexually transmitted diseases to set in.

The problems associated with alcohol has the capacity to keep the body in a bad shape for a very long time.

BENEFITS OF ALCOHOL DETOXIFICATION

The purpose of detoxification is to eliminate the body of various toxins. These toxins are detrimental to the body and when they are allowed to remain for too long, it could affect the overall health of the body.

Most people do not know the reason why detoxification should take place, and they would be surprised to find out that the accumulation of toxins is responsible for their state of health.

In the treatment of alcohol addiction, detoxification is a treatment stage that cannot be skipped. Detoxification is important for this because, taking alcohol on a frequent basis would definitely cause the accumulation of toxins.

So, if the individual wants to take a break from alcohol self-willingly, it would be impossible because of the toxins.

There are some accompanying symptoms that would follow because alcohol has not been ingested in the body. Alcohol detoxification is advisably done under the supervision of medical professionals.

This would prefer any form of medical health issues. It is quite herculean to control how withdrawal symptoms surface.

However, if there is someone who is an expert with medical health care, it would be effortless to manage.

People who have been taken alcohol for a very long time would need to be monitored closely because of the peculiarity of their addiction. Complications are bound to happen if there are medical conditions.

It is difficult for alcohol addicts to have physical problems and notice that they have it. This happens because the effect of alcohol is still on.

When they decide to refrain from alcohol for a period of time, their bodies would not be able to cope with it because, there is a shock that withdrawal comes with.

Alcohol detoxification also provides enough psychological support, and this is important in providing stability to the mental health of an alcohol addict.

The only way that mental health problems, which arise from refraining from alcohol can be controlled, is ensuring the individual sees a mental health professional.

To wrap it up, alcohol addicts need to understand that they need help, and they should be conscious in seeking help.

NEW BRUNSWICK ALCOHOL REHAB

New Brunswick is one of the maritime provinces in Canada. It borders the state of Maine to the west. In New Brunswick, there is the problem of alcohol addiction, which some of the citizens are facing.

Basically, alcohol addiction occurs when the use of alcohol has become a priority in the life of an individual. Hence, the individual would take alcohol from time to time, in order to feel good.

If for a period of time, the individual does not take alcohol, he or she would be in great discomfort, and this is known as withdrawal symptoms.

Therefore, alcohol addicts would take alcohol on a more regular basis, as against the harmless intermittent use.

Alcohol addicts are known to have little or no control over their lives because of the obsessive, compulsive and dangerous behaviour which they indulge in. It makes them to have strained relationships, it affects their finance, career and the likes.

In New Brunswick, there are a good number of alcohol rehab which provide sufficient treatment and care for those who are suffering from alcohol addiction, and they are listed below:

  • Wolastoqewiyik Healing Lodge
  • We Care Home Health Services Saint John
  • We Care Home Health Services Moncton
  • Vitalite Health Network Moncton
  • Teen Challenge Atlantic
  • Victorian Order of Nurses for Canada Western Region Miramichi
  • Victorian Order of Nurses for Canada Western Region Edmundston
  • Rising Sun Rehabilitation Centre
  • Fredericton Shelter (Grace House for Women)
  • We Care Home Health Services Fredericton

These alcohol rehabs are top-notch, as they are known for providing proficient addiction treatment services which would ensure that the addict gets back on his or her feet. The first phase of treatment for alcohol addiction, is detoxification.

During the detoxification process, it involves the removal of harmful toxins which are in the body. Once it has been sorted out, then the individual would have to opt for either an outpatient rehab or inpatient rehab like a New Brunswick Alcohol Rehab.

If the individual is an executive or CEO, and he requires privacy, then he can go for the executive rehab.

BRITISH COLUMBIA ALCOHOL REHAB

In British Columbia, addiction is a known problem, and the major ones which are known to adversely affect people are alcohol and drug addiction.

Alcohol addiction is basically the condition when an individual takes much alcohol, to the extent that he or she becomes so dependent on it. As a matter of fact, it becomes the most essential thing in the life of the person.

People who are addicted to alcohol, continue taking it, being fully aware of the fact that there are inherent adverse consequences which are attached to it such as losing their jobs, financial constraints, strained relationships and the likes.

However, irrespective of the knowledge of this fact, they still continue to drink.

Alcohol addiction occurs when too much alcohol is taken, which results in chemical changes in the brain. These changes enhance the pleasurable feelings which come with drinking alcohol. Hence, the individual will want to drink more frequently, thereby putting him or her in harm’s way.

With time, these pleasurable feelings subside, and withdrawal symptoms set in. Therefore, if the individual stays away from alcohol for a period of time, they are affected by withdrawal symptoms which are known to cause great discomfort and unpleasantness.

Alcohol addicts need help, and it is advised that they get help from proficient addiction treatment centres. Spotting an alcohol addict might be difficult, but if you are observant enough, you will be able to know one.

Most times, they exhibit anger and violence, they lie about certain events, their schedules become messed up. The same goes for their personal hygiene, as it gets on a decline, their physical stature also becomes frail.

At this point, it is needed that they seek help promptly.

The following alcohol addiction treatment centres are located in British Columbia:

  • Top of the World Ranch Treatment Centre
  • Options Okanagan Treatment Centre
  • Options Okanagan Treatment Centre
  • Sunshine Coast Health Centre
  • Orchard Recovery Centre Vancouver
  • Last Door Recovery Centre
  • Together We Can- Addiction Recovery and Education Society
  • Edgewood Treatment Centre
  • InnerVisions Recovery Society
  • Cedars at Cobble Hill
  • Pegasus Recovery Solutions Ltd
  • Pacifica Treatment Centre 1977
  • Sage Health Centre
  • Path to Freedom

QUEBEC ALCOHOL REHAB

Addiction is no respecter of persons, culture, countries and the likes. It is compulsive and obsessive disorder which has the capacity to control anyone within its grip.

Breaking free from addiction is not a day’s job, there are lots of things to be done in order to escape it. During the course of addiction, you will find out that, the addict is cool with it.

They are aware of the fact that there are negative consequences attached to it, nonetheless, it does not stop them from carrying out the act.

In Quebec, taking alcohol is a norm, however, there are some people who have abused its usage, and it has become a source of problem for them. Year in, year out, it has been studied that, a good number of people living in Quebec, struggle with addiction to alcohol.

The effect of alcohol on both their personal and health well-being is quite overwhelming.

However, the good news is, there are alcohol rehabs in Quebec which are present in order to ensure that they help addicts receive treatments, and get back on track with their normal lifestyle. They would also help them to maintain sobriety all through their life.

People who cannot go a day without taking alcohol, need to opt for an alcohol rehab so that they can receive treatment.

Before these addicts take alcohol, if there is always agitation, unrest or stress involved, and even the exhibition of certain withdrawal symptoms, then there is a need to promptly seek treatment.

When a person is addicted to alcohol, they need to conquer the psychological and physical components of the addiction, so that they can receive lifetime sobriety. In Quebec, there are proficient alcohol rehab programmes which are structured to provide this help.

Alcohol detoxification is usually the first phase of treatment for alcohol addiction, and during this process, harmful substances in the individual’s system are removed. Alcohol detoxification are always under close medical supervision.

There is also group and individual counselling for alcohol addicts. These involve peer sessions where people talk about their experience, and personal sessions where the addicts open up to a counsellor, psychiatrist or psychotherapist.

Most alcohol rehabs in Quebec usually make provision for an aftercare programme, so that the individual would not become addicted again.

THE IMPORTANCE OF ALCOHOL DETOX

Generally, detoxification is known to provide the body the ability to get rid of certain toxins in the body. When it comes to alcohol addiction, it comes in handy, as all toxins of alcohol are removed from the body. Alcohol detoxification is usually the first phase in any complete alcohol rehabilitation.

Within the first three to six days of staying away from alcohol intake, there are some physical signs which begin to occur. These signs are known as withdrawal symptoms, and they are usually mild or severe, depending on how severe the addiction is.

One of the most notable benefits which comes with alcohol detoxification is, patients being kept safe by medical professionals. With this, it would be difficult for the patient to get into any form of trouble without the medical professional not being aware.

Withdrawal symptoms are usually hard to control, however, with the involvement of someone who is well versed in medicine or healthcare, it would be easy to manage.

For those who have been taking alcohol for a long time, and are hooked on it already, detoxification needs to be handled expertly for this set of people so that they do not suffer grave withdrawal symptoms.

The danger might be inherent either in withdrawing or the complications which could occur due to already existing medical conditions.

A good number of times, alcohol addicts usually have physical problems which they do not notice themselves, and this is because of the alcohol which is in play.

Then when they stay away from alcohol for a while, their body will not be able to handle it because of the shock which withdrawal comes with.

Another importance which alcohol detoxification comes with is, it provides ample psychological support which helps in stabilizing the mental health of an addict. Within the first few days of quitting alcohol, it could be difficult to cope, and it could cause certain mental health problems.

However, with the presence of healthcare specialists, it would be easily manageable, bearing in mind that the psychological cravings which are attached to addiction can be very strong.