Drug and Alcohol Detox | PROMIS Rehab

Drug and alcohol addiction is a huge concern around the UK, with roughly around 290,000 people seeking treatment each year for their condition. These numbers are alarming – there are bound to be thousands more who are affected by alcohol or drug addiction but, for whatever reason, have not managed to reach out for help.

PROMIS Rehab Clinic provides specialist detox rehabilitation programmes for both alcohol and drugs. We understand it can be challenging to open up about addiction and how stigmas have been created around the detox process; however, we’re here to reassure you that with PROMIS, you’re in safe hands.

Alcohol Addiction

Alcohol addiction, or alcoholism, is a chronic and progressive health condition that affects millions of people in the UK at some point in their lives.

Alcohol abuse can be compulsive and uncontrollable and can impact both physical and psychological aspects of a person’s health and well-being, and often enough, the need for alcohol detoxification is crucial in aiding the recovery of this illness.

Alcohol use disorder can be particularly nasty when it comes to withdrawal and when attempted to manage without professional help, the effects can be overwhelming for the individual and often quite dangerous – it’s always best to seek help from an addiction professional at an alcohol rehab to ensure the safety and well-being of the person addicted to alcohol.

Here are some common symptoms associated with alcohol withdrawal:

Tremors
Sweating
Anxiety
Nausea
Hallucinations
Insomnia
Seizures

If you’re experiencing any of the above, it’s crucial to get alcohol addiction treatment to help manage withdrawal symptoms and avoid a potential relapse.

Drug Addiction

Drug addiction is a substance use disorder that develops into a chronic and uncontrollable problem – even when the user acknowledges the negative consequences.

There are various types of illicit drugs on the streets these days; however, we’re seeing more substance abuse addictions to prescription drugs like benzodiazepines and opioids – both of which have just as dire health consequences when abused.

Since drugs are fairly diverse regarding their effects, the health implications and withdrawal from them will vary depending on the substance itself although most drugs will require a drug detox process due to their addictive nature and how the body becomes dependent on them after prolonged use.

While some withdrawals are more dangerous than others, there are a number of factors to consider when attempting to treat a particular drug addiction, and they should always be managed professionally in drug rehab by experienced and medically trained personnel.

WHAT IS A DRUG AND ALCOHOL DETOX?

The detoxification process, otherwise known as detox, involves the process of removing harmful toxins from the body while under the supervision of experienced healthcare professionals in a rehab facility – that goes for both alcohol and drugs.

During this process, the body tends to experience unpleasant and uncomfortable symptoms as it begins to fight and rid itself of the substance at hand – this is where it can become dangerous if not medically supervised.

A drug and alcohol rehab can provide medically assisted detox treatments throughout this process to reduce the cravings and ease the pain from the symptoms, ultimately making the transition safe and manageable.

A detox at home would not have this kind of facility, and those who attempt it alone can find themselves using again just to ease the pain – this is how you can become the victim of the vicious cycle of addiction.

WHAT HAPPENS DURING A MEDICAL DETOX?

Medical detox is the term that describes detoxification when performed within an inpatient rehab programme rather than when attempted alone.

At PROMIS, we generally break the process down into stages so we can decide the best course of action to deal with your particular case of addiction – we personalise our treatment plans and tailor them just for you!

Let’s walk you through the steps of our detox addiction treatment process.

Assessment

First things first, an initial assessment must be conducted in order to get a clear picture of exactly what we’re dealing with.

At this stage, one of our healthcare professionals will gather as much information as possible about your addiction: how long it’s been ongoing, the frequency of substance intake, whether or not there is a combination of substances and if there are any underlying mental health issues involved.

WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS

Withdrawal is the part that most addicts fear, as this is when the withdrawal symptoms may arise. Going through detox means that the amount of the substance (alcohol or drugs) is gradually reduced, which causes the withdrawal symptoms to begin, making them uncomfortable and irritable.

However, it’s important to note that you will be supervised throughout this process and made as comfortable as possible; after all, it is an assisted detox.

Both alcohol and drug detoxes can have similar withdrawal symptoms, although the severity depends on the individual and varying factors based on the information gathered during their initial assessment.

Generally speaking, although not always the case, alcohol withdrawal symptoms can be more severe; however, this will depend on a wide range of factors, as mentioned earlier.

No two detoxes are the same – even if the person has attended an addiction rehab in the past, their second time round may have different symptoms than the first. With that said, let’s take a look at some of the common physical and mental withdrawal symptoms associated with a detox.

PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS

Nausea
Vomiting and diarrhoea
Stomach cramps
Shaking and shivering
Muscle aches and pains
Sweating and fevers
Increased heart rate
Increased blood pressure
Headaches
Fatigue
Shortness of breath
Seizures

PSYCHOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS

Insomnia
Anxiety
Depression
Paranoia
Confusion
Mood swings
Extreme cravings
Hallucinations

Medication

A medically-assisted detox involves prescribing some medications to help ease some of the unpleasant symptoms associated with withdrawal. At PROMIS, we intend to ride the storm as comfortably as possible.

Although there is no magic cure for a lot of symptoms of withdrawal, our professional treatment that’s medically assisted will almost certainly provide comfort during the darkest of hours.

24/7 Support

Part of the withdrawal treatment of our detox programme is providing sufficient care and support throughout.

It’s essential to motivate the individual and allow them to share any feelings that they may need to get off their chest – communication and support is crucial to getting through detox and has proven to be highly effective.

How Long Does A Detox Last?

A drug or alcohol detox can vary in length; however, they typically last anywhere between 7 to 10 days.

It’s important to note that some patients may need longer than this timeframe if their symptoms persist or experience other difficulties throughout the process.

Estimating the timeframe during the assessment stage is difficult as every patient is different and reacts differently to the treatment.

However, following detox, the patient can expect to begin the rehabilitation process through multiple types of therapy that will help and guide them to control the behaviours that are associated with their addiction.

IMPORTANCE OF ATTENDING A REHAB CENTRE

Attending a rehab programme is crucial for anyone experiencing difficulties with addiction and feeling like there is no way out. When the brain function is compromised through excessive drug taking, professional treatment is required to ensure support and guidance are delivered to the individual – this provides a much stronger chance of a successful recovery.

It’s common for a rehab centre to provide a medically assisted drug detox as part of the addiction treatment – ridding the body of toxins.

As this stage can be uncomfortable due to the withdrawal symptoms, addiction rehab provides a safe place to perform the detoxification where the patient can receive complete care and ease potentially life-threatening symptoms; without this service, most addicts attempting a detox are prone to relapse or something far worse.

It goes without mentioning that there’s a multitude of counselling and support, including group therapy sessions, that assist the patients as part of the addiction treatment.

Furthermore, relapse prevention techniques from addiction experts delivered through aftercare programmes supersede by far any treatment attempted outside of a drug rehabilitation centre.

In short, addiction issues shouldn’t be faced alone – addiction centres are designed to help you reach sobriety and transition back to normality as best as possible.

HOME DETOX

Although we strongly discourage detoxing at home, for patients who require more flexibility within a programme, PROMIS offers a UK Home Detox Service for those who have mild to moderate symptoms. This service has its benefits, although it also comes with significant risks. For more information on this service, please read our page for Home Detox.

GET HELP WITH PROMIS

PROMIS Rehab offers those who are most in need of a second chance. We provide private treatment and luxury facilities for all of our patients so they can feel at home – we understand it can be difficult to face your fears, and overcoming addiction can be challenging. Still, we are here every step of the way.