The Dangers of Self-Detoxing

January 8th, 2013 | Add a Comment

Detoxing from any substance, be it alcohol or drugs, is a dangerous practice even when in the care of professionals. Trying to detox alone without the supervision of a specialist is even more unsafe. When people self-detox they take unforeseen risks that could result in serious injury or death. It is always wise to have professionals help with the process to oversee the completion of an effective and, most importantly, safe detox.

There are three substances in particular that are extremely dangerous to get off of and the utmost precaution must be taken when doing so. The first is alcohol, which is the most dangerous substance to detox from and can, in some cases, lead to death.

Initial alcohol detox symptoms may include the following:

Anxiety
Convulsions
Delirium tremens
Hallucinations
Heart failure
Insomnia
Nausea
Seizures
Shakiness

Most people addicted to alcohol need medication to ease their anxiety, help eliminate their cravings, and assist them in the process of becoming sober after months or years of alcohol abuse. Without professional care those medications cannot be administered to people in treatment.

Although there are few physical symptoms present with methamphetamine withdrawal, the psychological symptoms can be extremely uncomfortable and present a major threat to recovery. The bottomless psychological depression one experiences when detoxing off of meth often leads the individual right back to using again. While there are just a few physical symptoms at hand with meth withdrawal, the psychological symptoms can be exceedingly unpleasant.

Symptoms of meth withdrawal include:

Aggression
Anxiety
Fatigue, and sleeping for days on end
Increased hunger
Intense cravings
Irritability
Lethargy
Paranoia
Severe depression
Suicidal thoughts

Crystal meth is one of the very few substances people can get off on their own. Still, the best way to detox from it is to check yourself into a professional facility that can make it easier and safer for you to overcome the distress.

Trying to detox from heroin on your own is also extremely dangerous and will result in potentially fatal suffering if not carried out by professionals. Countless withdrawal symptoms that cover a wide variety of severity and distress will occur, typically within the first 12 hours of stopping, and the most agonizing of these generally last two-to-four days.

These symptoms include:

Abdominal pain
Anxiety
Body pain
Chills
Diarrhea
Insomnia
Irritability
Nausea
Sneezing
Sniffing
Sweating
Vomiting
Weakness

It is most wise to have professionals assist you in detoxing from heroin.

Detoxing from any substance is just the beginning of a long road to recovery ahead. It is extremely painful and must never be attempted alone. If you are an addict and considering detoxing from an addictive substance, go see a professional and get as much support in your recovery process as possible. It can and will save your life.

Work Cited:

“Dangerous Detox: Doing It At Home Could Be Deadly.” Elements: Behavioral Health. Addiction Treatment | Elements | Drug Rehab Treatment Centers., n.d. Web. 8 Jan. 2013.