5 Reasons Why You Should Never Attempt Drug Detox Alone
If you are struggling to come off drugs and alcohol, you will likely be advised to undergo some form of drug detox. However, it can be challenging to find the time and resources to research all the available options in our fast-paced world.
Unfortunately, many people who struggle with addiction or substance abuse resort to self-detox but do not realize the potential dangers of attempting to detox alone until it is too late.
Self-detox can be a very risky process for the individual. So, if you are considering undergoing drug detox alone, we strongly advise against that decision.
Read on for five reasons why you should never attempt drug detox alone and instead, seek help from professional treatment centers near me:
1. You Risk Your Own Safety During the Process
Many people believe that detoxing at home is less risky than in a medical facility, but this is simply not the case. There are many potential dangers involved with detoxing alone, such as:
- Blood clots are typically associated with sitting still for long periods, but they can also be caused by dehydration during detox. Blood clots can cut off your blood flow and kill you.
- Infection – Infection is another potential risk of detoxing at home. You are likely to contact blood and bodily fluids during the process, opening yourself up to bacteria and viruses.
2. Recovering From Drug Detox Is a Very Painful Process
When you stop using drugs and alcohol, your body goes through an excruciating process known as withdrawal.
The intensity of detox varies from person to person, but you should expect the withdrawal to be pretty excruciating. While you will experience a wide variety of psychological symptoms during detox, your physical symptoms are likely to include:
- Body aches – As your body cleanses itself, you will experience aches and pains in muscles and joints.
- Headaches and fevers – Your body will be working overtime to get rid of the drugs in your system, and as a result, you may experience a fever.
- Sweating – Many toxins leave your system through your sweat, so you will likely find yourself sweating more than usual during detox.
3. You Won’t Have Access to Addiction Treatment and Recovery Resources
While detox is a part of the recovery process, it is not the entire process. You need to be able to transition from a state of severe intoxication to sobriety with the assistance of addiction specialists and addiction treatment providers.
You may experience severe psychological issues during detox, and without the support and guidance of addiction specialists, you may be unable to deal with them.
4. You Will Not Benefit From Group Support or Coaching During the Process
It is common for individuals attempting to detox alone to experience severe psychological issues, such as depression or anxiety.
Recovering from drug detox alone means you will not benefit from group support or coaching. This can put you at a significant disadvantage when transitioning from severe intoxication to sobriety.
Group support can help you deal with these issues before they become problematic enough to put the recovery process in danger.
5. You Will Face Constant Psychological Struggles
As you detox, you will likely experience periods of extreme psychological distress. While these psychological struggles are every day, they can become incredibly dangerous if you attempt to detox alone.
If you experience extreme hallucinations, paranoia, or suicidal thoughts during the detox process, you will have no one to turn to for help.
Summing It Up
While there are many benefits to undergoing drug detox at home, the risks outweigh them. Detoxing alone can be incredibly dangerous and risky. The process is likely to result in mental and physical pain on a level that you have never experienced before, or even worse, death.
If you are addicted to drugs or alcohol, you must understand that you do not have to struggle through detoxing alone. Many medical facilities and treatment centers can help you detox safely and comfortably.
