The primary reasons why people end up as substance abusers include seeking euphoria, dealing with emotional or physical stress, curiosity, peer pressure, and an attempt to escape reality. Their motivation is complex, multifaceted, and rooted in psychological, environmental, or genetic factors. Regardless, living a life of substance abuse is not easy for those who are drug dependent and their loved ones. It comes with its share of fear, pain, panic, stress, and anger. That’s why most addicts try to escape the web and get back their lives. Unfortunately, this step is not easy and requires specific measures like dedication, detoxification, and skills. While it might be tempting for individuals to do their detox program on their own, here are three reasons why taking this measure unsupervised can be dangerous.
Withdrawal Symptoms
Some substance abusers believe they can manage the detox program alone or with the help of a loved one. But unless the loved one working with them is a trained detox expert, they will not know what to expect during a drug detox and how to handle the withdrawal symptoms. Remember that withdrawal effects can happen for hours, and in severe cases, it can take a week or more. Typical withdrawal symptoms drug addicts can experience when they start a detox program include nauseousness, headaches, tiredness, and despair. But that is not all; in extreme situations, there can be seizures, unconsciousness, fever, hallucinations, and irritability. Only trained professionals can deal with these symptoms without worsening the matter.
Possibility of Dehydration
During detox, the body will likely lose more fluids than the amount an individual is taking in. This state will likely cause dehydration, and the body will not have enough liquids to function. Dehydration is associated with confusion, sluggishness, dizziness, dry eyes, fainting, heart palpitations, and swollen tongue. Untrained individuals might not identify the cause of these symptoms and might not seek help o time. Even if they do, they might not rectify the situation since the body cannot take more water than it is accustomed to. Yet, dehydration might cause the liver not to work as required to get rid of toxins in the body. Fortunately, all these can be avoided when an addict gets to a detox center for treatment.
No Emotional Support
What substance abusers do not realize when they are starting their unsupervised detox venture is that the journey will not be easy. They will feel isolated and are likely to get mental health issues before they completely clear the toxins from their system. In addition, it can be difficult for people to manage their symptoms of withdrawal and the emotional strain that comes with detox. That is why they need to have emotional support from trained professionals who will guide them and help them manage their feelings of vulnerability during the process. While having a friend or family member might be great, they will not offer the emotional support needed since they do not understand the process. However, substance abusers can get help and comprehensive support if they enter a registered detox facility.
These are the three main reasons why unsupervised detox programs can be dangerous. Therefore, it is better to work with professionals than do it privately and fail. Professionals are trained to deal with withdrawal symptoms, ensure patients are hydrated, and offer emotional support.
The Editorial Team at Healthcare Business Today is made up of skilled healthcare writers and experts, led by our managing editor, Daniel Casciato, who has over 25 years of experience in healthcare writing. Since 1998, we have produced compelling and informative content for numerous publications, establishing ourselves as a trusted resource for health and wellness information. We offer readers access to fresh health, medicine, science, and technology developments and the latest in patient news, emphasizing how these developments affect our lives.
