Why Prescription Drug Detox Is A Vital Step For Recovery
It is true that prescription drugs can be necessary when it comes to handling health problems and other conditions. However, when taken in large doses or on a prolonged basis, the people taking them can not only suffer harmful effects, but also become addicted to them. That is why the importance of a thorough and complete detox should never be overlooked – it has to do with cleansing the body.
Detox Can Be Dangerous
Let’s avoid the negative mental aspect for now and head directly for the main reason it can be vital that you have a thorough and complete detox with a professional: detoxing the body from a prescription drug can be dangerous.
If you are addicted to opioids (Percocet, Vicodin, Oxycontin); not taking them anymore can actually lead to intense physical pain. It can also lead to diarrhea, vomiting, fatigue, severe depression, and excessive sweating.
Benzodiazepines such as Ativan, Valium, and Xanax can be dangerous as well, and the withdrawal symptoms are often severe. Because these drugs control insomnia and anxiety, withdrawal symptoms include seizures, insomnia, irritability, anxiety, and even thoughts of suicide.
As you can see, even the initial part of stopping the intake of the drugs can be dangerous.
In order to have a complete and thorough detox, it is important to remove drug residue from the patient’s body. Every bit needs to be removed, that is why a complete detox is important. Most drugs store some residue in our fat cells. This means that overtime, even if a patient has completely given up on the drug and is determined psychologically never to use again, the fat cells release the residue into the system – like a small dose of the prescription medication released over time back into the body.
Avoid Feelings Of Hopelessness
It does not take a doctor to realize that if small amounts of the prescription medication are being released into the system long after the patient stops taking said medication, it can create cravings for the drug. These cravings for the prescription drug are going to lead to frustration and feelings of hopelessness.
After all, these patients are doing everything that they can to avoid their addiction, they have made the psychological choice to stay clear of the prescription medication, but they are slowly but surely being fed small doses of the drug again. This makes them feel that even though they have the best intentions; it is not going to be enough for them to avoid relapsing.
If you do not ensure that every bit is removed, it is possible for some drug residue to remain in the body and produce cravings long after use has been stopped. This ultimately leads to the aforementioned feeling of helplessness and hopelessness which can lead to relapse because the desire to take these prescription drugs again becomes overwhelming.
That is why a short-term detox is similar to stopping the bleeding with a Band-Aid, but thorough and complete detox is like stitching the wound. It is the best way for a person to get rid of their prescription drug addiction permanently.
March 15th, 2012 at 10:28 pm
This is so true. A friend of ours had to have surgery and ended up on pain killers, only to then not be able to stop using them. She said it was like her body was demanding it. It’s so good to know that she can do something about it. Tku!
April 10th, 2012 at 2:59 am
The last part about being “hopeless” or feeling like there’s no choice but to opt for taking prescription meds the “wrong way” is understandable. This is the very reason why doctors must play a strict, strong role at making patients understand the whole process of taking meds. It’s never just about giving them a cure or an ease to their pains and conditions. It’s also about making sure that they manage their health very well, and about ensuring their right path with their prescription meds. Most of all, they must have the right grasp of their condition, the dangers of prescription drug abuse and ways to avoiding such instances.
May 9th, 2012 at 8:53 pm
I agree that though prescription drugs are important for curing health concerns, it must be handled with care and cautions as well. And I do believe that this kind of treatment like prescription drug detox is very important as well, because there are still individuals, who no matter how cautious they are in taking the prescription drugs still they can get addicted to it. Each individuals are unique thus, the response to the medication or prescription drugs also differs, there are those that have low tolerance to drugs causing them to become dependent with the drugs.
May 17th, 2012 at 5:33 am
Oh my! I never thought that prescription drugs can be addictive to such a degree. I sometimes take medications that are prescribed for the same type of pain relief that is talked about here. Now that I read your post, I guess I have to consider myself lucky thus far and be extra careful with pushing my luck. Thanks a lot for sharing and enlightening all us folks.
May 18th, 2012 at 8:46 pm
Having been addicted to painkillers – and successfully overcoming the dependency – I can say that we need to know more about the drugs. They’re not just there to cure, they’re also there for misuse and abuse.
The simplest thing to do is READ and KNOW about what these drugs are made of, their effects on the body, and all other vital information. We mustn’t just rely on the professional blah-blahs from docs because many of them endorse the drugs because they have something to gain in there. We must ask them questions, we must take a strong stand against prescriptions that could be abused.
Lest we become a generation of drug mis-users and prescription meds addicts!
May 21st, 2012 at 8:42 pm
My brother just had hip replacement surgery and having been in pain for years, had his experiences with pain medications as well. Never a full blown addict, but was becoming dependent on them. With his surgery, I was happy to hear how quickly the doctors weaned him completely off of the pain meds needed following the surgery. He is recovering well and is not in need of the pain meds any longer…we are so relieved that this was a happy ending in this case.
May 23rd, 2012 at 4:59 pm
There ought to be a law against anyone who misuse prescription drugs. Also another law against docs who don’t look into the Rx they issue if it’s followed or abused. Then for parents who don’t bother to check their medicine cabinet as the kids experiment on drugs that aren’t for them.
Laws, laws, laws! We need them more to fight the problem. We need the existing onces enforced. That’s it!
May 24th, 2012 at 11:57 pm
If we allow the government to set up too many laws (in any direction), how do we expect them to enforce them without infringing on our freedoms. I’m not saying let drug users continue, but I also do not want to see the government issuing raids into our homes to see if there are meds hanging around that could possibly get in the wrong hands. If each family was being reponsible to educate their kids, and then ensure the home is secure, we’d have a lot less problems and abuse of drugs in this fashion.
July 30th, 2012 at 5:40 am
We’re dating – and we’re both recovering prescription drugs addicts. In our own way, we find strength in making sure that the people we love, the young ones and people in our community don’t get the same dreadful road we’ve been through. So this ideas here are very much welcome. Keep up the good work. Let others know that it’s possible to get better life out of rehab!
November 30th, 2012 at 4:49 pm
Who would’ve thought that in just six months, my wife would become addicted to painkillers. No one saw it coming. She had justifiable reasons for abusing her meds because she was in an accident that left her in bad physical pains. I know that like many patients, she was doing everything not to be addicted, but the pain was just too much. In the end, she had some more too often and the days of taking meds and abusing it just went on for months.
The thing is she just went into an outpatient rehab and even had sound therapy, Asian herbs and even yoga. But who knew it, she had ways of getting the meds and slowly took one at a time or however she did it. I understand she needed more than just three times a week of outpatient treatment and no Oriental therapies would get to her. I had to act and made sure that every bit of drugs is removed. Her cravings must be stopped but first the detox. Everything was carefully explained to me, and she listened on, knowing the realities of medical detox will take place.
Two months and three weeks into rehab, and that harrowing stories she told me about her detox, and finally getting herself back on the road to recovery. It felt like being relieved of addiction myself. I congratulate you, Martie, for finally defeating the evils of painkillers. And having found the best ways to deal with your daily pains.