Even those who don’t have much knowledge or information about addiction treatment usually know it starts with the basic process of weaning the patient off of an addictive substance, generally called detoxification, or detox for short. But aside from the basic premise of “not using drugs or alcohol anymore,” the term does not communicate much to the layman past that. But detox can bring serious symptoms and potential complications, especially if not done within a clinical framework, so it’s important to know what lies ahead for the addict seeking to kick their habit. Understanding the detox process by knowing what to expect in the first 72 hours of the process is an important place to start for the addict seeking to find recovery from their substance abuse.
Detox is more than just quitting cold turkey. It is possible to stop using for that period of time, with enough willpower, though it can be incredibly difficult.
It can also be dangerous, as complete cessation of substance abuse without clinical observation can sometimes lead to health complications and dangerous, even life-threatening, possibilities, including tremors and seizures. Rather, detox is a carefully controlled version of quitting, with doctors and nurses on standby to administer care in the case of danger.
But however you do it, the first 72 hours are a critical period when the worst symptoms can emerge. For instance, in the case of alcohol dependency, heavy use of alcohol can alter the brain to release more of a calming neurotransmitter, causing the rest of the brain to become more active to compensate for this depressive effect. Once the patient is not using alcohol regularly, this altered brain chemistry can lead to an imbalance that can cause elevated central nervous activity that can lead to fatal seizures.
The heaviest withdrawal symptoms tend to occur within 48 and 72 hours of the detox process. These symptoms can include tremors, nausea, sweating, vomiting, anxiety, headaches, auditory and visual disturbances and, of course, heavy cravings for alcohol. Very serious alcohol withdrawal can lead to delirium tremens, or DT, which can include heavy shaking, agitation, confusion and the possibility of seizures.
The severity of these symptoms will vary depending on how heavy of a user the addict was, but even a light drinker may feel some symptoms. A serious addict will experience much more, which is why a controlled detox environment is recommended.
That sort of environment is available at Good Landing Recovery, which is equipped to deal with the detox process and help patients not only through those critical 72 hours, but all the hours after. For enduring those 72 hours of critical symptoms doesn’t mean the patient is “cured,” but only entering a longer phase of recovery where therapy and treatment are necessary to provide the recovering addict with the tools and techniques to continue their recovery and avoid relapse.
Detox is not a walk in the park. The symptoms can be painful and unpleasant, particularly in those critical first 72 hours. But by understanding the detox process through knowing what to expect in those first 72 hours, the addict can better enter detox with confidence of success, particularly with help from Good Landing.