Detoxing From Prescription Stimulants
Prescription stimulants create a unique response in the body. Although prescribed for certain disorders, they can often lead to addiction and abuse when taken without proper guidance.
Once someone has become dependent on prescription stimulants, they may find themselves seeking out other options, like street drugs. This is not only highly dangerous but could be fatal.
Any addiction to stimulants should be treated with the proper care at an addiction center or drug rehab. That treatment should always begin with medically supervised stimulants detox.
Prescription drugs can be abused, too -- and they're also addictive.
What Are Prescription Stimulants?
It is essential to understand what prescription stimulants are, why they are prescribed, and what they do to the body. This can help individuals comprehend their potential risks and why detoxing is so crucial.
Prescription stimulants are medications most often used to treat narcolepsy or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). These drugs enhance focus, energy, and attention for those struggling with such behaviors.
The most common prescription stimulants include Adderall and Ritalin. Although these drugs can help someone in need, they can cause severe problems when misused.
Stimulants are often abused by taking too much of the prescribed medication, taking it to get high rather than for treatment of a disorder, or taking it from someone else who needs it.
Prescription stimulants work by increasing the chemicals in the brain. Dopamine and norepinephrine go into overdrive when these medications are taken. For those who use prescription stimulants as prescribed, it allows them to focus. When misused, people experience a high described as short-term euphoria. Some related symptoms of this include:
- Increased blood pressure, heart rate, breathing
- Decreased blood flow
- Increased blood sugar
It is vital to recognize these signs because these drugs can lead to heart failure, elevated body temperature, irregular heartbeat, and even seizures when taken at high doses.
When someone misuses prescription stimulants repeatedly, it can lead to anger and paranoia, impaired judgment, and addiction.
When someone, even under a doctor's care, requires a higher dose or more frequent doses to achieve the same feeling, it is a sign of dependence and increased tolerance. If this happens, detox is the next step to rid the body of substances and receive proper treatment.
Detoxing From Prescription Stimulants
Just because a medication is prescribed or considered safe does not mean it cannot be misused or become dangerous. When this occurs, detox is an essential part of the treatment.
Detoxing from drugs should always be done in a proper treatment facility that provides necessary care and support. Detoxification is the discontinuation of a substance of dependence and is essential for relapse prevention.
Although detox procedures vary depending on the person's medical history, the substance they use, and how long they have been using, it is critical to detox with the help of medical professionals. When someone stops using a drug they are addicted to, the unpleasant withdrawal process begins. The most common symptoms of drug withdrawal are:
- Nausea and vomiting
- Insomnia
- Nervousness
- Muscle pain
- Sweating
To treat these symptoms, expert supervision is needed. The first step of most detox programs is to remove the drugs from the body while treating withdrawal symptoms.
Specifically, stimulant detox is highly uncomfortable, leading to both physical and psychological symptoms. To fight the discomfort, health care professionals will monitor vitals, treat symptoms, and provide psychological care needed to prevent relapse.
One major symptom of stimulant withdrawal is depression. This is why it is so vital for medical professionals to be monitoring clients going through withdrawal. Harmful thoughts during this time can become extremely dangerous. Having access to therapists during this period offers the best chance for recovery and safety.
Medical supervision not only prevents health risks of withdrawal but begins the recovery process that will be long-term. As addiction is attributed to drugs and mental health, treating both aspects is essential to recovery. Without facing the deeper struggles leading to substance abuse, an individual is more likely to return to active addiction.
Admission into a medically controlled detox center lessens the risks involved in the withdrawal of stimulants. Although not a cure, detox is a vital step in long-term recovery.
What Happens After Detox?
Once detox is completed, aftercare is just as crucial to recovery. Sending someone on their way without further treatment after removing drugs from their system causes a huge risk for relapse to occur.
Professionals should monitor an individual's continued care. Following detox, an individual must learn how to cope with cravings, address trauma, and handle stress. This encourages people to participate in the recovery community, gain support, and resist urges.
Therapy, counseling, and group meetings provide clients with essential support during recovery that reduces the risk of relapse.
Prescription Stimulant Abuse Has Fatal Risks
Detoxing from prescription stimulants is an essential aspect of addiction recovery and continuing care. Misusing prescription stimulants is not only dangerous on its own, but the risks of withdrawal can be fatal.
This is why medically supervised detox is the only healthy and safe way to rid the body of such drugs and begin the path to recovery. Without professional guidance, the experience of withdrawal can be so uncomfortable that it can lead to relapse.
Maintaining sobriety and entering a treatment program is your best bet for recovery. DetoxNearMe.com can help you find a reputable, effective detox center near you. With thousands of listings at your fingertips, you’ll be able to find a detox center for you, near you, in no time at all
Contact DetoxNearMe.com today!
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