How Do I Know If I Need Drug Detox?

If you are addicted to drugs, you need drug and alcohol detox to get off those substances and start your recovery safely. This sounds straightforward but understanding and admitting to your problem is half the battle.

Knowing the signs of addiction and admitting that you are experiencing them is how you know you need help. After that, you need to want help. Information can be a powerful tool for you during this time. 

Drug addiction is prevalent in the United States. In 2018, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) estimated that roughly 20.3 million people in this country 12 or older had a substance use disorder (SUD). 

You may be one of those people. It is important to remember that addiction is treatable. 

Addiction changes your perspective. It isn't easy to tell if you need drug and alcohol detox.

What Is Medical Drug Detox?

Medical detox is the process of removing drugs or alcohol safely from your system with professional guidance and medical intervention. Without professional medical detox, withdrawal can be brutal. Withdrawing from drugs causes intense symptoms ranging from nausea and vomiting to seizures. Detoxing by yourself is dangerous and potentially lethal in severe cases.

Medical detox provides trained staff to support you while your body and mind adjust to the substances leaving your system. Health care and safety are priorities during drug detox. This process eases the severe withdrawal symptoms you might have experienced otherwise. 

Although withdrawal is never comfortable, medical detox makes it as easy as possible. With professionals available around the clock to monitor your vitals, provide necessary medical care, and begin mental health treatment, you can begin addiction treatment and embark on the road to a healthier life. 

If you are questioning if you need detox, the odds are you probably do. In case you are unsure, know that you are doing the right thing now by researching your symptoms to determine the best decision for you.  

Understanding addiction, its causes, and the importance of medical detox for recovery can send you on a successful recovery journey.  

Signs of Drug Addiction

Addiction is a finicky disorder. It can show itself through physical, behavioral, and psychological symptoms. Sometimes, these signs are obvious to those around you, but you may be blind to them, especially while under the influence.  

Speaking to those close to you can help you see the symptoms you may be oblivious to. During this time, it is important that you remain open to what they have to say for it to take hold. If you want to enter detox and treatment, listening to those around you is a good place to start. 

Your support system wants to help you. If you are showing signs of drug addiction, detox is the right choice. Although the signs and symptoms can differ based on the drug you use, the following symptoms indicate that you need to go to detox and treatment:

• Changes in appetite, weight, and appearance
• Poor personal hygiene and grooming habits
• Runny nose or sniffling
• Insomnia or restlessness
• Anxiety or depression
• Tremors, slurred speech, or impaired coordination
• Using causes difficulties in relationships, at work, and with finances
• Hiding your using
• Legal trouble, fighting, or driving while under the influence 
• Increased drug tolerance 
• Using drugs to relieve withdrawal symptoms 
• Life revolves around drug use
• Abandoning enjoyable activities (hobbies, sports, socializing) to use drugs
• Continuing to use regardless of negative consequences 
• Instability, mood swings, and irritability
• Trying to stop without success

If you are showing any of these signs, there is a good chance you are addicted and should seek help. You can reach out to a trusted friend or family member to work with you, call a hotline, or reach out to us at Detox Directory to begin your recovery.  

Benefits of Detox

Detox is an essential part of recovery. In your fight against addiction, you need to manage the physical withdrawal symptoms and release your body from the chains that are the drugs' effects. 

Withdrawal can be so painful and feared that you may consider giving up and relapsing before you have even completed detox. With medical detox, your symptoms are eased, giving you a better chance at recovery. 

Without medical detox, the symptoms experienced when withdrawing include:

• Anxiety and depression
• Headaches
• Irritability and mood swings
• Insomnia and restlessness
• Vomiting and diarrhea
• Breathing problems
• Fast heartbeat
• Sweating and chills

Once you rid your body of drugs, you will have a clearer mind to move forward in treatment. Without detox and further treatment, you will struggle to address trauma, cravings, and stress that may lead you to use.

Medical detox does not just offer you care and physical ease but provides you with the comfort and hope needed to move forward in the rest of your treatment. When your health and security are taken care of, you can focus on maintaining sobriety.

Without distractions and temptations, detox allows you to prioritize your wellbeing. Detox also improves your odds of entering a rehab program. 

A proper treatment program includes counseling, group sessions, and possibly medication to prevent relapse. Once you have undergone detox, you will feel more prepared when continuing treatment. 

Getting Help

Once you come to accept that you have a drug addiction, you are one step closer to seeking help. Speak to a trusted friend, family member, or health professional and let them know what is happening. They can work with you to find the right treatment program for you.

If you have a drug addiction, you need drug detox. It is not so simple, though. Your friends and family may show concern, but you might not see the problem. Understanding the symptoms of addiction can help you open your eyes to reality. Once you accept it, it is easier to ask for help.

The first step is finding a detox center near you. Our site, DetoxNearMe.com, puts thousands of detox listings at your fingertips. Finding professional, effective detox has never been easier.

Don’t deny yourself recovery. Start searching on DetoxNearMe.com today!