For some people, withdrawal is just a bit unpleasant. For others, it is a potentially life-threatening situation. At Highland Hospital Behavioral Health in Charleston, West Virginia, we offer medically supervised detox to help people who are trying to give up alcohol or other substances manage their withdrawal symptoms and stay on track to enter recovery.
What Withdrawal Looks Like
What symptoms a person has and how severe those symptoms are may vary, depending on what drugs they have been using, how heavily and for how long. Some of the most common withdrawal symptoms associated with frequently misused families of drugs include:
Signs of Alcohol Withdrawal
- Anxiety
- Fever/sweating
- Hallucinations
- Nausea/vomiting
- Inability to sleep
- Shaking
- Seizures
Signs of Benzo Withdrawal
- Sweating
- Cramped muscles
- Nausea/vomiting
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Seizures
Signs of Opioid Withdrawal
- Stomach cramps
- Sweating
- Fast heart rate
- Nausea/vomiting
- Trouble sleeping
- Dilated pupils
- Muscle/joint pain
Signs of Amphetamine Withdrawal
- Psychosis/hallucinations
- Depression
- Irritability
- Excessive sleepiness
- Big appetite
Detoxing at Home
95 percent of the population does not experience the worst of the withdrawal symptoms listed above. If a person doesn’t expect their withdrawal symptoms to be severe, they can try to detox at home. The best way you can support them during this time is to offer them similar comfort to what you might offer a person with a migraine or the flu:
- A quiet environment
- Soft lighting
- A healthy diet
- Lots of fluids
- Limited human interaction
- Monitoring their symptoms for signs that they might need a higher level of care
People Who Should Never Detox at Home
It is not recommended for people to detox at home if:
- They don’t have someone who can stay with them and get them medical care if they need it
- They have a history of seizures when abstaining
- They have been a long-time drug or alcohol user
- They are suicidal
- They have major medical issues
How Medical Detox Helps
As you can imagine, experiencing the worst intensity of withdrawal symptoms can be terrifying, and knowing that it is possible to make them stop by reverting to substance misuse can create a lot of temptation for people who are trying to give up alcohol or other drugs. If a person has gone through withdrawal previously and had severe symptoms, they might be afraid to experience it again.
Having medical professionals who specialize in addiction treatment on hand, to provide reassurance and medical care, can make it easier for people to stay sober and push through their symptoms.
In addition:
- A doctor can help a patient to taper their usage, rather than stopping cold turkey, which may reduce their symptoms and reduce their risk of relapse.
- There are medications a doctor can administer to a patient experiencing withdrawal, to reduce cravings and minimize withdrawal symptoms, that they are not able to send home with the patient.
- Even if you have a friend or family member who is willing to monitor you while you detox at home, there are good odds that they will have to work, sleep, or complete other errands, meaning that you will potentially be left alone while facing the risk of a serious medical situation.
- If you start to seize while home alone, you may not be able to call for help.
- You can seek out help at an emergency room, but often, they are not properly equipped, and their staff may not be as thoroughly trained to handle detox as medical professionals whose focus is caring for people going through withdrawal. You may also be more likely to encounter health care professionals who believe false, stigmatizing ideas about addiction in an emergency room than in a medical detox facility. If you know that you will be detoxing at home, it would be a good idea to do some research in advance, to determine which hospitals in your area have emergency rooms with have the staff and equipment needed to care for someone who is detoxing appropriately.
At Highland Hospital, we offer medically supervised detox, as well as treatment for mental health disorders. Our dual diagnosis program includes a comprehensive evaluation, individual care plans, trauma-informed, evidence-based services, and a wide range of therapeutic interventions. Our nurses are available around the clock to ensure that patients can get medical care at any time.
