When a person’s addiction crosses certain thresholds, the need for a detox process before treatment increases. It’s the depth of the addiction that ultimately determines what type of detox program the clinician will prescribe. In the most severe cases, clinicians might have to use detox medications during the process. They will incorporate a medication management program to control the types and doses of medication they plan to prescribe.
The Purpose of Medication Management Detox Program
As part of an inpatient drug detox program, patients will go through withdrawal in a safe environment. The medical staff’s goal is to keep their patients as comfortable as possible. Some patients can get through the whole process with minimal discomfort or pain. They are the fortunate ones. People coming with a severe addiction to drugs like alcohol, heroin, painkillers or cocaine may not be so lucky.
It’s these high profile “recreational drugs” that create the most severe withdrawal symptoms. Some of these symptoms include breathing and heart-rate problems, nausea, muscle and stomach pain, convulsions, and sleeping issues. Many of the drugs the medical staff will prescribe help to lessen the effects of these symptoms. In the worst addiction cases, tapering medications might be necessary to ease the patient through the symptoms of withdrawal.
All of this takes place under the watchful eye of trained medical staffers. Their job is to communicate with their patients to determine when issues are arising. This is where a good medication management plan comes into play. By staff staying on top of their patient’s progress, the patient can relax and focus on the cleansing process.
About Medication Management
Since many of the medications patients receive during detox have addictive properties, clinicians implement medication management plans as controls. Medical staffers want to be careful to not replace one addiction with another. It’s worth noting that Methadone is a common tapering drug. As such, it has a lower concentration of opiates. The Methadone detox process allows a patient to slowly detox from opioids, decreasing the risk of serious physical issues.
Other medication management plans may call for the doctors to prescribe some of the following medications:
- Benzodiazepines
- Opioid and non-opioid agonists
- Antidepressants
- Opioid antagonists
- Partial agonists and antagonists
The doctors use these kinds of medications to address pain and sleeping issues. They also use them to treat co-occurring disorders that might interfere with detox.
Treatment After Detox
The detox process is only the first step in a recovery program. The next step is treatment including counseling and therapy. A good detox program with a valid medication management program lays the foundation for treatment. The goal of every detox program is to deliver a clean and focused patient for treatment.
The treatment process requires honest communication between patient and counselor. When this happens, patients get the opportunity to learn about their addiction and how to prevent a relapse. Without proper detox, patients may or may not be capable of open, honest communication. They might find cravings and urges for their drug of choice interferes with their ability to focus.
Serenity House Detox & Recovery
As one of the top detox groups in South Florida, Serenity House Detox & Recovery specializes in medical detox programs. We also offer a variety of detox treatment programs from the following list:
- Detox therapies
- Holistic approach to detox
- Heroin detox
- Detox program for women
- Detox program for men
Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to continue suffering from your addiction illness. When you tire of the cycle of addiction, you will be ready to admit defeat and seek help. Your first step should be to call Serenity House Detox & Recovery at 866-294-5306. By entering one of our detox programs, you will cleanse your body of harmful toxins. This will help you set the stage for a good treatment experience. With dedication, this could ultimately lead to lasting recovery.