Detox is essential to recovery from addiction to alcohol or drugs. Quick detox is tempting as you just want it to be over with, but is it possible? The symptoms of withdrawal can be very uncomfortable and even life-threatening. It is good to be cautious about rapid detox as there are excellent ways to detox more quickly, but some methods are potentially dangerous.
A normal detox takes between a week and two weeks, depending on how severe your addiction is, its symptoms and its physiology. Ultra-rapid detox refers to using drugs and health-boosting treatments to help the body recover more quickly. This kind of detox should be aided by medication in a medically supervised environment.
An accelerated detox like this can be done in 5 days with the help of medication. If you are staying in a rehab centre you can take longer to recover but those who want to save time and stay home can try a home detox UK doctors can provide on private prescription.
Detox is stopping the toxin you are addicted to, and withdrawal is the symptoms that happen when you do this. In rehab and in a medically supervised home detox, you will have what is called precipitated withdrawal. This is withdrawal controlled by medication.
The purpose of detox is simple – minimising the withdrawal symptoms that occur when you stop drinking or using drugs. The mimic substance is reduced by degrees and removed altogether usually within a week. This reduces the chances of relapse and increases the likelihood of full recovery.
Accelerated detox is not a cure for drug addiction. It is only the beginning of the recovery process, and it needs to be followed up with appropriate rehabilitation and aftercare. This is where many people who attempt addiction treatment fail.
There is a range of medications available to help with detox. These vary from sedatives to non-addictive forms of opiate to replace the drugs you normally take.
Sedatives work by preventing the most severe and damaging symptoms of detox. Drugs such as benzodiazepines on prescription can prevent seizures, hallucinations and shaking caused by delirium tremens. It follows that avoiding these symptoms keeps you in better health and leads to a quicker recovery.
Naltrexone injections act as an opioid antagonist, block the drugs’ harmful effects and reduce cravings. In some hospital settings, patients get naltrexone while under anaesthesia, but this is rare in the rapid detox UK providers.
Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide is an essential coenzyme to our metabolism. This means that it works to metabolise food into energy. Alcohol and drug use deplete NAD because they affect the natural absorption of B3 or niacin into our bodies. Some of the worst effects of alcohol withdrawal are potential side effects of NAD deficiency. Among these are fatigue, insomnia, memory loss, confusion and coma.
An infusion of NAD helps to redress the balance of niacin in your body. It also increases your energy levels giving you more to fight off symptoms with. NAD drips also improve inflammation which occurs in the brain during withdrawal.
Depending on your condition, a NAD infusion can cut your detox time by several days or more. Combining this with other vitamin injections or supplements can also improve your situation.
Call Us About NAD+ TreatmentA huge part of detoxing from alcohol or drugs is restoring everything your body lost due to drinking or taking drugs. You may have neglected your nutrition and health while focusing on your addiction. Replacing these can alleviate many symptoms such as insomnia, low mood and anxiety. B vitamins are particularly important, but there are a host of nutrients that drugs and alcohol prevent from entering your body.
Water is one of the most powerful molecules in our body. We need it to live, and dehydration can be very uncomfortable. Many of the symptoms of withdrawal are associated with dehydration. Your body needs water to get rid of toxins from alcohol or drugs. Drinking small sips may not be possible if you are feeling sick from withdrawal. Some rehabs or outpatient clinics will offer a saline drip to rehydrate you while you detox.
Detoxing from opiates such as heroin is a challenging experience and every day can seem like an age. For those who want a safe rapid heroin detox will need to do so as an inpatient. Supervision is vital when using opiate antagonists which will make for a quicker and easier detox.
In rehab, you will spend around a week in detox. Sometimes in a specialist unit or with others further on in recovery. Additional therapies such as NAD or vitamin infusions and detox medication can shorten the detox period. However, if your condition is severe, you may still find it takes more than a week to detox fully and safely.