Finding out that a loved one has a substance abuse issue can be earth-shattering, especially for parents and spouses. The instinctive reaction will vary from family to family. Some will want to do all they can to get their loved one into immediate medical care, while others will try to cover up the issue and downplay its seriousness. The latter camp may decide the best thing to do is help their loved one get sober at home, with no outside help. This is incredibly dangerous. The best way to get those addicted to alcohol the help they need is to get them into an alcohol detox program. These medically monitored programs will offer so much more care and support than at-home care and lead to greater long-term improvement. Here’s why you need to turn to medical professionals for detox treatment.
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A Full Medical Evaluation
As far as family members are concerned, the underlying problem is alcohol addiction. They want their loved ones from this addiction, and medics to do what they can to get them sober again. However, it’s ineffective to simply focus on this one aspect of addiction. For a start, addiction to alcohol comes from a deeper problem.
Eventually, therapists will be able to go deeper into this in outpatient sessions. For now, medical evaluators still need to get a good idea of the patient’s mental health and history of substance abuse. If they determine a patient has severe anxiety or depression, this can help them shape their treatment plan. The same goes for underlying medical conditions. That’s why patients who enter these top drug and alcohol rehab facilities will undergo blood and urine tests before going through the detox process. Families that try to help loved ones alone, or try to hide the issue, deny them the chance to get this comprehensive physical care. They might miss secondary issues that require additional support.
The Use Of Detox Medication
There is a right way for someone to go through detox and a wrong way. Too many families believe that if they take control, bring a sufferer into the family home, and make them go cold turkey, everything will be OK. It doesn’t work that way. Alcoholics have such a dependency on alcohol, and possibly other substances, that complete elimination can push them in the wrong direction. They can get seriously ill, both physically and mentally.
A medically monitored detox offers a more controlled approach with support from doctors who understand the impact of alcohol on an addict. They will use the right medication and support to ease patients into a place of stability and better health. Stability is the end goal of detox. To do this, doctors can administer benzodiazepines to help regulate the central nervous system and disulfiram to create alcohol aversion. You can learn more about these at this website.
The Risk Of Medical Complications During Detox
Although these medically monitored detox programs are conducted by experts with years of experience, they aren’t without their risks. Any detox process has the potential for complications, and every case is different. Some patients will struggle more than others to consent to treatments and cooperate. Some will experience severe reactions to withdrawals or the medication used.
Drug withdrawal symptoms will vary, and anyone dealing with this outside of professional care must watch out for signs of illness and distress. Patients are likely to deal with headaches, nausea, and mood disturbances as their body reacts to the lack of drugs in their system. This can also lead to some uncomfortable tremors and muscle pains. At its worst, alcohol withdrawal can cause seizures, hallucinations, and cases of insomnia and depression. Medics at Connecticut detox facilities can handle these with ease and administer the right help. It’s not so easy if you’re trying to do this with a loved one at home. It’s not fair on you to have that responsibility, either.
The Chance To Transition Into Further Care
One of the additional benefits of working with a top Connecticut drug and alcohol rehab center is the ability to transition into further care. It would be highly irresponsible of medical professionals to hand patients back to family members as soon as they have stabilized. The detox process is just the start of a much more complex journey.
Once patients commit to their care plan at detox, they can then move forward into beneficial treatment plans to help them control their addiction. A comprehensive Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) lets patients begin to deal with the root cause of their alcohol addiction. CBT and DBT sessions can be highly enlightening, teaching them about the power of their thoughts and emotions. Alternative treatments like meditation, art therapy, and group sessions can all help, too. Eventually, patients will require a more infrequent approach to sessions as they integrate back into society full-time.
The Support For More Than The Patient
Finally, families need to remember that effective medically monitored detox solutions aren’t just there to help patients. The care of the patient is obviously the priority as medical professionals do all they can to get an addict into a healthier state and on to rehab services. However, they also know that this situation is a stressful time for the family.
The best alcohol detox centers in Connecticut can provide wider-reaching support for family members. Eventually, this will lead to an invitation to family therapy sessions, which let attendees get to the root of feelings and behavioral triggers. The support and education provided can empower families as they strive to do what’s best for their loved ones. The separation during detox also gives families a welcome break.
Medically Monitored Detox Is Essential
To summarize all this, there is no way to provide the detailed and expert care addicts need by forcing them to detox at home. You could miss important medical issues and put them at greater risk. You don’t want to increase the likelihood of withdrawal symptoms and do this without specialist knowledge, medication, and therapeutic support. The best Connecticut drug and alcohol rehab facilities can ensure loved ones are in the right place, with the right people, and on track to get stable again. They are primed for effective outpatient care and a brighter future.
