| The removal of toxic substances from the human | | | | alcoholism, but it is just the method used to prepare the |
| body or any other living organism, by physiological and | | | | human body for treatment. |
| or medicinal means is generally termed as | | | | Similar to alcohol detox, drug detoxification is a method |
| detoxification or detox. There is also one another | | | | used to cut down on the withdrawal symptoms during |
| definition of detoxification, which specifies the time | | | | the time period, when the addicted individual lives |
| period taken by an organism to come back to its | | | | without drug use. Drug detox can be achieved with or |
| normal life after being addictive to a substance. A toxic | | | | without medication. The severity of the symptoms will |
| substance can be anything that alters the normal | | | | mainly depend on the physical health, frequency the |
| functioning of the body. The colon, lymph, urinary | | | | drug is being used, the time period, type of substance |
| system, circulatory system and liver in good working | | | | that is being used and the mental state. Drug detox |
| condition will keep toxins away from collecting in our | | | | has 3 main steps. In the first step, the user gets |
| body. When any of these systems get over loaded, | | | | evaluated for detox which includes a psychological |
| they tend to allow toxins to accumulate in the body. | | | | evaluation. This will in turn help in determining the actual |
| The process of bringing back a heavy drinker to | | | | reason that lead to the drug abuse. In the next step, |
| normal life, from his usual drinking methodologies is | | | | the withdrawal symptoms are being monitored and |
| known as alcohol detoxification. In general, mild | | | | analyzed to be stopped. Use of medication is based |
| withdrawal from alcohol can start within 12 to 36 hours | | | | on the result of the previous step. A family member |
| after the last drink and it can also last from a very | | | | might be required to help with the process; if at all a |
| few hours to even days. Usually the symptoms are | | | | drug user is not in a stable state. The final step is to |
| restlessness, quickened heart rate, sweating, vomiting, | | | | enroll the drug user in the rehabilitation program and |
| muscle spasms and dry mouth. There are cases | | | | start off with the treatment for drug detox. |
| where the severe symptoms will surface within 5 to 10 | | | | The best way to address the drug abuse is to, identify |
| hours after the last drink. It may get worse over the | | | | the root cause for it and help the user overcome it, in |
| next few days and can last even more than a week. | | | | order to achieve a complete healing. This will in turn |
| Seizures, body tremors, severe stomach pain and | | | | help to reinforce the process of healing and makes it |
| chest infections are some of the common symptoms. | | | | permanent. The ultimate goal of detoxification is to |
| Trying to stop long term addiction of alcohol, without | | | | make the drug user realize the importance of life and |
| proper medical care can even lead to severe health | | | | make him live it in a more productive manner. |
| problems. Detox is not the actual treatment for | | | | |