When you are physically dependent upon any drug, including alcohol, detox can be an extremely difficult experience. More than just a physiological response to the lack of drugs in your system, drug detox is emotionally and psychologically exhausting as well.

If you are about to enter drug detox or if you are currently detoxing off of your drug of choice, here are a few safety tips to help you make sure you are detoxing healthfully and effectively.

Drug Detox Safety Tip #1: Medical Supervision

Of primary importance is your health as you go through drug detox. The only way to ensure this is to begin and end your drug detox under medical supervision. At inpatient drug detox or drug rehab facilities, you will have onsite medical supervision as you begin your drug detox all the way through until your withdrawal symptoms are gone. Should you experience any complications due to underlying or co-occurring medical disorders, you will be protected.

Drug Detox Safety Tip #2: Don’t Binge

Many are tempted to overindulge in their drug of choice right before entering a drug detox program. They view it as a “last hurrah” before getting clean and sober. Unfortunately, this will only make your detox experience worse. It also increases your chance of drug overdose, which may ultimately mean that you never make it to drug detox at all. It’s just not a good idea.

Drug Detox Safety Tip #3: Don’t Relapse

One of the biggest risks during drug detox is relapse, yet another reason why it is important that you enroll in a medically supervised drug detox program before you begin. The risk of relapse is highest during detox due to the intensity of withdrawal symptoms. Unfortunately, the largest percentage of drug overdoses occur after a period of sobriety and relapsing during detox is significantly more dangerous than regular drug use. The chances of death or coma due to overdose after abstinence is much higher.

Drug Detox Safety Tip #4: Positive Support

The support of people who love you and want the best for you as well as from people who have been through what you’re going through is invaluable. For many, this is the only thing that keeps them involved in the program and fighting through the hard parts of each day. If you feel like relapsing or if you find yourself wondering why you started this in the first place, if you can’t seem to remember what it is that you’re getting clean and sober for, then calling a supportive friend, counselor, a 1-800 hotline or a sponsor will help you get back on track.

Drug Detox

If you’re ready to get started on building a new life without drugs and alcohol, then The Canyon can help. Give us a call or contact us by email for more information about our drug detox program today.

NOTE: If you are concerned that you or someone you are with is experiencing an OxyContin overdose, call 911 immediately.

What is an OxyContin Overdose?

OxyContin overdose occurs when you take too much of OxyContin in a short period or combine OxyContin with other drugs of addiction. If you have difficulty breathing, feel a sudden overwhelming and extreme fatigue, and think that you have overdoses on OxyContin, call 911 immediately.

If you are with someone who appears to have passed out and can’t be woken up, they have a slow heartbeat and exhibit shallow breathing as well as a bluish tint to their nails and lips and you know that they took OxyContin recently, they may be experiencing an OxyContin overdose and you should call 911.

What Do I Do in the Event of an OxyContin Overdose?

If someone you are with has been taking OxyContin and shows signs of an overdose, call 911 as soon as possible. When your call is answered, stay calm and be prepared to furnish the following information if you can:

* The name, age and weight of the person
* How the victim appears to you and symptoms they are exhibiting
* The strength and the amount of OxyContin that was taken
* When and how it was ingested
* If the OxyContin was prescribed for the victim

In the event that you suspect an OxyContin overdose but are not convinced it is an emergency, contact the National Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222. You should be ready to supply the operator the same information as you would a 911 agent. Poison Control is available 24 hours a day, 7days a week and is completely confidential.

How is an OxyContin Overdose Treated?

Most deaths occur during an OxyContin overdose because the patient stops breathing. When treating an OxyContin overdose, the main objective will be to open airways to allow the patient to breathe either on their own or with assistance. A medication such as naloxone is commonly administered to prevent respiratory depression. To prevent and manage circulatory shock and pulmonary edema resulting from an OxyContin overdose, it may be necessary to provide oxygen and vasopressors. If cardiac arrest or arrhythmias become apparent, cardiac massage or defibrillation will be required.

How Do I Avoid OxyContin Overdose?

The best way to avoid it is to choose never to take the drug unless prescribed by a doctor and to undergo treatment for OxyContin addiction as soon as you recognize the problem.

Who Needs OxyContin Detox and Treatment?

While anyone can become addicted to OxyContin, some people may be more susceptible to addiction, especially those who have had a drug abuse or addiction problem in the past or those with a genetic predisposition for addiction. Even if you have these issues, you may still be prescribed OxyContin, though your doctor should monitor you closely.

If you find that you are preoccupied with taking the drug, take a higher dose than prescribed, go “doctor shopping” to get multiple prescriptions for OxyContin or other opioid-based prescription drugs or increase your dosing schedule without authorization from your doctor, then the person needing OxyContin detox and treatment is you. Call an OxyContin rehab like The Canyon today to break your addiction and avoid overdose.

If you’re addicted to an opiate like heroin or prescription painkillers like Vicodin, codeine, OxyContin and others, the only way to break free from that addiction is an opiate detox and addiction treatment at an opiate rehab.

Heroin addiction, especially, has proven a difficult disease to break free from, especially when the drug is used intravenously. The problem is so rampant in this country, that researchers and medical professionals continue to study different ways to treat the problem in hopes of finding one that is effective across the board. We’ve talked about heroin addiction treatment using methadone, Suboxone and heroin itself, but here’s another idea that’s being debated among researchers: heroin addiction treatment using Naltrexone implants.

How Naltrexone Can Treat Heroin Addiction

The claims for Naltrexone as an effective heroin addiction treatment measure include the following:

* An opiate antagonist
* Removes opiate cravings
* Reverses physiological addiction
* Repairs damaged opiate receptors over time to treat physiological addiction
* Future relapses on heroin provide no high

Problems With Naltrexone as a Heroin Addiction Treatment

If all that is true, then why haven’t people been using Naltrexone to kick heroin since all this was discovered in the ‘70s? Apparently, there are a number of problems with the drug as well. First of all, researchers say that it’s hard to make someone take the pill every day. For some reason, they haven’t considered or won’t consider distributing it the way they distribute methadone: at a clinic, under supervision on a daily basis. The other issue is that though it may block the effects of heroin when taken regularly and as prescribed, there are bad relapse issues when you take Naltrexone some of the time and heroin some of the time and try to mix the two haphazardly. The result can mean nasty withdrawal symptoms.

Naltrexone Implant Therapy: An Australian Solution to Heroin Addiction

So here’s the big idea, the one they’re testing in Australia as a possible way to take advantage of Naltrexone’s effect on heroin addiction and circumvent the issues that have come up in the past with the pill form: an implant. The guy who developed the idea and manufactures the Naltrexone implant is Dr. George O’Neil. The implant is put under the skin where it delivers a controlled dose of Naltrexone reliably and safely. The current implant works for up to six months but a longer lasting implant is in development.

Beware of imitators, however. Apparently, there are inferior versions floating around that are made more cheaply and can be deadly. The O’Neil implant is the only one that has been called 100 percent safe.

What Do You Think About Naltrexone for Heroin Addiction Treatment?

Is this a good idea? Should we try it in the United States? Do you foresee any possible issues? Is it worth the time and financial investment to explore a new heroin-specific addiction treatment when we have a number of medications available for heroin detox and rehab?

I’m not sure what boggles the mind more about this story: the fact that poachers got an elephant strung out on dope or that the elephant was subsequently put through a three-year opiate detox so that he could get better.

Um, what.

A Tough Life for an Elephant

According to Weird Asia News, “An Asian elephant that was fed bananas laced with heroin by cruel smugglers to keep him under control has been put through a detox program by Chinese vets in Beijing.”

They’re calling the elephant Big Brother, and in his four-year long life, he’s been illegally captured and given heroin to subdue him and keep him under control. When the poachers who stole were arrested, the police wanted to free Big Brother, but quickly noticed that something wasn’t quite right. That’s right: he was going through heroin detox and having some severe withdrawal symptoms. So the cops sent him to a wild animal protection center and it was there that he received a methadone maintenance treatment that was steadily decreased over time.

What Methadone Maintenance for an Elephant Looks Like

Apparently, it comes in the form of five mega-shots of methadone a day that are each five times the maximum human dose. And it lasts for three years. I’m not sure where the protocol came from on this, if this is a relatively common occurrence or what (it’s been reported that he had three elephant friends with him at elephant drug rehab who are also doing well), but they’ve got it down to a science now. Over time, his methadone dose was reduced gradually and he seems to be doing fine. He’s scheduled to move to a wildlife park in Kunming where he will live out his days unshackled by heroin addiction.

Why Drug Rehab for Junkie Elephants?

Well, drug rehab likely would not have been the destination for almost any other animal or species. But Big Brother is an Asian elephants, which are currently classified as endangered by the IUCN. Had he been a regular old elephant, he might have been sent to the gas chamber instead. Or shot. Or whatever they do to large animals who are severely ill. But then again, if he’d been an ordinary elephant, the poachers might have left him alone and never fed him bananas spiked with dope.

How often do you think this happens? What do you think of what must be an exorbitantly expensive treatment for an animal when people are dying from the same disease all over the world? A justified expense, or no?

Prescription drug addiction is a rising concern across the country, and with a new administration in the White House, some are hoping that the new administration will mean new changes in healthcare legislation concerning drug prescription and prescription painkiller treatment.

One of these people is a member of Advocates for Opioid Prescription Reform, Steven L. Hayes. He says, “Our group is composed of determined individuals from all walks of life who have become aware of the problem. We are convinced that when people understand this problem it will not be allowed to continue.”

The Power of the Written Word

Another proponent of prescription drug reform is Dr. Kirk Van Rooyan, a plastic surgeon. Having lost his stepson to one dose of OxyContin, Van Rooyan is hyper aware of the problems surrounding prescription drug addiction and abuse. With a letter, he hopes to help other families avoid the trauma that his own family suffered. An awareness letter meant to raise understanding and visibility surrounding the problem, Van Rooyan’s hope that the addressee will be inspired by the information to make changes. The addressee is Dr. Joshua Sharfstein is currently the Baltimore Health Commissioner but is a frontrunner for the appointment to head the FDA.

Rise in Prescription Opiate Marketing Parallels Rise in Opiate Overdose

The crux of Van Rooyan’s letter to Sharfstein is the fact that the rise in marketing for prescription opiates has paralleled the rise in prescriptions for opiate painkillers which in turn has caused a rise in deaths due to opiate overdose. He points out that the problem is obvious and harmful, that no attempts have been made by the FDA to do anything constructive about the problem or support those who are making good faith efforts to change how opiates are marketed or prescribed.

Says Van Rooyan in his letter: “As a group sharing the bond of the loss–to addiction or death from opioids–of a family member or loved one, it is our sincere hope that the Obama Administration, particularly those agencies most involved in drug and public health issues and safety, will respond to the challenge posed by the prescription opioid crisis, bringing to bear its already demonstrated passion, innovation, and competence.”

The Power of Opiate Detox and Opiate Addiction Treatment

If you or someone you love is addicted to their opiate painkiller prescription—drugs that include Vicodin, OxyContin, Lortab, Percocet, Percodan, Lorcet, Fentanyl, codeine, morphine, oxycodone, hydrocodone and others—opiate detox and opiate addiction treatment can help. The Canyon offers a comprehensive opiate rehab that is holistic in nature, addressing the physical and psychological effects of opiate addiction. Contact The Canyon today for more information.

If you have a drug addition, you already know the most uncomfortable part – withdrawal. Not every drug has physical withdrawal symptoms, but practically every addictive drug has a psychological addiction. Much of the power of addiction is it’s affect on your thoughts and beliefs. When you face an ugly withdrawal period, you could go to a drug treatment center that provides medically supervised drug detox, or go cold turkey on your own. Let’s look honestly at both sides.

Privacy

Cold Turkey – Certainly this option would provide a lot of privacy. You could choose to isolate yourself completely and you would have no interruptions. You could ask a friend to check in on your after a couple of days. However, it pays to look at the rest of the list to see if being totally alone is really the safest idea.

Drug Treatment Center – Doing a drug detox at a private drug treatment center gives you about as much privacy as you could get with some important benefits. No one from outside the drug rehab will know you are even there unless you give express permission to release information. Most importantly, you can be assured a safe medically-assisted detox experience.

Discomfort

Cold Turkey – The pain and physical discomfort of the withdrawal experience often draws people back into their addiction. Depending on the drug you are withdrawing from, those hours and days can be anywhere from miserable and annoying to unbearable and dangerous. Many people simply go back to the drugs because they can’t handle the withdrawal symptoms and can’t see the end in sight.

Drug Treatment Center- Going the professional route doesn’t guarantee a pain-free experience. But for some drug withdrawals, a doctor can prescribe medications to ease the physical cravings and lessen the overall discomfort. This is most commonly done with opiates due to their highly physically addictive nature.

Emotional Support

Cold Turkey – You may feel like your willpower and desire to be done with drugs will be enough to get you through. But keep in mind how emotionally fragile you are from being on drugs in the first place. What happens when it gets really tough? Can you count to your friends who are on drugs and understand the experience? Can you turn to friends and family who are sober and want you to come through it, but may not know how to help you?

Drug Treatment Center – Professionals at a drug treatment center have helped many people in your situation. They won’t get rattled by the emotional things you say or do. These folks are also trained to help you stay encouraged, listen to you, and give you accurate information on your progress to give you hope. It doesn’t get much better than that.

Something Going Wrong

Cold Turkey – Most people are not at risk of dying from attempting a cold turkey detox at home (although it might feel like it). It can be extremely uncomfortable, but it rarely becomes fatal. However, if you have untreated medical problems and you try detox on your own, you could be putting your life at risk.

Drug Treatment Center- The advantage of going to a drug treatment center is knowing that your health is being carefully watched. If anything should get difficult, you can be transferred to a nearby hospital until you are out of danger.

Drug Addiction Treatment Prescriptions

Using drugs to fight off drug use seems contradictory, especially when some medications (such as methadone) are synthesized from the same addictive compounds as their hardcore cousins. Dependence on prescribed medications has far fewer side effects than those of addictive substances, though, and allows for a controlled landing that minimizes harmful or permanent side effects.

The Need for Managing Withdrawal Symptoms with Medications

Cold turkey withdrawal from a severely chronic addiction can be deadly. The body finds itself suddenly void of the chemical messengers it relies on to ferry information around the nervous system and launches into a neurologic tailspin. Every function is on overload because suddenly the “wires” in the brain have lost their “insulation” and everything starts to short-circuit.

Severe depression, anxiety, agitation, hallucinations, nausea, tremors, and even seizures are the hallmarks of drug and alcohol withdrawal. Most symptoms sprout up after six to 12 hours following the last session of use and can continue for upwards of 4 weeks. After this initial period of intensity, cravings may still sneak up on you weeks, months, or even years later.

Without prescribed medications, the first sign of withdrawal symptoms can send the user right back to the original substance of abuse.

The Fundamentals of Managing Withdrawal Symptoms with Medications

Electrolytes are the most commonly available “medications” for treating withdrawal symptoms. Found in popular sports drinks at every gas station and grocery store, electrolytes are the ionic charge your muscles, organs, and nerves need to maintain optimal functioning. IV supplements are sometimes used to offset extreme cases of electrolyte depletion.

Additional medications used for treatment and gradual weaning of withdrawal symptoms can include:

• Benzodiazepines (Valium, Librium, and Ativan) – Low doses administered for alcohol withdrawal calm the nervous system without excessive euphoria
• Phenobarbital – Anticonvulsant for controlling seizures (especially necessary when the addiction includes barbituates)
• Clondine – Antihypertensive given to opiate addicts to ease muscle cramps
• Methadone – Also for combating opiate use, a long-acting analgesic that binds to pain receptors in the brain, making other opiates ineffective and useless for getting high
• Naltrexone (Vivitrol) – An opiate antagonist that reverses the effects of opiate substances, used primarily for rapid opiate detoxification (ROD) while a patient is anesthetized, sedated, or unconscious due to overdose.
• Buprenorphine (Suboxone) – An analgesic combination of opioid agonist and antagonist, meaning it binds heavily to opioid receptors, but only to a degree. Any attempts to reverse the effects are met with only partial success, although studies have shown it to be more effective than methadone with fewer doses.

The Importance of Drug and Alcohol Rehab after Withdrawal

Detox might just be the scariest ride of your life, and potentially more violent than anything you’ve ever experienced. But when the worst is over, it’s over. Walking through fire burns away the impure aspects of the self and leaves the essential elements of our inner nature free to be reconfigured. Rebirth brings a chance for renewal.

Detox leaves us feeling scared and vulnerable, which is why competent counseling services are so desperately needed. Therapy teaches valuable new skills for managing in the world, finding answers to our problems, and coming to terms with the pain in our lives without relying on substances to numb the mind.

Detox rids the body of lethal toxins, and then it’s up to each of us to choose the path we take from there.

Tell Us: What’s the most terrifying thought about getting clean and staying sober for you? The change in surroundings at rehab? Going through detox? Therapy? Coming home? Or just being without drugs or alcohol for the first time?