Medical Drug Detox – Choosing A Blueprint

Deciding on a method of drug addiction detoxification is dependent on whether an individual wants to completely clear their system of addictive substances and change their life completely or if they simply want to pass a drug test at work or elsewhere. The first involves rehabilitation while the second may involve biochemistry. Israeli doctors at the end of the twentieth century developed a method of rapid opiate detox. The American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has gradually tweaked this over the years to use safer medications that have been approved.

Rapid Detox

Achieving complete clearance of an addictive substance without any form of medical intervention may take several days. Withdrawal can be extremely painful and unpleasant. This often makes people put off going ‘clean’. There is a system of ‘rapid detox’ involving anesthetic so the patient can escape the pain and other associated symptoms. While this approach can provide results in as little as a few hours, it costs a lot of money and its safety is as yet unproven. It’s a lot of bother to just pass a simple test.

Reasons For Testing

There are many possible occasions on which someone may have to take a urine test. Some employers test prospective employees or those they are considering for promotion. Sporting competitions may involve substance testing. So may taking out a life insurance policy. Parolees and probationers may be required to submit to urine tests, as well as school students. The only to be absolutely certain of passing a test is to completely abstain from using the substance for at least as long as the detection time.

Clearance Time

The drug detection time is defined as the length of time that a drug remains detectable via testing the urine. Some substances like cannabinoids (marijuana), steroids and phenobarbital (a long-acting barbiturate) may take as long as weeks or even months to clear the system. Tranquillizers in the benzodiazepine family (lorazepam, valium, etc.) can take a week or ten days. Amphetamines, cocaine, opiates and short-acting barbiturates may clear the system in less than a week.

Detox Drinks

There are many preparations available over the Internet that are marketed as ‘detox drinks’. Some are also available to purchase over the telephone or at selected retailers. Many of them are active for only a few hours, just long enough to pass a drug test.

Total Rehabilitation

Passing a drug test may be sufficient for casual drug users who want to remain employed and out of jail. For people with a giant monkey on their back who want a complete lifestyle change, an extended program of detoxification and rehabilitation is necessary. This approach needs to incorporate psychological, social and behavioral issues.

Residential Treatment

Residential crack cocaine addiction rehabilitation programs are promising because they remove the individual from the environmental and social influences that encourage the drug using lifestyle. They also allow residents to gain confidence in forming relationships with non-drug users. When the patient is released back into the community, a successful program will provide follow up to prevent backsliding.