Information on drugs and alcohol detox in Canada

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Drug Rehab Services is a no cost referral agency in Canada for drug and alcohol dependency. We have helped thousands of persons getting the proper help in the following detox services:

  • Alcohol detox
  • Benzodiazepine detox
  • Cocaine detox
  • Cough medicine detox
  • Crack cocaine detox
  • Dexedrine detox
  • Ecstasy detox
  • GHB detox
  • Heroin detox
  • LSD Detox
  • Marijuana detox
  • Mescaline detox
  • Methadone detox
  • Methamphetamine detox
  • Oxycontin© detox
  • Ritalin detox
  • Steroids detox

Our goal is to provide you the best advice possible for rehab clinics so you or a loved one get a drug free life. This page covers the different type of detox for different drugs.

 

Detox information

Detox is a short term for the word detoxification, which means the chemical changes that occur when a person’s body is used to regular and frequent administration of a specific substance or a number of drugs, including alcohol.  The human body will do what is needed to maintain its chemical balance in a stable equilibrium. This function of the body is called “homeostasis”.  When alcohol and other drugs are ingested in the body, the reaction will be to treat these aliens as poisons.  (The body reacts to alcohol and other drugs as foreign substances, or poisons which they are.)

The main goal of  a living body is to survive or continue living, so when foreign substances are taken into the body, it triggers different chemical mechanisms to improve the tolerance and reject these substances.  Over time, the body becomes accustomed to this new chemical and when it is changed abruptly (withdrawal), the body goes into a certain degree of shock, which can even create a life-threatening situation, but it will always be uncomfortable.

In general, the detox can take from 4 and even up to 14 days, depending on the drug taken or alcohol, the amount being taken, the frequencies the drug was used and whether it was mixed with other substances.  Each category of drugs has its own physical reactions that will occur upon the cessation of a drug. The cessation of some drugs, such as
Opiates
, cause reactions similar to a severe flu, but it is not life-threatening.  (However, if the individual has other physical problems, such as heart disease, these withdrawals or detox may need medical attention since the stress of the detox react on the the body and causing these health issues to worsen.)

Other drugs, such as benzodiazepines (such as Zanax and Valium), barbiturates and alcohol can create seizures depending on the dosage taken and the duration of use.

Detox services are divided into Social Detox and Medical Detox, depending on the category of  drugs taken.   Large amounts of alcohol and other substances above as being high risk of seizures, require Medical Detox. Opiate detox isn’t a physical threat, it is very uncomfortable and has such a strong emotional component, that Medical Detox, using

Buprenorphine
or other opiates to step-down the dose over time help to ease the withdrawal symptoms.

Many detox without medical assistance will fail because the patient will resort back to his drug of choice rather than confront pain and anxiety of five miserable days of withdrawals.

So, how do you decide what type of detox is most appropriate?

The decision should be left in the hands of a certified drug and alcohol counselor or some other medical professional since there are many considerations that need to be examined before a person decides to stop using alcohol and other substances.  It can be a tough decision to decide if an alcohol abuser needs medical or not.  It depends on many variables. So, again, be careful to have a professional guide you with your decision regarding the level of detox appropriate.

The above information is provided to give you an overview of the different detox and should not be taken as medical advice concerning the specific needs of someone requiring detox.

Detoxification is the first step toward a life free of drugs, but, by itself does not solve the addiction.  Of course, to treat a person for addiction, they must be clearheaded enough to be able to address the different issues in a treatment and detox is the first step toward this goal.

Sometimes individuals confuse detox with Biophysical Treatment. This treatment uses an extensive detox procedure which removes the toxins created by alcohol and drug abuse from the body.  This procedure perform after the person has thoroughly detoxed from their substance of abuse.

Counselor ready to help you

If you or a loved one have a problem with drugs or alcohol detox
We can help!
Call one of our counsellors today!
1-877-254-3348