Quitting cold turkey might sound easy, but it’s not. The idea is that someone struggling with substance use disorder can successfully reach sobriety by strictly stopping their use of the addictive substance all at once, rather than weaning themselves off the substance over time under medical supervision. The cold turkey method is not ideal, and the results can vary; there’s really no proven track record. At Solution Based Treatment, we offer alcohol addiction treatment and treatment for other addictive substances. Call 833.999.1941 to learn how our medical detox programs ensure a successful recovery and long-term sobriety.
Risks of Detox at Home
To try and avoid withdrawal symptoms, some people will try to slowly wean themselves off drugs or alcohol patients as part of an at-home detox. Unfortunately, it’s hard to regulate the dosing successfully as part of the weaning process without medical supervision. This is why most who try at-home detox end up trying to quit cold turkey because they find the process of weaning off the substance difficult to do. Either approach to at-home detox is dangerous.
At-home detox is also not one size fits all, and there are no guarantees regarding the outcome. For example, a smoker who’s been addicted to nicotine for just a year may have less of a chance of going through the withdrawal symptoms. But for someone who’s been addicted to alcohol or drugs for a long time, an at-home detox could be too severe and cause physical pain and damage. The other thing to consider is that you may be at greater risk of overdose when you try to quit cold turkey. In this unsupervised scenario, relapse is a real danger.
Withdrawing from substances like alcohol, opioids, and benzodiazepines without medical assistance can put you at a greater risk of developing life-threatening conditions. As your brain tries to recover from the effects of heavy alcohol or drug use, this shift can cause seizures, vertigo, and other serious health concerns.
Alcohol Detox at SBT
Even if you can quit cold turkey, medically supervised detox is always the best option. At SBT, we have a full medical staff and hospital resources to assist in the detox process in a comfortable non-hospital environment. Each client receives an individualized treatment plan based on their needs. Before we design that plan and start detox, we conduct an evaluation of each person’s mental and physical history. We test to find out what drugs are in your system and do a complete psychological evaluation, as well as have you meet with a therapist. Medication may be needed to assist with the withdrawal and ease the physical symptoms. Clients participate in individual and group therapy to help them avoid triggers and create healthy routines.
Medically supervised detox offers several advantages:
- Peace of mind, mental clarity, and focus to achieve recovery
- Reduces the intensity of withdrawal symptoms
- The ability to focus on the psychological and emotional aspects of recovery
- Lessens chances of relapse
- Prepares you for your next steps in the rehab process
After detox, we offer the following programs to continue your treatment:
- Partial hospitalization (PHP)
- Residential addiction treatment
- Intensive outpatient program (IOP)
- Men’s rehab program
- Women’s rehab program
- Sober living program
Contact SBT
An inpatient detox like Solution Based Treatment and Detox provides the best kind of medical supervision while someone goes through the agony of withdrawal. It’s not easy. It’s uncomfortable. The emotional and physical distress experienced during severe withdrawal can be the most painful experience someone goes through in their lifetime. Our team’s goal is to lessen the discomfort and give people the tools they need to recover and maintain their sobriety.
Contact the SBT team today at 833.999.1941 to learn more about detox options.