Drug detox can take different lengths of time. How long your detox will last depends on the type of drug, level of drug abuse, and on the individual using the drug. Usually, drug detox will last anywhere from several days to two weeks. The individual can expect to experience withdrawals within the first couple of hours after abstaining from drugs and alcohol. Within a few days, the physical symptoms of the drug withdrawal will end. Emotional symptoms from drug detox like cravings can last much longer than other symptoms and can be more difficult to deal with.
What are the Side Effects of Detox?
All drugs have different side effects. Here are some of the most common:
Alcohol Detox
Side effects of alcohol detox can include headache, nausea, diarrhea, sweating, insomnia, and anxiety, among others. In extreme cases, alcohol detox can cause seizures and even death. Sometimes drugs are used to lessen the effects of alcohol detox. How long does alcohol detox take? On average, the majority of people can stop detoxing about 5 or 6 days after abstaining from drinking. The major factors to be considered is how long has the alcohol abuse been going on and how heavy of a drinker that person was.
Marijuana Detox
Marijuana detox does have side effects. Often the side effects of marijuana withdrawal are emotional, not physical. Side effects of marijuana detox can range from depression, appetite loss, aggression, and paranoia. How long does it take to detox from Marijuana it is approximately three days. It is a possibility it can take longer there are more emotional side effects versus physical side effects.
Methamphetamine Detox
Side effects can include irritability, depression, anxiety, fatigue, or even extremely realistic dreams. Meth detox side effects can last from a few days to several months, depending on the severity of the addiction. Because meth stimulates the feel-good areas of the brain, meth detox can be very difficult to get through.
If the addiction to Methamphetamine is more severe, the timeline to detox can last up to ¾ of a year. Within three days of detox, feelings of fatigue and extreme exhaustion can occur.
Within one week of abstaining, you may experience weight gain, hopelessness, strong cravings, aches, and pains.
In two weeks during detox, you will still be experiencing severe mood swings. After a month or two, some more severe withdrawal symptoms may start to improve.
Cocaine Detox
Some sufferers of cocaine detox can experience depression, agitation, lethargy, increased appetite, and bad dreams. In severe cases, some clients going through cocaine withdrawal may have suicidal thoughts.
Side effects of cocaine detox begin almost immediately after a person stops using cocaine. The emotional side effects of cocaine detox can last for several months. The timeline of detox for cocaine is generally around ten weeks.
Crack Detox
Side effects of crack cocaine detox are varied. There can be physical symptoms such as vomiting, nausea, shakes, muscle pain, and fatigue. Psychological symptoms can range from anxiety and irritability to depression and drug craving.
Side effects from crack detox can last months, due to the nature of crack use. Also, the physical toxins from crack use must be removed from the client’s system before true crack detox can begin to remove the emotional side effects.
How long does detox of crack take? It can be up to several weeks; however, it could be months. The more intense withdrawals begin within the week.
Prescription Drugs Detox
Sometimes people become addicted to prescription drugs. Prescription drugs also can have side effects when a user goes through detox. Side effects of prescription drug detox are mainly physical. For example, a person may experience sore muscles and bones, trouble sleeping, diarrhea, and vomiting.
In some cases, withdrawal symptoms of sedative detox can cause seizures. It is very important to speak to a doctor before detoxing from prescription drug use. The length of detox for prescription drugs depends on the drug being abused, how long use, a person’s gender, and age.
This detox timeline could be from a few days to a few weeks. Some of the withdrawal symptoms are abdominal issues, cramping of the muscles, cravings, being anxious, getting agitated, and getting depressed.
How Long Does it Take to Detox From Opioids and Opiates?
The difference between opioids and opiates is opiates derive from the poppy plant and are considered to be natural. Opioids are synthetic and human-made. Repeated abuse of opiates and opioids changes the chemistry of the brain. Within a week or two is the time it takes to detox from opioids and opiates. This timeframe can be extended depending on the drug being abused, how much the drug was abused, the person’s gender and age.
Common withdrawal symptoms or opioids and opiates :
- Heart racing symptoms
- Blood pressure issues
- Not being able to sleep
- Being anxious
- Eyes starting to tear for no reason
- Abdominal issues
- Chills and sweating
- Being agitated easily
- Craving the drug
What is Medical Assisted Detox?
Medically-assisted detox is detoxing while medical professions watch over you during the detox. Medically assisted detox lasts approximately a week. If necessary, the detox center or hospital can administer drugs to help with the withdrawal symptoms.
In most cases, the drugs used for detox are benzodiazepines. However, in some cases, methadone and Suboxone is used to help with withdrawal symptoms. If you or a loved one is in need of medically assisted detox, contact us at Los Angeles Detox to find a caring, professional option.
Advantages of Medically Assisted Detox
One of the advantages of medically assisted detox is they can administer drugs to help minimize or even eliminate withdrawal symptoms. These drugs give them a safer alternative. These alternative drugs can help the patient become less physically addicted.
The treatment is administered and monitored by medical professionals. This is especially important if the patient has underlying medical issues. Being monitored 24/7 by medical professionals and psychiatric professionals can be critical during an intense detox experience. Patients can experience seizures, tremors, and extreme nausea.
Individuals that have been engaged in heavy drug use, or using for a long time, are strongly suggested to have a medically-assisted detox.
Disadvantages of Medically Assisted Detox
It is vocally noted that some people criticize medically assisted detox claiming that they are swapping one drug addiction to another drug addiction. And, in some instances, the patient abuses the replacement drugs.
Psychological dependence is different from physical dependence. Psychological dependence refers to the reasons a person became addicted, to begin with. For a person to be truly free of addiction, they have to acknowledge those issues as well. Medically-assisted detox is only the beginning of the journey. Addiction treatment follows detox, and that is where psychological dependence is addressed.
More Drug Detox Information
Detox from drugs is not something to be taken lightly. There are many drug detox options to consider. Sometimes, the side effects of drug and alcohol detox can cause severe reactions, up to and including death. For people with minor addictions, drug detox at home may be an option. However, most people benefit from an outpatient or inpatient treatment center and medical monitoring for detox. If drug detox is done at a drug and alcohol rehab center, there may be a medication used to ease the client’s withdrawal symptoms.
Other methods, such as rapid detox may be used, but these are controversial. However, the client chooses to go through drug detox, an appointment with a doctor is essential.
There are two types of dependency on substances; they are physical dependence and psychological dependence. Most patients are both psychologically and physically dependent. When you are physically dependent on drugs or alcohol, you are subject to withdrawal symptoms. When an individual is physically dependent, they start to become tolerant of the drug then they need more and more for the same high effects.
Being physically dependent on drugs is when you stop taking drugs, you experience physical pain from the withdrawal symptoms.
Psychological dependency is considered a brain disorder, and the individual seeks that drug use. In essence, it is drug addiction.
Psychological dependency affects the individual’s family, their work habits, their social life. Psychological dependence is the reason why individuals may do risky things and have self-destructing behaviors. Some substances like Marijuana, you may not experience physical dependency, but you do become psychologically dependent. People who are psychologically dependent do negate their normal daily obligations.
Get the Help You Deserve Today at LA Detox!
If you or a loved one is interested in detoxing from drugs and alcohol, contact us at Los Angeles Detox for all the information you need in a caring environment.
References
https://www.healthline.com/health/alcoholism/how-long-does-it-take-to-detox-from-alcohol
https://drug.addictionblog.org/crack-detox-timeline-how-long-to-detox-from-crack/
