Prominent Pros and Cons of Rapid Opiate Detox
It's not easy to overcome an addiction to opiates. Attempts to go it alone with a "cold turkey" approach to withdrawal often fail as intense cravings develop due to the body's reliance on powerful opiate drugs. Family interventions can be effective at convincing someone that's time to get help. However, there may still be hesitation to commit to a drug rehab program. When rapid opiate detox is part of treatment, withdrawal isn't likely to be severe. Even so, there are pros and cons associated with rapid detoxification patients should consider before committing to treatment.
It's all Done Clinically with Supervision
The biggest pro of rapid opiate detox is the fact that it's all done clinically. A typical program takes about six hours to complete. During this period, all harmful drugs will be removed from a patient's system in a supervised, clinical setting. Medication is administered to improve comfort and minimize symptoms.
Patients will remain unconscious while under the effects of general anesthesia. During this time, withdrawal will occur. Patients often wake up with no memory of having even gone through withdrawal. Following rapid detox, the patient continues treatment at an inpatient rehab center.
Pros of Rapid Opiate Detox
The biggest pro associated with rapid detox is the fact that withdrawal occurs while under general anesthesia. It's also faster process than other detox procedures or processes. Under normal circumstances, detox and withdrawal is a process that could take anywhere from several days to weeks to go through, depending on how long a person has been addicted and what substances are involved. During this time, withdrawal symptoms can become increasingly severe.
Rapid detox eliminates these risks and accelerates the detox and withdrawal process in a safe, supervised setting. According to various surveys of detox centers, success rates with recover that includes rapid detoxification are high. Additional benefits include:
• Receiving private and confidential treatment
• Less risk of experiencing a relapse
• Instant access to medical care
• No lag time between when detox is completed and when the next stages of recovery begin
Potential Disadvantages
Rapid detox for opiates is generally considered a safe process for many individuals. However, there are some potential disadvantages to consider. First of all, rapid detox is not usually covered by most health insurance plans based on the standard rules that apply with this type of coverage. While highly effective, rapid detox can be expensive if there is no insurance coverage to absorb some or most of the expense.
Any rapid detox program will only treat the physical aspects of addiction. If a patient has underlying psychological or mental health issues, those problems will need to be dealt with as another part of the recovery process. Such issues will still exist after rapid detox is complete.
While many patients can benefit from a rapid detox program, some individuals have preexisting health issues that may make being placed under general anesthesia risky. An example of this would cardiac patients with heart and/or respiratory problems or individuals with health issues that aren't sufficiently managed or under control.
Rapid detox for opiate addiction isn't for everyone. However, the potential disadvantages associated with this process are relatively minor. Overall, rapid detoxification under general anesthesia has numerous benefits for individuals looking to overcome addiction without the risks of attempting detox and withdrawal without the proper supervision that's available at detox centers.
It's all Done Clinically with Supervision
The biggest pro of rapid opiate detox is the fact that it's all done clinically. A typical program takes about six hours to complete. During this period, all harmful drugs will be removed from a patient's system in a supervised, clinical setting. Medication is administered to improve comfort and minimize symptoms.
Patients will remain unconscious while under the effects of general anesthesia. During this time, withdrawal will occur. Patients often wake up with no memory of having even gone through withdrawal. Following rapid detox, the patient continues treatment at an inpatient rehab center.
Pros of Rapid Opiate Detox
The biggest pro associated with rapid detox is the fact that withdrawal occurs while under general anesthesia. It's also faster process than other detox procedures or processes. Under normal circumstances, detox and withdrawal is a process that could take anywhere from several days to weeks to go through, depending on how long a person has been addicted and what substances are involved. During this time, withdrawal symptoms can become increasingly severe.
Rapid detox eliminates these risks and accelerates the detox and withdrawal process in a safe, supervised setting. According to various surveys of detox centers, success rates with recover that includes rapid detoxification are high. Additional benefits include:
• Receiving private and confidential treatment
• Less risk of experiencing a relapse
• Instant access to medical care
• No lag time between when detox is completed and when the next stages of recovery begin
Potential Disadvantages
Rapid detox for opiates is generally considered a safe process for many individuals. However, there are some potential disadvantages to consider. First of all, rapid detox is not usually covered by most health insurance plans based on the standard rules that apply with this type of coverage. While highly effective, rapid detox can be expensive if there is no insurance coverage to absorb some or most of the expense.
Any rapid detox program will only treat the physical aspects of addiction. If a patient has underlying psychological or mental health issues, those problems will need to be dealt with as another part of the recovery process. Such issues will still exist after rapid detox is complete.
While many patients can benefit from a rapid detox program, some individuals have preexisting health issues that may make being placed under general anesthesia risky. An example of this would cardiac patients with heart and/or respiratory problems or individuals with health issues that aren't sufficiently managed or under control.
Rapid detox for opiate addiction isn't for everyone. However, the potential disadvantages associated with this process are relatively minor. Overall, rapid detoxification under general anesthesia has numerous benefits for individuals looking to overcome addiction without the risks of attempting detox and withdrawal without the proper supervision that's available at detox centers.
