Drug detox is a combination of methods directed at controlling drug intoxication and drug withdrawal. It refers to a complete removal of substance to which patients are addicted. The detox program aims at minimizing the physical effects caused by the additive substances. It is not essential that, such type of programs treat the other implications of drug addiction such as, psychological aspects of addiction, social factors, and behavioral issues that are interacted with addiction.

There are characteristically three steps to drug detoxification:

Evaluation

It’s a first step of detox program; a patient is first analyzed to see which specific substances are currently circulating in their bloodstream and their concentration. Physicians and nurses also evaluate the patient’s improvement process and made the respected adjustments.

Stabilization

In this step, the patient is guided through the process of detoxification, which may involve use of medication. Also part of stabilization is explaining to the patient what to do during course and the recovery. Where appropriate, friends and family of addict brought in at this time to become involved and encourage.

Patient Guidance

In the last stage of detox process, patient is being prepared for the actual recovery process. As drug detox only deals with the physical dependency, it has no concern with psychological aspects of drug addiction. This stage requires obtaining agreement from the patient to complete the process by enrolling in a drug rehabilitation program.

Alcohol detoxification

Alcohol detox for individual is the termination of alcohol use substituted with cross-tolerant drugs that have similar properties in order to prevent alcohol withdrawal. Need of detoxification depends upon an individual’s age, physical conditions, and history of alcohol intake. For example, if young man, who indulge drinks and seeks treatment one week after his last alcohol intake don’t require detoxification before alcohol detox program.

Benzodiazepine group is the most common class of drugs used to treat alcohol addiction, followed by barbiturates. Benzodiazepines such as chlordiazepoxide, diazepam, lorazepam and oxazepam are the most potent drugs used to reduce alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

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