About Drug Detox Agents

Getting rid of addiction can involve drug substitution.

A number of drugs, from cough syrup to heroin, are considered addicting. Due to a constant use, the drug becomes a homeostatic agent in the body. Without it, the body's functional system becomes erratic and the drug becomes a needed element of the body.

Getting rid of the addiction is a complex process which can involve drug substitution, cold turkey, psycho and aversion therapy. Depending on the degree of dependence, methods of detoxification vary but must be under direct medical supervision. The focus detoxification is to stop taking the addicting drug as quickly and safely as possible.

Alcoholism

Disulfiram(Antabuse) is often used to treat alcoholism. It is an aversion therapy wherein it induces nausea, vomiting and other extremely unpleasant side effects in patients who drink even a small amount of alcohol. Acamprosate is a medication which helps reduce withdrawal symptoms. Naltrexone has also been used in the treatment of alcoholism because, just as with heroin, it can lessen the perceived positive effects of alcohol. Vitamin supplements are also given to alcoholic patients due to dehydration. These prevent the development of alcohol induced psychosis.

Opioids

Naloxone Hyrdochloride (Narcan) reverses all the effects of these anesthetic drugs in overdosage and addiction. Other drugs with the same effect are namely ReVex and ReVia. Methadone is used as treatment for heroin addicts. Levo-alpha-acetyl-methadol, LAAM, is similar to methadone in that it blocks the effects of heroin. Buprenorphine is a new treatment for heroin and other opioid abuse and research has found it to be more effective than both naltrexone and LAAM in terms of reducing drug cravings.

Cold Turkey

Cold turkey refers to the total abstinence of the addicted drug. It is a painful and potentially dangerous detoxification process. Signs and symptoms from drug withdrawal can range from the mildest tremor to seizure and can escalate to death for weak patients. But with today's advent of drug substitution, it is not a widely used option.

Herbs

New discoveries and approach are also considered in drug detoxification. These give rise to several treatment modalities including acupuncture and herbal supplements.

Alcohol and other drugs have destructive effects on the liver. Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) and Goldenseal (Hydrastis Canadensis) are few of the examples that significantly improve liver function and used often in the detoxification process.

Support

The effectiveness of the treatment has no assurance. Different factors can determine the success and failure of the whole therapy. The family support contributes a lot in the healing process of the addicted individuals. Formation of a group with the same problems such as those in Alcoholic Anonymous proves a greater chance of recovery from the addiction.

References

• Mayo clinic
• Drug detox