Dangers of Rapid Detox
There has been research into fighting drug addiction and detoxifying the body for many years now. Rapid detox is one way that doctors and researchers are trying to get drug and alcohol addicts to kick their habit. It's quick, cleans out the body, and supposedly leaves little chance of the patient relapsing. Is it too good to be true? Here are some of the dangers associated with what some people say is a miracle cure.
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Function
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Rapid detox works first by putting someone with a physical dependency on a drug under anesthesia. From 4 to 24 hours later, the patient is supposedly cured of his or her addiction because opiate receptors in the brain are blocked and toxins are flushed from the body.
Relapse
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Those who are optimistic about rapid detox have stated there is little chance of relapse after the procedure. However, a study published in the Journal of Drug and Alcohol Dependence states that there is actually an 80% chance of relapse in rapid detox patients.
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Withdrawal
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The reason it takes so long for a drug addict to drop her addiction is because of the withdrawal period the body goes through. Rapid detox allows the patient to avoid feeling this process, but the body does go through a withdrawal period that can be dangerous because the period is sped up. Withdrawal can cause damage to heart and brain because it places stresses on the body, and some symptoms include heart murmurs, headaches, and muscle and joint aches after the detox procedure.
Deaths
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There have also been a number of deaths of patients that have occurred within days of a rapid detox treatment. It has led to a number of medical practitioners being taken to court and the safety of rapid detox to become suspect.
Confirmation
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There has been little information coming from rapid detox research that suggests it is as effective as some researchers are saying. What has come are small, independent confirmations of the detoxification process, with other results being published that say only negative things about the procedure.
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