If you live in Tennessee and you are contemplating doing a detox from drugs, you might wonder what medications are the best for this.  Read this article to find out.

Withdrawal symptoms are worth finding out about.  In the US, the number of people who are using illegal drugs continues to grow.  In 2012, the CDC reported that 9.2% of people over 12 had misused substances in the past.  It is estimated that only around 2.3 million out of the 21.5 million people who needed substance abuse treatment in 2011 got it.

The first step to treating yourself from the use of these undesirable substances is detox Tennessee. Detox, being, of course, short for detoxification.

What Medications are Used in Detox?

Over-the-counter medications have been proven to be in effective in treating ailments related to addiction.  For example, Dramamine can be useful in treating nausea, while Tylenol is often used to aches and pains in detox Tennessee.  The detox process is different depending on which drugs were used.

Drug Medications for Opioids

While opioid detox Tennessee is not necessarily life-threatening, this does not mean that there will not be discomfort experienced during withdrawal.  The symptoms of opioid withdrawal can be so severe that they lead the person back to drug-seeking habits, and can on occasion push someone into using a stronger opioid than the one which they were originally using, resulting in an overdose.  The fear of being in withdrawal drives people from seeking help.

If you do not go to detox for opioid withdrawal, you should expect these symptoms: exhaustion, restlessness, fever and chills, difficulty concentrating, tremors and flu-like symptoms.

All withdrawals are not the same, and a person who is stopping using codeine will not experience the same side effects as someone who is coming off fentanyl.  Even mild withdrawals can move people away from attaining sobriety.  The detox medications that professionals administer are weaker opiates which are used to cope with cravings, reduce sickness, and simplify the process of weaning the individual off drugs.

Methadone

Methadone is a narcotic analgesic which is used in opioid addiction treatment.  The drug shares some of the characteristics as morphine, but has a gradual onset which prevents users from experiencing euphoria.

Methadone is useful medically because of it’s long half-life.  It can remain in the body for up to 55 hours.  The length of time it remains in your system varies on the dose.  Methadone’s objective is the replacement of opiates that the person had been taking, then lowering the dose of methadone methodically and slowly.  As methadone does not give users euphoria, there will not be the same level of cravings when it wears off.

Methadone has a long history of effectiveness when used in combination with counseling, but is controversial as it has a potential of abuse.  It has to be carefully monitored when it is used during detox.

Buprenorphine

Buprenorphine shares some characteristics with morphine, but is a partial opioid antagonist, rather than a full agonist.  The potential for abuse is about the same as methadone.

It works in the same manner as methadone, by taking up space in opioid receptors, blocking the euphoric effects of opioids for up to 24 hours, while keeping the person taking it out of withdrawal.

Suboxone

Suboxone is a brand formulation of Naloxone and Buprenorphine.  Naloxone is also known as Narcan, is a full opioid antagonist.  As with both methadone and Buprenorphine, it is important that someone using the medication has a period of abstinence before they take it, as not doing this can mean that the user goes into precipitated withdrawal.

The length of time that should be waited before administering the drug depends on how long the person has been using opioids, the strength of the opioids and the amount used.  Generally, 24 hours is enough time to make sure that the person does not go into precipitated withdrawal, but if the person in question has been taking a drug like fentanyl in high doses for a long period of time, as long as 48 hours may be needed.

Benzodiazepines

Benzos are often used when treating dependence to alcohol.  They take away the anxiety that comes with alcohol withdrawal, and can help make the withdrawal more comfortable for the person going through it.  If you are planning on doing an alcohol detox, be aware that alcohol detox can cause death in some cases.

Benzos are also sometimes used for people who are in opioid withdrawal