New Hampshire Detox Centers
What Is Drug Detox in New Hampshire?
Drug or alcohol detoxification involves removing chemical toxins accumulated in the body through prolonged substance addiction. The main purpose of drug detox in New Hampshire is to manage the physical withdrawal symptoms that may occur when individuals stop drug use.
Drug and alcohol detox is the first step in overcoming substance abuse disorder. Patients will need further treatment programs such as enrolling in a sober house or joining a group therapy.
The Bureau of Drug and Alcohol Services (BDAS) in New Hampshire works with various community partners to develop and offer substance abuse information and solutions to residents. Likewise, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has helpful resources for finding drug addiction treatment in New Hampshire.
How Long Does It Take To Detox From Drugs in New Hampshire?
According to a SAMHSA report, the average length of stay in a New Hampshire drug detoxification program is six days.
Generally, the time it takes to complete drug detox depends on the withdrawal symptoms duration, which varies from one drug type to another. Withdrawal is a set of physical and psychological symptoms when an individual stops using or reduces their consumption of prescribed/recreational drugs. The following factors are responsible for how long detox will take:
The Severity of Drug Addiction
Drug addiction can become severe if it affects the individual's mental and physical health. This often leads to complications besides the usual withdrawal symptoms associated with detox. With this in mind, rehab specialists manage the process to ensure patients' safety.
The Type of Drug Abused
Each drug contains chemicals that affect the brain in different ways. As such, their withdrawal symptoms and duration varies. For instance, cocaine symptoms can last for a week, while marijuana withdrawal will stop after some days, depending on the level of addiction.
The Method of Drug Use
The effect of using drugs orally is different from intravenous use, smoking, or sniffing. Drug use via the latter methods produces immediate and heightened impacts, leading to faster dependency and severe addiction. Detox time for these people will also vary.
Co-occurring Health Issues
Drug addiction affects the human system and can become severe in patients with co-occurring health issues. Individuals in better physical and mental health conditions complete detox faster due to the absence of complications that can prolong withdrawal symptoms. Meanwhile, those with one or more health problems apart from drug addiction will need more time to complete detox safely.
The Duration of Drug Addiction
Substance abuse disorder develops in stages. Some individuals may move from the experimental stage to dependency within months, depending on the availability and other environmental factors. Others become dependent within days or weeks of using a drug. Drug detox is always faster for individuals at the experimental stage, while it is more complicated in patients with a long history of substance abuse.
How Long Does It Take to Detox from Alcohol in New Hampshire?
Alcohol detox in New Hampshire takes six days, according to SAMHSA's report. However, the alcohol detox duration varies from one person to another. For persons with mild alcohol addiction, detox usually starts eight hours after the final drink and ends after a week. However, the detox period can continue for several weeks in patients with severe alcohol addiction. Apart from severity, other factors that affect the time to complete alcohol detox include the patient's age, weight, biological sex, mental/physical health, and genetic factors.
The Detoxification Process at a New Hampshire Drug Detox Center
Drug detoxification involves a three-step process designed to meet the needs of each New Hampshire resident. These processes are Evaluation, Stabilization, and Preparation.
Evaluation Stage
The preliminary phase thoroughly examines an individual's previous and current health conditions. Patients are expected to provide honest answers to questions like
- The type of drug taken
- How they took the drugs
- The source of the drugs
- Frequency of drug use
Further questions related to the patient's family and relationships are also important to determine addiction severity. Because relying on interviews isn't optimal, many programs include urine and blood testing as part of the evaluation stage. A health expert performs different tests to discover addictive substances in the body and other medical difficulties related to substance abuse disorder. The evaluation's findings identify the proper degree of the treatment procedure.
Stabilization Stage
The stabilization stage involves medical-assisted treatment and counseling to help patients manage withdrawal symptoms properly. Counseling is important in this stage to help patients reprogram their minds and identify triggers related to the drug use disorder. On the other hand, medications like Suboxone are also necessary to ease the discomfort experienced throughout detoxification. In some cases, therapists allow family and friends to provide moral support for patients. The overall purpose is to help patients regain their former stable and drug-free life.
Preparation for Further Treatment
After stabilization, patients are usually clear-headed and do not need medications to ease their withdrawal symptoms. Now that they are stable, the last stage involves preparation for further treatment in a rehab center. During this stage, patients are advised to join inpatient or outpatient rehabs to continue their journey into complete sobriety.
Withdrawal Symptoms of Detox
Withdrawal symptoms are side effects experienced when a person stops using drugs or alcohol. The side effects are temporary and are, in some cases, peculiar to the type of substance. Common symptoms of detox include insomnia, restlessness, anxiety, stress, and headache. Here are common drugs and their withdrawal symptoms.
Alcohol Withdrawal
Minor side effects of alcohol withdrawal start after six hours and continue for two days. Some minor symptoms are hand tremors, fast heart rate, seizures, and vomiting. After two days, symptoms may include hallucinations and dizziness. Individuals with a long history of alcohol addiction may experience a severe withdrawal effect known as delirium tremens (DTs). This condition affects the nervous system, which results in shivering, sweating, confusion, and seizures.
Opioids Withdrawal
Pain killers and other illicit substances such as heroin are examples of opioids. In most cases, a low dose of opiates given by a doctor is sufficient for pain management and cough treatment. However, excessive abuse of opioids will lead to withdrawal side effects such as headache, constipation, nasal congestion, panic disorders, and depression.
Barbiturates Withdrawal
These are medications administered to people who have trouble sleeping or seizures. Small doses of 'barbs' can gradually result in drug tolerance, prompting the user to seek higher dosages to have the same effect. Individuals with barbiturate dependence will experience withdrawal effects like tremors, rapid pulse, excessive perspiration, restlessness, weariness, delirium, delusions, and anxiety.
Benzodiazepines Withdrawal
Benzos, short for benzodiazepines, is a depressant prescribed for persons with sleeping disorders. People who use benzos recreationally can become dependent in a short time. After a long history of benzo use, withdrawal often causes anxiety disorder, racing heart, body feelings, discomfort, hypersensitivity, and headache. Nausea, hallucinations, and sadness are all severe withdrawal effects.
Marijuana Withdrawal
Withdrawal effects from marijuana are usually moderate. These symptoms are moodiness, irritability, intense anxiety, and a loss of appetite. Patients with co-occurring mental issues may experience severe side effects like hallucinations, poor reasoning, drowsiness, sadness, and suicidal tendencies.
Stimulants Withdrawal
Stimulants like cocaine and methamphetamine (meth) are hard drugs that stimulate the central nervous system, causing people to become more alert and active. Examples of cocaine withdrawal symptoms include weakness, consistent hunger, hypersomnia, chronic depression, and delayed movements. In the case of meth dependence, patients will experience symptoms like psychosis and excessive drug cravings.
Can You Detox at Home in New Hampshire?
Detoxing at home is not advisable. Withdrawal symptoms caused by drug or alcohol detox are unpredictable and sudden. Without the supervision of professional health providers in New Hampshire, these symptoms can become severe and uncomfortable, especially for persons with other health problems. Here are some negative effects of at-home drug detox.
Risk of Relapse is Higher
Unsupervised drug detox at home may result in relapse and overdose due to excessive cravings, which may be part of the drug's withdrawal symptoms. Individuals who try to detox at home may find it hard to reject the drug they were addicted to due to withdrawal effects. When someone starts detoxing from a substance, their brain chemistry and resistance to the drug are altered. As a result, individuals need professional help to restore their brain chemistry safely.
No Access to Expert Attention for Mental Struggles
Some withdrawal symptoms involve mental illnesses like depression, sleeping disorders, panic disorder, hallucination, and even suicidal tendencies. Furthermore, mental health disorders co-occurring with drug use disorder can worsen and become severe during detoxification. Therefore, going through these complex feelings at home is risky without professional therapists.
Risk to Physical Health
Apart from mental struggles, physical health issues are common during drug or alcohol detox. Convulsions and extreme psychotic episodes are among the negative effects of opioid detox. Severe withdrawal symptoms might result in consequences that necessitate medical attention. Furthermore, co-occurring critical health issues might worsen or create difficulties throughout the detox process. Overall, it's critical to seek medical attention throughout detox to address and handle any health issues properly.
Inability to Avoid Social Triggers
At-home drug detox exposes individuals to social triggers that remind them of their usual cravings. Without supervision in a controlled environment, individuals may attend social functions that stimulate their need for drugs. As a result, the detox process becomes ineffective as patients relapse into their old habits.
What Is Rapid Detox?
Rapid detox is a drug detox that aims to get rid of withdrawal symptoms quickly. The rapid detox procedure involves sedating patients to eliminate drugs that have accumulated in the body. Patients are unconscious during the rapid detox process, and medication (usually an opioid antagonist) is used to speed up detox. The idea is that after someone wakes up from unconsciousness, they will have fewer withdrawal effects for the remainder of their detox.
Rapid detox is more expensive than traditional drug detox. Yet there is no indication that it is more effective long-term. Some of the downsides associated with rapid detox include:
- Physical strain: Substance dependence harms the body. People addicted to opiates may not be in good enough condition to endure anesthesia or cope with the physical stress that quick detox might bring.
- Possible health risks: Major side effects of rapid detox are cardiac arrest, problems with various body organs, and high body temperature.
Steps After New Hampshire Detox
New Hampshire detox will only remove addictive toxins in the body and brain, but it will not stop a person from returning to the same drug. After detoxing, the probability of a person relapsing is between 40 to 60%. However, patients can sustain complete sobriety by enrolling in further treatment programs after drug detox. Here are some steps to take to recover fully from drug or alcohol addiction.
Continue With Rehab Programs in New Hampshire
Specialized treatment programs in New Hampshire can be outpatient or inpatient. Both rehab centers help patients kick the habit of addictive drug use. A comprehensive residential therapy is provided via inpatient facilities, while part-time therapy is available through outpatient clinics.
Join Aftercare Support Groups in New Hampshire
Examples of aftercare support groups in New Hampshire are Alcoholics Anonymous and 12-step support groups. These groups provide counseling services that may be a fantastic source of motivation during rehabilitation. In addition, some groups help individuals get back to their communities by providing accommodations, jobs, and education.
Build a Drug-free Life
Start rebuilding a substance-free life after completing detox, joining a treatment program, and attending counseling. Rehab specialists encourage persons in recovery to discover new interests, eat a well-balanced diet, and work out to live a healthy, sober life.
Substance Abuse Treatment Detox Near Me in New Hampshire
If you need help overcoming drug or alcohol addiction, call the Bureau of Drug and Alcohol Services at (603) 271-6738 or email bdas@dhhs.nh.gov. You can also access state-funded treatment programs using the directory links on New Hampshire CarePath.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration also offers a treatment facility search tool, making it easy for New Hampshire to find drug detox centers nearby. Or, speak with a SAMHSA representative at (800) 662-4357. Note that calls made to a representative are confidential.
