There are many different options available for individuals’ seeking recovery and rehabilitation from a drug addiction, especially for an alcohol addiction – one of the most common addictions in the UK and across the world.
Though most medical professionals and referral services for rehabilitation will often suggest residential rehabilitation as the most effective form of treatment and recovery, this is not always suitable and may not be appropriate in some individuals’ cases.
For some individuals, a home drug detox programme may be suitable: a rehabilitation programme that an individual can complete from within their own home.
Other factors are involved, but this web page will cover the key elements of a home drug detox, as well as how this may be beneficial to individuals, the risks involved, and top tips on working through a specialised home drug detox programme efficiently and as comfortably as possible.
As mentioned above, this is not always the most recommended form of rehabilitation for individuals struggling with a drug addiction; residential rehabilitation is often shown to be the more efficient form of rehabilitation.
In most cases, this is due to the support and around the clock care that individuals can receive in these dedicated centres, but this is becoming something that is more and more easily accessible through other forms of rehabilitation such as a home drug detox.
For example, individuals seeking support for a low-risk heroin addiction with little to no withdrawal symptoms may be able to receive medical support through substances such as buprenorphine or methadone to help slowly taper away from heroin itself.
Some individuals may not be suitable for residential rehab for many reasons such as reasons of additional mental health issues, unnecessary stress, or care of dependents within a specific area.
Though, currently, there is not much in the way of infrastructure, guidelines, or professional training in the field of home drug detoxes, this is something that is increasing and the factors mentioned above are factors that many general practitioners (GPs) would argue a greater need for in order to implement more effectively (1).
In all situations of a home drug detox being the most appropriate form of rehabilitation for an individual, it is vital to first ascertain whether this individual will benefit from this form of care, as well as the risk factors that are involved.
As home drug detoxes are often unsupervised throughout most of the timeline of this treatment, it is therefore important that individuals are not at too much a risk based on their addiction history.
This means that individuals should have a generally short history of addiction and a professional should assess how severe their withdrawal symptoms are; withdrawal symptoms can be life-threatening if not appropriately treated.
Most providers of a home drug detox programme will assess an individual’s physical and mental health, as well as their history of drug addiction before determining whether or not a home drug detox is suitable for them.
A pre-assessment for a home drug detox programme could include asking about some of the following factors:
Individuals who are fully assessed and suitably matched to a programme before beginning a home drug detox are far more likely to adhere to and complete their programmes compared to those who are not assessed as thoroughly (2).
As mentioned previously on this web page, sometimes the withdrawal symptoms from different substances can be life-threatening if not properly identified and treated accordingly.
Substances such as alcohol and opioids can be especially dangerous when trying to withdraw from due to their nature as physically addictive drugs and the ways in which they become entwined in the body’s natural processing and functioning.
This is why it is always important that, firstly, individuals seek the most appropriate form of care for them (most individuals withdrawing from substance addictions are not suitable for a home drug detox), and, secondly, that they are fully supervised and supported by a medical professional through the detox process, no matter where this is completed.
Benzodiazepines, for example, are a high-risk substance to withdraw from due to the increased risk of experiencing seizures, cardiovascular issues, and other life-threatening effects that further highlights the importance of support and supervision when undergoing any form of detoxification process(es).
Though also classified as benzodiazepines, substances such as diazepam and lorazepam are often used in the detoxification process as they are not classified as being as addictive as other benzodiazepines and have been proven to help reduce the withdrawal symptoms that individuals experience with addictions to substances such as alcohol.
Addiction is a disorder that every individual will experience differently, so predicting how long an individual may spend in the detox stage is very challenging.
Factors such as the individual’s history of addiction, metabolism, nutrition, and many other personal factors will all contribute to how an individual experiences a detox, and every individual will progress through the withdrawal stages at a different pace.
Most individuals can expect to spend around 7 days in the detox stage of recovery, whether this is in a specialised and dedicated detox clinic, or if this is through a home drug detox programme.
However, it is always important for individuals to set aside more time than predicted in order to get the most out of their withdrawal process and to ensure that they are fully detoxed before progressing to any further stages.
Across the UK, as well as around the world, the cost of treatment (detoxes, therapy, aftercare, etc.) is all likely to vary massively depending on the country, the provider of care, and the individual’s specific needs.
As the cost is very often linked to the duration of an individual’s care, it is therefore equally as challenging to predict.
In addition, the process of a home drug detox can often require further medical intervention and treatment, also adding to the cost but also being challenging to predict.
On average, a home detox programme can vary anywhere from £1700 to £5000 or more per week, and this includes the individual’s full treatment programme, but it likely to vary most depending on the substance that the individual is addicted to i.e., opioid detoxes are likely to be more expensive than cannabis detoxes, for example.
The main difference between a home drug detox and the residential rehab options available is the ability to access emergency care should it be required.
In a residential rehab centre, individuals are able to access 24/7 support and around-the-clock care, with access to some of the most sophisticated rehabilitation facilities available in the UK.
However, in emergency situations during a home drug detox, individuals are far more likely to be without medical professionals throughout most of the programme, leading to a need to travel or call help to their location – the whole process of which can take valuable time and delay access to suitable care.
On the other hand, around-the-clock care is also becoming more common in the field of home drug detoxes, as more and more individuals are learning how to become ‘sober companions’ or ‘sober coaches’ – individuals who are around to speak to about the process and may support a few people around a local area or region, for example.
As more research is conducted into the application of home detoxes for more individuals, it is becoming safer and more common for more individuals to detox at home, even if they are struggling with an addiction to a typically more complex substance such as opioids – examples including substances such as codeine (a natural opioid), oxycodone (a partially synthetic opioid), or tramadol (a fully synthetic opioid).
So, if you or someone you know is suitable for a home detox programme, how can this be improved and made more comfortable?
It is no secret that the rehabilitation process can be uncomfortable and sometimes extremely challenging for the individual involved and those around them, so the remainder of this web page will cover some top tips for completing a home drug detox with a greater ease.
In all cases, it is vital to follow the instructions and advice from your home drug detox provider, but individuals should also ensure that their general well-being and mental health is maintained throughout this time.
The detox process can be one of the most taxing on the body, often causing the individual to lose a lot of additional fluids through sweating and the body’s attempt to expel any additional or unwanted substances from the system.
This is why it is absolutely essential that individuals try to maintain their water levels through constant hydration throughout their day.
A detox is also something that can take a lot out of someone’s mental health, which is why it is also vitally important that no individual goes through this process alone.
Whether the individual has someone physically around them to keep them company (such as a family member or close friend), or whether this is an online or over-the-phone relationship, all social contact is helpful in helping the individual to recover and often provide a distraction from unwanted symptoms.
Though this is something that is often learned in the later stages of rehabilitation, creating coping mechanisms that work for the individual is the best way to draw attention back to recovery and work toward recovery more effectively.
By having a strong coping mechanism in place, individuals will be able to resist their cravings and ignore any triggers, boosting their efficiency in recovery and generally improving their experience of a home drug detox in the UK altogether.
To learn more about how Rehab 4 Addiction can help you or someone you know to start a home drug detox or any other stage of the recovery process, give our addiction support hotline a call on 0800 140 4690 to start your recovery journey as soon as today.
[1] Roche, A.M., Watt, K. and Fischer, J., 2001. General practitioners’ views of home detoxification. Drug and Alcohol Review, 20(4), pp.395-406.
[2] Callow, T., Donaldson, S. and Ruiter, M.D., 2008. Effectiveness of home detoxification: a clinical audit. British Journal of Nursing, 17(11), pp.692-695.
