Comprehensive Medically Supervised Detoxification at Hawaii Island Recovery

Safety in numbers is very true when it comes to recovery. This includes the number of professionals that can aid in the detox process. Many people ignore the essential factor of safety when it comes to recovery, especially safety in the detox process. The reality is that medically supervised detoxification is vital if one is to fully recover and stay safe while doing so. 

While the essential first step of recovery is willingness, the next step should always focus on safety. Now, while some people may not require detox, many others will. This depends on the level and duration of your or your loved one’s addiction.

For example, if you are struggling with issues of alcohol use disorder, benzodiazepine addiction, or opioid addiction, it can be critical that a medically supervised detoxification take place. This is because detoxing from these substances can not only be painful, but they can even be deadly.

The concept of detoxification is relatively straightforward. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), “Detoxification is a set of interventions aimed at managing acute intoxication and withdrawal. It denotes a clearing of toxins from the body of the patient who is acutely intoxicated and/or dependent on substances of abuse. Detoxification seeks to minimize the physical harm caused by the abuse of substances.”

Now, depending on the severity of addiction (which should only be determined by professionals), you may feel comfortable trying to “detox” on your own. Ultimately, this can be extremely dangerous. It can even lead to cardiac arrest or, in some instances, alcohol withdrawal syndrome and a state of psychosis. Besides these more extreme outcomes, it will also be much more uncomfortable than it needs to be.

Here at Hawaii Island Recovery, we have board-certified specialists who focus on addiction medicine and detoxification. They are uniquely qualified to assess your individual needs and determine the right plan of action, which may include a safe, medically supervised detox.

It is important to remember that addiction is a disease that affects all parts of the “Self:” the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. A responsible detox will begin to address the physical. For example, many people don’t realize just how taxing addiction can be on the body, both externally and internally.

This means that essential hydration, vitamins, and nutrients must be safely replenished when one begins the treatment process. Now, this is especially true with alcohol use disorder (AUD). According to the peer-reviewed journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, “Chronic alcoholic patients are frequently deficient in one or more vitamins. The deficiencies commonly involve folate, vitamin B6, thiamine, and vitamin A… Alcoholism can affect the absorption, storage, metabolism, and activation of many of these vitamins.” A medically supervised detox ensures that these replenishment measures are handled safely and immediately.

Now, the fact of the matter is that relapse is a very real part of recovery, and relapse is much more common than many people think. According to the peer-reviewed journal Current Psychiatry Reports, “It has long been known that addictive disorders are chronic and relapsing in nature. Recent estimates from clinical treatment studies suggest that more than two-thirds of individuals relapse within weeks to months of initiating treatment.” Also, “For 1-year outcomes across alcohol, nicotine, weight, and illicit drug abuse, studies show that more than 85% of individuals relapse and return to drug use within 1 year of treatment.”

Many of these relapses occur early in the recovery process because the supervision and tools are not in place to help you through the intensity of the detox process. There is no way around it – detoxing from alcohol and substances is uncomfortable. But, with the right professional supervision, it can be highly manageable and significantly less physically and emotionally painful.

The detox process here at Hawaii Island Recovery always starts with a personalized assessment. This assessment also takes into account much more than account that what alcohol or substances are being used. It looks at medical concerns, signs and symptoms, and personal issues and assesses future goals to ensure that the treatment plan is the right one for you.

Our safe and comfortable detox environment is also an ideal place to begin the next steps of the recovery process. Recovery does not end with detox; that is where the real healing can begin. At Hawaii Island Recovery, our detox program is designed to go into the next stages of treatment and therapy, whether it be residential or outpatient care.

The iconic American author Ralph Waldo Emerson famously said, “In skating over thin ice, our safety is in our speed.” If you are thinking about taking the next steps of recovery, don’t wait. Please reach out for help now. We can help get you started with a medically supervised detox so you can regain the life and community you both deserve and desire.

Recovery is about the journey, never the destination, and there is perhaps no better place to start that journey than right here with us on Hawaii’s Big Island. Yes, recovery is just over the horizon; let us help you get it.

If you are ready to begin your journey toward a new and exciting life in recovery, then a medically supervised detox may be the right starting point. The good news is that we have one of the most safe and secure drug detoxification programs on Hawaii’s Big Island. For more information about addiction treatment and therapy, please reach out to Hawaii Island Recovery today at(866) 390-5070.