Drug Abuse

It is refreshing to know that 95 percent of individuals who go through alcohol detox experience only mild to moderate withdrawal symptoms and are able to be managed on an outpatient basis. The other five percent experience severe symptoms, which are severe enough to warrant a hospitalization or visit to an alcohol detox facility where they have the support needed for the withdrawing person. It is important to find a place that specializes in alcohol detox before you attempt to do it alone so you have support if things take a path you were not prepared for.

If you find yourself experiencing severe alcohol detox symptoms, such as a seizure or delirium tremens, you should seek help immediately, even if you have good support at home. Medications can be given to control these symptoms and can make the alcohol detox simpler for you. Try calling your primary care physician, an ambulance or an emergency room for help in finding someone to help you if you haven’t arranged for help beforehand.

The first goal of medical therapy for alcohol detox includes managing the severe symptoms of seizure and delirium tremens or hallucinations by giving alcohol-simulating drugs such as Valium, Librium or Ativan. These do not slow the withdrawal process but make it easier to handle. You can be sedated from these drugs and can withdraw from alcohol safely and comfortably. Seizure medications such as phenytoin or phenobarbital or carbamazepine can be used to make sure no further seizures occur.

The person who is going through alcohol detox needs to be observed constantly for signs of change and to protect them from harm. They are usually very anxious and need constant reassurance and guidance to get through activities of daily living while they are detoxifying. The body temperature must be assessed and treated with Tylenol or ibuprofen so they don’t have a prolonged fever. Blood pressure should be monitored for elevation. Fluid and electrolyte balance in the body may need to be assessed by a qualified nurse or doctor. Continue reading →

I recently interviewed a professional interventionist, who has gotten thousands of addicts into a drug addiction treatment center, to find out the difference between what he does out here in the real world and how intervention is portrayed on the TV show. He gave me some interesting information that may help those who are trying to get their loved one into an alcohol or drug addiction treatment center to get the help they need.

Surprisingly, since TV and movies aren’t often very true to life, a ‘real’ intervention is very similar to what’s done on TV: The interventionist meets with family or friends prior to the intervention, lets them know what’s going to happen, sets the ground rules so everyone’s on the same page, and, if necessary, gets them to write something to the addict telling them how they feel. However, with a ‘real’ intervention – which the TV interventions are, but with a major difference – it’s the family sometimes doesn’t have to speak at all; the interventionist is often able to get the person to agree to go to a drug addiction treatment center without family input.

In every case, the drug addiction treatment center they will go to is expecting them, everything has been prearranged, and the addict is taken there directly after the intervention, by the interventionist.

So, what is that major difference?

On the TV show the addict acknowledges they have a problem and, although they don’t know there’s an intervention coming, they consent to participate in a documentary about it. Continue reading →