Of the many reasons to enter residential detox in Florida at the start of addiction treatment, the mitigation of dangerous withdrawal symptoms ranks among the most important. The symptoms of withdrawal will vary between patients, depending on their substance of choice and the amount they used. For some patients, withdrawal can become a severely discomforting experience. In some cases, the symptoms may even prove fatal. The following are three of the most dangerous withdrawal symptoms that may become deadly if not properly treated at a medical detox facility.
Severe Seizures
Alcohol, prescription drugs and illicit substances may differ in terms of withdrawal duration and severity, but seizures are included in nearly all lists of potential alcohol and drug withdrawal symptoms. Some drugs may directly cause dangerous grand mal seizures during detoxification, while alcohol primarily causes seizures when use has been frequent enough to result in a condition down as delirium tremens, or DTs. When not addressed with proper medical treatment at a residential detox center, DTs often become life-threatening. In order to prevent fatality should seizures occur during withdrawal, patients must seek treatment at a residential detox in Florida.
Loss of Fluids
Some withdrawal symptoms, such as vomiting and diarrhea, may not seem especially dangerous at first glance. Naturally, these symptoms can become severely displeasing, causing pain and discomfort on a major scale. However, most people would not immediately grasp just how dangerous any symptom involving loss of bodily fluids can become when left untreated.
Aside from the normal dangers associated with dehydration, fluid loss due to withdrawal symptoms may lead to abnormal heart rates caused by loss of electrolytes. In severe cases, heart palpitations and other cardiovascular abnormalities may cause major circulatory problems. Extreme complications may even result in life-threatening heart attacks. This is primarily identified as a possible complication of opioid withdrawal, but can occur in any case wherein fluid loss becomes severe. Residential detox facilities can help patients prevent such occurrences by keeping them hydrated and giving them medications to lessen complications from their withdrawal symptoms.
Hallucinations
Severe withdrawal can lead to various types of hallucinations, depending on the substance in question. Some experience the common form of hallucination in which the sufferer sees or hears things that do not exist. This can lead to erratic, unpredictable, and possibly dangerous behaviors. Others experience sensory hallucinations in the form of bodily sensations, as if something is crawling on their body or even under their skin. This can lead to extreme scratching and self-harm in an attempt to remove the source of the itch.
Regardless of which form the patient’s hallucinations take, those who allow non-existent stimuli to influence their behaviors may require help from a staff member trained in psychotherapy to guide them back to reality. A residential detox in Florida can provide this resource, along with medications that may prevent hallucinations from occurring in the first place.
Benefits of a Residential Detox in Florida
Note that each of the most dangerous withdrawal symptoms can be treated (and possibly prevented) by taking the approved medications provided in residential detox. At 1st Step Behavioral Health, patients will gain access to potentially life-saving withdrawal treatment. If they wish, they may seek further treatment at our rehab center once the detoxification stage is complete. By transitioning to later stages of treatment following their initial stay in residential detox, patients will allow themselves to phase through the treatment process much more smoothly.
For more information on residential detox in Florida and common withdrawal symptoms, contact us or call (855) 425-4846 with any questions you may have. We can also provide further information on addiction in general, as well as the overall treatment process. With the help of 1st Step Behavioral Health, residential detox can become merely the first step in a longer, highly rewarding journey of recovery.
