With ever increasing research and understanding over the mechanisms of the brain as they pertain to addiction, addicts are now blessed with more effective therapies and greater choice in a personal battle with dependency.
And although the science of mind and addiction remains poorly understood due to the incredible complexity of the subject and of the human brain in general, new therapies are emerging that show real promise.
Opiate addicts now have a number of choices for their recovery, and two of the most prominent of these choices are a conventional detox and stay in a drug rehab, or a process of rapid opiate detox.
What's the difference?
The detox period in a conventional rehab can be quite uncomfortable and takes many days. Although medical management and the prescription of symptoms easing drugs can reduce the intensity somewhat, the period remains quite grueling.
Rapid opiate detox by contrast offers a pain free period of detox, and promises a complete end of all symptoms of detox after one day. They can achieve this by placing patients under anesthesia and administering a cocktail of drugs that accelerate the intensity and pace of the detox. Were patients to endure this consciously the pains would be unbearable, but as addicts remain sedated throughout, they awake at the end opiate free and with no memory of the pains of the procedure.
Which is better?
Obviously, addicts fearful of the pains and duration of a conventional form of detox might find the promises of a rapid opiate detox quite tempting; but there are some drawbacks and risks associated with it.
Most addictions professionals have not as yet endorsed rapid opiate detox as a reasonable, safe or effective way to end an addiction to drugs.
Health risks
There are certain health risks associated with a rapid opiate detox. Addicts entering into detox are often in ill health, and since the accelerated period of sedated detox also accelerates the strain on the body, the procedure is risky, and there have been several deaths within days of people having undergone this quickened detox.
No therapy
Additionally, since the procedure is quite expensive and these clinics do not offer any form of therapy or education as to future drug avoidance, many critics claim that it's a very expensive way to detox and the odds are high that without accompanying therapy participants will likely find themselves abusing again.
The procedure is intriguing and promising, but as it's currently administered, unsafe and ineffective; and only those in a position to profit from it currently endorse rapid opiate detox.
Until the safety has improved, and until rapid opiate detox clinics start to incorporate detox with therapies deemed essential for long term drug avoidance, addicts are far better to endure the days of detox in a conventional drug rehab, and then benefit from the learning that has the best chance of keeping them sober over the long term.
Detox is only the beginning
Real recovery only begins with the end of detox, and detox alone cannot be considered sufficient. Until rapid opiate detox clinics can offer a safe and comprehensive experience, the risks and costs of the procedure outweigh the possible benefits.