What is Detox?

When a drug is stopped, whether abruptly or slowly, your body goes through the withdrawal process of getting the drug completely out of your system. The long-term use of a drug or alcohol changes the brain to a new “normal,” meaning it becomes dependant on that substance to achieve a high or euphoric state or a woozy, relaxed state. Once a person takes a drug, it elicits a response in the brain. Whether it’s to block pain, create a buzzed or high feeling, or alters your thinking, it adapts, therefore, creates a dependency on the drug, if continued.

Your body, once the drug is stopped, has to readjust itself back to the old “normal,” but that takes some time. Meanwhile, your body starts to feel the effects of not having the drug in its system and begins to rebel, if you will. Detoxification is cleansing the body of the drug so that the brain can make its needed adjustments.Signs of Detox

The signs your body is detoxing occur quite rapidly after stopping the substance — sometimes within hours. Depending on what type of substance you used, it could have differing effects. Here are the signs to be aware of:

• Anxiety
• Irritability
• Body pain
• Tremors
• Changes in appetite
• Nausea and vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Fatigue
• Sleeplessness
• Sleepiness
• Leg cramps
• Cravings
• Sweating
• Shivering

Your skin also shows signs of detoxing. You could break out in a rash, itch, or sweat more than usual. Emotionally, your moods can change from anger to sadness to anxiousness or depression. Cognitively, your motor reflexes could be slower. Major detox signs include seizures, delirium, and hallucinations.