Risks of Doing Recovery on Your Own

Any drug or alcohol addicted person would like to recover from their addiction. In fact, a lot of people want to go through rehabilitation, but not all of them would take the step in admitting themselves into a treatment center. Some even take it into a whole other approach and this is to recover on their own. While trying to beat the addiction on your own is of good intentions, it is not always enough. Being able to stop your habit is possible but staying out of your old and bad habits can be a challenging one. This is why there are a lot of risks in doing recovery on your own.

A brain that is fried by years of taking drugs and alcohol does not always function like a normal person’s brain would. Therefore, decision-making, taking risks and inhibitions vs. rewarding one’s self is always going to be inconsistent.

The Risks of Recovering Alone

Being addicted to drugs or alcohol is tough, it can turn into a lonely situation. You tend to push people who want to help you away while trying to fight your own demons. However, if you decide on quitting and recovering on your own, it may not always be the smartest decision. Why? This is because it could pose a lot of deadly risks. Keep in mind that recovering from drug use is different from alcohol addiction and if you are suffering from both drugs and alcohol addiction, then you may have a deadly combination here.

About 16 million people in America have been reported to fight alcohol addiction alone. About 5% of these people have suffered seizures while withdrawing from acute alcohol addiction. Depending on the severity of the case, it has been reported that 7% to 25% of these individuals have died from the withdrawal of alcohol. This alone is a good reason why recovering from drug or alcohol addiction alone is not a good idea, to begin with.

It Is Not Safe

Alcohol is considered to be more dangerous than drugs when it comes to detoxing. A lot of times, people think it is easy to stop and withdraw from such addiction or its an easy and simple process that anyone can do – this is not the case all the time. Risks always come whenever a person decides on recovering on their own. Inpatient treatment is ideal for those who are recovering from alcohol addiction and is very much effective when a healthcare professional is involved. So if you want to recover on your own without any professional help then you are most likely to suffer some serious consequences, depending on the severity of your addiction.

During alcohol detox, the addict undergoes delirium tremens which is the most dangerous part of withdrawal. People who consume large amounts of alcohol each day are most likely at risk for delirium tremens. This happens when the person has a rapid onset of confusion during the first three days of detoxing and could last up to three days. Without proper supervision, patients can experience intense irregular heart rate, sweating, shaking and shivering that they cannot control. Normal people who are only quitting alcohol require a change in their behavior, but detox and withdrawal are a whole different process.

Extreme alcohol addicts who abruptly stopped drinking alcohol can lead to an untimely death. They will also experience hallucinations, intense heart palpitations, and even convulsions. This is why it is not advised to recover or detox on your own as the two phases of detoxing need assistance from other people, specifically health care professionals.

After the detoxing phase ends, the following months are also critical. This is where healing takes place and where health care professionals help the patient reduce the risk of death and other serious side effects.

Drug addiction and withdrawal is a different process compared to alcohol withdrawal. While it is not as dangerous as alcohol withdrawal, there are still risks involved and those addicts who attempt to detox on their own often end up failing. Those who quit using drugs abruptly often have life-threatening side effects. This is why inpatient treatment is done with the help of experts in order to avoid these side effects and relapse. Withdrawal symptoms usually happen within 12 hours after the person last used their drug of choice. For example, a person who is addicted to heroin usually exhibits withdrawal symptoms 12 hours after the last use. These symptoms include sneezing, vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, insomnia, chills, weakness, abdominal pain, and anxiety which could go on for 2-4 days.

People who are addicted to methamphetamine also undergo withdrawal the moment the user decides to stop using it. However, it does not always involve any physical symptoms. Instead, addicts go through suicidal thoughts, paranoia, severe depression, intense cravings, hunger, aggression, fatigue, anxiety, and lethargy. This is also the reason why meth addicts are not advised to recover on their own as it poses risk to your physical and mental health.

Inpatient Care with Health Care Professionals is the Best Way to Recover

Alcohol is perhaps the only substance that could kill a person who tries to recover from it alone. Drug withdrawal can also put a person at risk during the process if they do this alone. This is why it is always recommended to work with healthcare professionals if you or people you know are suffering from addiction and want to recover. Healthcare experts are able to create a plan and provide the treatment needed for the recovering addict. Not only that, but inpatient care also involves a structure that is carefully designed to help reduce the risks of side effects while making sure that the patient fully recovers.

Final Thoughts

It takes a lot of strength for an addict to decide to quit his or her addiction and we salute them for that. However, taking the responsibility to recover on your own is a different story. Brave as you are, you cannot do this on your own. The risks involved and the battle for your life is more dangerous than you can imagine, so it is best to seek professional help. If you truly love your life, this is the bravest thing that you can do: ask for help when you need it the most. Don’t be ashamed, help comes to those who are seeking it. This may be surprising, but there are people out there who love you and are willing to lend a hand if you just reach out.