An increasing number of people across Wales are opting for safer and more personalised home detoxes. This is especially the case if you live in the most rural parts of Wales, such as Anglesey, the valleys in Rhondda or on the Aberystwyth coast.
Opting for a home detox can be an incredibly discreet and productive way of overcoming a physical addiction to drugs or alcohol that involve a physical dependence.
This article will explain exactly what a home detox is, and what benefits it can bring you if you suffer from a drug or alcohol addiction. Remember, if you are suffering from a severe addiction to either drugs or alcohol, then you will likely need to attend an addiction treatment clinic in person in order to recover, as your withdrawal symptoms could get out of hand if you were to attempt to detox at home.
Addiction in Wales
Unfortunately, addiction across Wales is getting worse. According to a study carried out by Public Health Wales, alcohol specific deaths in Wales reached 562 just 2023, which was almost a 16% increase from the year before. Of these alcohol related deaths, just under 65% were men.
In addition to this, alcohol-related hospital admissions across Wales reached 12,236 in just 2023, with almost 70% aged 50 or over.
When it comes to drug addiction across Wales, drug poisoning deaths rose to 377 in just 2023, with rates across Wales higher than England. Unfortunately, once again, men accounted for over 75% of drug related deaths in 2023, with those aged 50 or over most affected by drug abuse [2].
What is a Home Detox?
A home detox is when an individual withdraws from an addictive substance in the comfort of their own home. This allows them to withdraw in a safe and familiar environment, with their family and loved ones around them for support.
When you opt for a home detox, you are still supported by healthcare professionals such as doctors and rehab and recovery specialists in Wales, who will send you medication in the post and will be on the phone for one to one consultation on your progress.
These check ins are able to provide you with the support you need to manage your withdrawal symptoms effectively. Withdrawal symptoms can be intense when you’re attempting to detox , weather you’re in an addiction treatment clinic or choosing to detox at home. This is why it is important to fully communicate your symptoms to your doctor so that they have a full picture of your progress and the severity of your conditions.
Withdrawal symptoms can range in severity greatly and largely depend on how severe your addiction is in the first place. Withdrawal symptoms include some of the below.
- A shortness in breath
- Seizures
- Stomach upset
- Vomiting
- Excessive sweating and fevers
- Mood swings
- Delirium tremors
- Hallucinations
During your detox, you will likely be prescribed medication to help to treat these symptoms and this medication will be posted to your home address during a home detox.
It is important to understand that your withdrawal symptoms can become life threatening if they are not managed properly. You must not attempt to detox on your own without consulting a rehab and treatment specialist first.
Benefits of Opting for a Home Detox
1. Surrounding Yourself with Comfort and Familiarity
One of the best advantages linked to a home detox si that you are detoxing in the comfort of your home, something that you should feel very comfortable and familiar with. This should not be underestimated and can go a huge way when it comes to easing your withdrawal symptoms.
Withdrawal symptoms can be really unpleasant, especially when you take into account that you can experience a lot of vomiting and stomach upset during your withdrawal. We’ve all been sick somewhere unfamiliar to us, and it’s never a nice experience. Going through this type of illness in your own home and bathroom can go a long way to making you feel more comfortable and relaxed.
2. Privacy and Discretion
Likewise, detoxing at home also means that you have a lot more privacy. There are certain parts of Wales, particularly in more rural parts of Wales where everyone knows everyone. For some people, admitting themselves into a rehab clinic or facility, even for a short period of time could be a very embarrassing and overwhelming decision if you feel that it might become public knowledge before you know it.
Detoxing at home, however, means that you have more discretion and no one other than your immediate circle of family or friends need to know what you are going through.
3. A Tailored Plan
Thirdly, detoxing at home means that you are more likely to get a tailored detox plan specific to your addiction and recovery needs. Unfortunately, in many rehab facilities across Wales, services are stretched which means that you might not get the level of care that you wanted or a tailored approach.
Detoxing at home means that you will most likely get a timely response to any queries you might have and a thorough and thought through plan that meets your recovery needs.
5. Access to Local Follow-Up Support
One of the best aspects to a home detox is that you still gain access to the same follow up and ongoing support as you would if you attended an inpatient detox and withdrawal at a rehab facility.
Your detox is just the very start of your recovery journey, as you will likely need to attend therapy and counselling after your withdrawal and detox in order to tackle the psychological side of your addiction, which will likely include any triggers or root causes of your addiction.
The therapy side of your recovery and treatment plan should never be underestimated. After your detox, your body should no longer crave the substances that you have been addicted to. However, that does not mean that your mind will not relapse from time to time.
By attending therapy for your addiction, you will be able to better tackle any triggers or cravings that you still might experience, and might uncover the root cause or trauma behind when you became addicted to drugs or alcohol in the first place.
Conclusion
As you can see, addiction issues across Wales are on the rise, and more and more people are opting for a home detox rather than attending inpatient rehab to undergo a detox or withdrawal.
A home detox brings with it a range of benefits, including more privacy and confidentiality, more comfort and the same ongoing treatment and aftercare as you would if you were to attend inpatient rehab.
However, it is important to understand that not everyone will be suitable for a home detox. Only those with less severe addiction issues, or those who have been addicted to drugs or alcohol for a shorter amount of time will be considered for a home detox. This is because the more severe your addiction issues are, the worse your withdrawal symptoms are said to be.
If you are considering a home detox, then you must speak to your local doctor or addiction recovery specialist as soon as possible, before attempting to withdraw or detox yourself. Withdrawal symptoms can become life threatening if they are not managed correctly, so always speak to a professional first.
