In the early days of 2020, social distancing wasn’t a term many of us were even familiar with. But once COVID-19 hit, it became the new norm. Businesses shut down, parks were closed, and we were all advised to stay at least six feet apart from one another. While inconvenient and frustrating for many, social distancing presented an opportunity for those struggling with addiction.

With extra time and privacy, now is the time when people who want to stop drinking or using drugs attempt to get sober. While this is a courageous and inspirational goal, detoxing from drugs or alcohol at home can be incredibly dangerous. We’re going to take a closer look at the dangers of detoxing at home and some safer options for your recovery.

Is Detoxing at Home Safe?

During times of social distancing and COVID-19, detoxing at home might seem like the best option. After all, you’re probably thinking that you don’t want to increase your risk of getting sick. But the truth is, detoxing at home is extremely dangerous.

There are certain substances you shouldn’t quit on your own without medical support. For example, someone struggling with alcohol should never try to detox at home. Delirium tremens is a medical condition that occurs when someone addicted to alcohol suddenly stops.

Someone going through delirium tremens can experience a rapid heartbeat, high fever and have tachycardia. In some cases, attempting to detox from alcohol on your own can lead to death. And alcohol is only one example of how detoxing without professional medical support can be dangerous.

Managing the Symptoms of Withdrawal

One of the main reasons why people don’t seek recovery is the fear of withdrawal. Withdrawal symptoms can range from uncomfortable to life threatening, depending on the substance.

During withdrawal, your body and mind are telling you to go back to the substance. Your body knows that taking the substance again has the potential to make the discomfort go away, which makes the temptation to relapse high.

Medical detox allows you to get the drugs or alcohol out of your body in a safe environment. With the right professional medical staff caring for you during this time, you can minimize withdrawal symptoms and lower your risk of relapse.

Detoxing at Home and COVID-19

You may feel that detoxing at home is your best option during COVID-19, since the thought of going to a treatment center right now may cause you additional anxiety. However, the danger of detoxing at home outweighs your chances of getting COVID-19 at an addiction treatment center.

Addiction treatment centers, like Footprints Beachside Recovery, make the health and safety of patients their top priority. All areas and equipment used in treatment are sanitized and all staff have their temperature checked regularly and closely follow CDC safety measures and regulations.

Plus, when you’re in an addiction treatment program, your health is monitored very closely. If a medical issue were to arise, you’d have personalized support right away. When you’re at home, it’s a different story. If a medical emergency occurs, you might not be able to handle it on your own. And due to COVID-19, ambulances and emergency rooms could be slower to respond.

Why You Should Go to Addiction Treatment

Other than the reasons we’ve highlighted above, going to addiction treatment stops you from being isolated. When you detox at home, you’re often left alone and can feel shut out from social support. And these feelings are only made stronger due to social distancing and COVID-19.

Feeling isolated can make the depression and stress that come with withdrawal worse. But in addiction treatment, you’ll be with people who are going through the same challenges. Between your peers and the supportive staff, you’ll have more encouragement to keep your recovery moving forward.

Start Your Recovery at Our Family-Run Luxury Addiction Treatment Center

At Footprints Beachside Recovery, we’ve been through addiction ourselves and know how challenging it can be to reach recovery. But you don’t have to walk this journey alone. Our detox center is a leading provider of detox and treatment services in Florida.

We’ll make sure that your detox process is monitored by medical professionals while making you as comfortable as possible. You have the potential to reach lasting recovery. Contact us today to talk with a our admissions team.