The Importance of Effectively Managing Withdrawals
Once you’re ready to enter rehab your first step will be detox. While you’re here you may hear the term “tapering.” You may have some questions about this term that we’d like to answer for you here.
What is Tapering From Drugs?
When you’re physically addicted to a drug your body and brain chemistry are dramatically changed. This is why withdrawal symptoms occur, especially when you’ve used the drug heavily or for a long period. Your body and brain are no longer able to function without the drug. To help alleviate severe withdrawal symptoms and allow for long-term recovery, most rehab centers will taper you off the drugs you were abusing.
Tapering is the process in which the substance you were abusing is slowly decreased. This helps your body gradually adjust to sobriety, but this needs to be done under professional care. They have a set of guidelines from the American Society of Addiction Medicine that they use to help with effective and safe tapering.
Why is Drug Tapering Done?
Your dependence on the substance you’re abusing is physical in nature. This means the drug is interfering or substituting for the chemicals that are found in your body, especially in your brain.
Your dependence on the substance you’re abusing is physical in nature. This means the drug is interfering with or substituting for the chemicals that are found in your body, especially in your brain. So, when you suddenly remove that substance from your body it can’t resume the natural processes. However, by tapering off of a drug your body will have time to adjust to no longer having the drug and start replacing it on its own again. Withdrawal management and tapering are also ways to manage withdrawal symptoms and help you avoid the risk of death in benzo and alcohol withdrawal.
Many Forms of Medicaid Accepted for Addiction Treatment
Which Drugs Require Tapering?
Detox should always be handled carefully. With some substances, drug tapering is the only way to safely detox. For instance, benzodiazepines (e.g., Xanax, Ativan, Valium), opioids (e.g., fentanyl, heroin), and alcohol must all be tapered because sudden withdrawal can be fatal. There are also some people whom medical professionals strongly advise tapering, including people:
- Over the age of 65
- Abusing more than one type of drug
- With cognitive disorders, traumatic brain injuries, or current or past substance use disorders
- Using large amounts of a drug
- With co-occurring illnesses (both mental and physical)
- Who’ve abused substances in the past
- Used a substance frequently for a long period