Understanding the importance of a detox in the context of someone who is looking for recovery from alcoholism or drug addiction is hugely important, and should be a major factor when deciding what type of rehab or recovery facilities an individual may seek to get help from.
One of the most important distinctions to understand is that the term detox should refer to a medical detox, as opposed to what is often called an holistic detox.
The term holistic detox is used by a number of rehabs, and can have different meanings. Its main interpretation is in the context of cleansing an individual from the harmful toxins in their body, which can be physical, mental or emotional.
An holistic detox can range from cleansing an individual of toxins such as caffeine and nicotine, through to inner child work or a number of other types of therapies aimed at healing emotional wounds and divisions.
Detox – Medical and Holistic
An holistic detox can have some value in itself, but needs to be looked at carefully in terms of what therapeutic work is actually being done, and what claims are being made for its success, also very important is the capability that the individual undertaking the holistic detox work has, and what qualifications they have that backdrop their supposed capability to perform such work.
Eight medical detox on the other hand is a much more traditional term, and refers in a very general sense to the way the body withdrawals from the effects of alcoholism and drug abuse.
Any individual who is coming off alcohol and/or drugs runs the risk of severe problems in the context of withdrawals from them. Not everyone does suffer problems, but it is highly advisable that anyone considering stopping using alcohol and or drugs gets professional help to assess whether or not they need a medical detox.
Anyone entering a residential rehab should make sure that the rehab has such capabilities itself, both to assess the need of a medical detox, and to have the qualified medical and clinical personnel available to oversee and monitor such a detox.
It is also perfectly acceptable for a rehab to have an arrangement with a local clinical care facility where this work is overseen and done on their behalf. What is important is that there is an assessment of an individual for a medical detox, and the clinical practices put in place to oversee and monitor such a detox.