Question

should people who are drug addicts receive withdrawal treatment ?

Answer 1

Withdrawal treatment helps to cope up with drug addict condition.Drug addition is a condition in which an individual has lost the power of self- control with reference to a drug and abuses the drug to such an extent that the individual, society or both are harmed.

Dependence refers to a state resulting from habitual use of a drug, where negative physical withdrawal symptoms result from abrupt discontinuation.

Many hospitals for alcohol and drug de-addiction and rehabilitation has innovative programs and follows international standards of care.

Pharmacological therapies include

The agent of choice is benzodiazipine given orally in milder case or I.V in svere cases.

Midazolam administered by infusion and titrated to effect.

Diazepam given initially in titrated dose of 5 to 10 mg at intervals as frequent as every 10 minutes if necessery, until a calm but awake level of consciousness is achieved.

other medical management include barbiturates, oral ethanol, haloperidol, clonidine, methadone, loperamide and antiemetics etc

Non- pharmacological management include

a calm, nonthreatening, protective environment with frequent verbal orientation and reassurence.

To relieve anxiety , fear and to minimize agitation.

Electrolyte replacement therapy.

Withdrawal symptoms include tremors, restlessness, irritability, depression, dysphoria, psychosis, seizures, poor memory, vomiting , diarrhoea etc.