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LOCATION: Home > Tools > Do it Yourself Detox

Do it Yourself Detoxification

Thanks to Peter McDermott for the following text form of a wonderful booklet he developed available from Lifeline in England:
McDermott's Guide to Do-It-Yourself Detox
(c) Peter McDermott, 1993, (c) Lifeline Project, 1993

Page 1 of 4

This guide was first published by Lifeline Project, Manchester, UK. This electronic version may be freely distributed electronically or as hard copy.

Why should I do-it-myself?

People often go along to a drugs agency in the hope of finding an easy solution to their drug problem. This is a mistake. There are no easy solutions.

The majority of people stop using drugs without any help. Addiction to smoking is just as difficult to give up as addiction to heroin, but the majority of people stop smoking with out any outside help. Drugs agencies are thought to be in contact with between 10% and 25% of all heroin users. The rest stop using drugs without any help whatsoever. When the U.S. army was fighting in Vietnam, hundreds of thousands of soldiers became addicted to heroin. When they returned to the U.S.A., the vast majority gave up heroin without any help whatsoever.

While a small number of people find that it is harder to stop using unless they are physically removed to a place where they cannot get drugs, i.e., a hospital or a rehab unit. This may be an option for you to consider, but if you do, remember, you still have to face the situation back in the real world when you do get out. Ultimately, nobody else can do your detox for you.

Some people find that support from a drugs worker can be helpful during a detox. Other people's experience is that they are a bunch of know-nothing do-gooders who are about as much use as a blocked needle or a packet of wet skins. There are also other drawbacks associated with attending a drugs agency. They expect you to attend for regular appointments. You can expect to run into other drug users, possibly even dealers, and most drugs agencies keep records of your name, address, date of birth, etc. In some cases, these are passed on to the Home Office and kept on a register. If you decide to use a drugs agency, remember to ask about their record keeping and confidentiality policies.

Ultimately, whether you decide that you want support from a drugs worker or not, the only person who can stop using drugs is YOU. However, the greatest obstacle to your success is fear. This booklet aims to try and remove some of the mysteries that surround drug detoxification, by explaining what will happen, we hope to make you your own expert. You take the credit for success, and the responsibility for your own continued use.

Before you make the decision to detoxify, there are several questions that you should try to answer for yourself. read more > Next > page 2 of 4

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