If you find yourself physically dependent on oxycodone, or one of the many medications that contain oxycodone as a primary component, it may be a strong temptation to attempt to detox from the drug at home. While it is not impossible to successfully detox in a home setting, there are a number of challenges that can occur that make it a bad idea for many people who are interested in becoming sober. There are some criteria to use to determine whether or not you should attempt detoxing from oxycodone at home, as well as a number of alternatives to detox at home that you should consider.
Should You Detox From Oxycodone at Home?
The first thing to consider when you are making the decision whether or not to attempt to detox from oxycodone at home is whether you have a dependence on the drug or you are addicted to the drug. While the terms are sometimes used to mean the same thing, they are very different in terms of treating addiction. Here are some guidelines:
- Oxycodone dependence means unpleasant withdrawal symptoms are experienced when you don’t get your dose of oxycodone on time:
o Oxycodone is NOT being used to “get high”.
o Oxycodone is only being sought to relieve the pain for which it was prescribed.
- Oxycodone addiction means dependence has progressed to obsession, compulsion, or what might be called excessive dependence:
o Pathological preoccupation with getting the drug
o Using it to experience intoxication or the “high” one can get from it
o Includes all the ferocious withdrawal symptoms when trying to get off it
o Drug-seeking behavior goes beyond normal bounds, even to illegal means.
In both cases, detoxing from the drug at a rehab or medical facility will be a much easier and more assured process than trying to detox at home. In either case, the withdrawal symptoms can be very difficult for people to get through—even though they are not generally life-threatening. Symptoms can include diarrhea, runny nose, watery eyes and sneezing, body aches and leg and arm spasms. Nausea is also frequent. The most serious withdrawal symptoms typically last three to five days, but this may depend for the user on the amount of the drug that was used. If you have a dependency but not an addiction, your doctor may be able to assist you in tapering off your dosage; if, however, you are addicted, you will likely find it very difficult to detox from oxycodone at home
What Other Detox Options Are There?
The most reliable method of detox from oxycodone is in a medically-supervised environment, such as a rehab center that offers detox, or a hospital that has a dedicated detox unit. Generally speaking, during the detox period, different medications may be used to alleviate the symptoms of the detox process (such as anti-diarrhea medicine, or medicine for nausea, occasionally mood-stabilizing medications such as anti-depressants). These are in-patient detox programs, and if you are considering rehab they are an important step towards recovery.
Another alternative is an outpatient program, which typically uses a “substitute” of sorts in the form of methadone or suboxone. While some people may be very successful in these programs, it’s important to keep in mind that methadone and suboxone essentially substitute for oxycodone—they are also opiate narcotics—and they can be difficult in the long run to taper off of, and will also present their own challenges in the form of withdrawal symptoms and detoxing processes.
The benefit of detox and rehab facilities is that they provide a safe, secure environment with a great deal of emotional, psychological, and lifestyle support. Medical issues, both related and unrelated to addiction, can be treated, which is more than is possible at home. While it is not impossible to successfully detox, or even to quit oxycodone “cold turkey,” by detoxing in a safe environment with medical supervision, your chances of success are much higher.