If you or someone close to you is struggling with addiction, the first step in your treatment will be detox. However, you might have heard from friends, medical professionals, or the internet that there are side effects to the detox process. You might ask, “Why do detox drugs make you hallucinate?” or “What are the side effects of detox?”
What is Detox?
Detox is the process where your body flushes any remaining toxins. If you drink or use drugs, the toxins from those substances will build up in your body, and the longer you struggle with addiction, the more toxins you might have at any given time.
The detox process is a chance to remove all of those, but with some substances, like alcohol or cocaine, the withdrawal symptoms can be psychological, leading to issues like hallucinations.
Why Do Detox Drugs Make You Hallucinate?
One of the most common reasons you might hallucinate during detox is because you are detoxing from alcohol.
Alcohol Hallucinations
A severe symptom of alcohol withdrawal is called alcoholic hallucinosis. These hallucinations are associated with delirium tremens and are often accompanied by increased paranoia and fear. Most commonly, people hear voices, although the hallucinations can be visual.
With the right type of professional treatment, your detox process can be managed safely, and you can remain under medical supervision, especially if you experience hallucinations. The right team can prescribe antipsychotic medication or sedatives, even physically restrain you if necessary to prevent injury or suicidal behavior.
Cocaine Hallucinations
Cocaine is another substance that is heavily associated with psychological withdrawal symptoms like cocaine psychosis.
Cocaine-induced psychosis can last between a few hours, a few days, and a few weeks. More than half the people who use cocaine experience psychosis after the fact, and the more someone abuses cocaine, the more severe that psychosis becomes.
It is important to note that cocaine can cause two types of hallucinations:
- The first is cocaine-induced psychosis, which can happen at any time after using cocaine
- The second is the cocaine-induced hallucinations that happen during withdrawal
If you experience either of these, it’s important that you work with treatment providers who can give you medication to manage the psychosis, including antipsychotic medication, anti-anxiety medications, and antidepressants.
Benzodiazepines
Why do detox drugs make you hallucinate, and what drugs are associated with hallucinations?
Benzodiazepines have been shown to cause hallucinations. Benzodiazepines are commonly prescribed medications for anxiety disorders.
During detox, for example, they can be prescribed to help control withdrawal symptoms, including hallucinations related to cocaine withdrawal.
However, detox from benzodiazepines can also cause hallucinations.
It is important to note that while hallucinations are related to benzodiazepines, they are rare side effects, and they are more likely in older adults.
For these reasons, it’s important that you receive professional treatment under proper supervision if you are currently using benzodiazepines or if they are prescribed to you to help manage your symptoms during detox.
Professional Detox with Sequoia Recovery
At Sequoia Recovery, our team provides medical detox services to help you cope with all of the effects you might have as a result of your detox process or as a result of the medications you are given.
Before your detox, we will go over what you can expect, including any risk of hallucinations as a side effect of alcohol detox or as a side effect of the detox drugs you might receive. During your detox, you will remain under constant supervision, with vitals checked regularly and adjustments made to your medication where necessary.
Even if there is a risk of hallucinations, especially from alcohol withdrawal, the most important thing you can do for your safety and well-being is undergo professional treatment where the effects of things like delirium tremens can be monitored safely and effectively. If not, you risk potentially life-threatening situations on your own.
Don’t let that happen. Let our team help you.
Why do detox drugs make you hallucinate? What support can you get during your detox process?At Sequoia Recovery, we are here to answer all of these questions and more. Contact our drug and alcohol detox center to learn about the process of recovery and the different levels of care we provide.