How to Help a Friend Through Detox

When your friend first stops his substance abuse he will go through detoxification, or detox. During detox, your friend's body will be overcoming the withdrawal symptoms he is having. This is a critical time for your friend and there are several ways that you can help your friend through this difficult time in your friend's life.

Instructions

• 1

  Understand how the detox program that your friend is going through works. Find out if they are going to need an inpatient or outpatient program and how long treatment will last. If it is an inpatient program, find out if visitors are allowed. If they are, then it would be a nice idea to visit your friend during detox.

• 2

  Familiarize yourself with the symptoms of someone going through detox. Your friend may experience cravings, shaking, headaches, sweating, nausea, cramping, vomiting, depression, anxiety, agitation and confusion. You need to be prepared to handle any and all of these symptoms when they happen.

• 3

  Talk to a doctor or nurse involved with your friend's detox program and ask them about how you can help your friend while she is detoxing. The health professional will be able to tell you what you can do to help your friend be successful in getting through this difficult time.

• 4

  Support your friend emotionally by following her cues on when she does and when she doesn't want to talk about detox. Your friend will be looking to you to be a good listener when the time comes to talk and a to be a good distraction when she wants a break from the process.

• 5

  Keep drugs, alcohol and any other harmful substances away from your friend during the detox problem. Help him keep these temptations far away by getting rid of them and keeping the people who have these substances away from your friend during the detox program.

• 6

  Contact a professional if you encounter a situation that you can't handle. Don't be afraid to ask for help from a professional if your friend is in danger from breaking the detox program.