Can You Do a Medical Detox First, or is it Better to Taper Drugs and Improve Nutrition?

We’re often asked if someone can do a medical detox to get off of psychiatric medication quickly, and then work on their nutrition and supplement regimen later. It sounds like a good idea to get off the drugs as soon as possible, and a medical detox can certainly break a drug addiction quickly.

A review of the history of the client will usually demonstrate that first there was a problem, then they were medicated. The majority of the problem symptoms subsided when they started the medication, then at some point side effects came on, and then eventually the medication no longer worked. When they then try to get off the medication, they often have a rough time.

Was there a problem before they got diagnosed and medicated?

If you can believe that this person was nutritionally not providing for themselves in way that would allow them to have mental balance in the first place, before the "event" they blame their troubles on happened, then you can probably agree that they have likely done nothing to improve their nutrition since they started depending on medication.

In fact their health has probably deteriorated. Simply pulling their medication, even if it is done slowly (in a medical detox it is not done slowly), their original symptoms will be in full force once they come off the medication.

Most likely nothing has been done to repair the system.

What nutritional problems could lead to needing psychiatric medication?

For instance, a person has developed hypoglycemia as a result of over consumption of sugars and coffee. Each time this person’s blood sugar drops, it poses a threat to the workings of the brain which requires a constant and stable glucose level. The brain responds to this threat by requiring the adrenal glands to release Cortisol, a stress hormone, which causes the release of Glycogen stored in the liver and muscles to raise the blood sugar. The "problem" is then "solved".

Now run this scenario 6 times a day for a decade, and they suffer adrenal fatigue. They can no longer fight stress, they don’t have the Cortisol to do it. So now they need an Ativan, Klonopin, Valium, and/or a drink. Brings down the stress, but does little for the real problem.

Keep doing this for another few years or decades. The medication no longer does the job. The receptors for that medication have been down-regulated to the point that they are unreceptive to the drugs. Simply taking a person off these drugs in fast fashion is rarely going to benefit this problem.

How to get off psychiatric medications for long-term health

First, identify the cause of the problem. Implement a corrective diet. Then over a few weeks of gradually reducing the amount of the drugs, the drugs become unnecessary.

It’s a lot easier to stabilize someone nutritionally when they are not having a panic attack from coming off medications too quickly, or are too agoraphobic to go shopping.

In fairness, we’d like to say that medical detox has is application, however we’re seeing it misapplied to those who’s real problem is not being a recreational drug user turned addict. We’re seeing medical detox used on people whose situation is clearly the result of metabolic mistreatment that is not going to fix itself just because the drugs are gone. In fact they are going to freak out and further reinforce in their mind the need for drugs.

So, in most case, the formula is:

• Discover through brain/blood chemistry testing and clinical findings what the person's body needs.
• A diet and supplementation schedule that will lend itself to rebuilding the metabolic damage to the body.
• Tapering (gradually reducing the amount of a drug) and detoxing
• A diet and supplement schedule that will complement their particular biochemical individuality for life

Please contact the Alternative to Meds Center for more information, at 800-359-9698, or look through our web site at www.alternativetomedscenter.com .

Contact the Alternative to Meds Center

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