Choosing a drug to reduce on

Sorting out the mechanics of which drug you are going to detox on, and how fast, are important parts of the planning of a detox. However, choosing a drug to reduce on is not the only, or even the most important, part of the detox process.

Many people get too hung up on which drug they will detox on, and set themselves up to fail with unrealistic expectations of what the treatment can and can’t do for them.

The main options of drugs that may be available for you to take as you detox are discussed on the following pages, with their pros and cons, and how they might affect the process of physical withdrawal.

By each drug is a list of statements that may or may not be true for you. Read through them and see if you can decide, for you, which:

• are true;
• are false;
• are good;
• are bad;
• will affect you; and
• won’t affect you.

Thinking and talking through these issues may help you make a decision.