3 Effects Of Detox On A Seasoned Athlete

By Ryan.

We have all heard the stories of famous athletes that struggled with drug or alcohol addiction. Michael Phelps, Darryl Strawberry, and Andre Agassi are just three extremely talented athletes that allowed the pressure of remaining in top physical shape and retaining their talent, along with the pressure fame brings, to pull them down into the pit of illegal drug use.

Being a well oiled machine in the world of sports doesn’t always mean that the psychological state of a person is in as good a shape as the physical body. Nevertheless, recover is an option for us all and one that many struggling athletes find and follow. The first phase of recovery, detox, can be harsh on anyone, including a well trained body. Below are 3 ways detox will affect even the most fit athlete.

Emotional

When someone becomes addicted to drugs of any kind or alcohol, there is an emotional attachment to the perceived stability that the substance brings. You eventually feel like you can not cope with day to day functions without the habit. All of a sudden, your body has no access to the chemicals that replaced your natural balance.

Your body now has to almost relearn how to cope with stress, chemically speaking. So, when you go into detox, or withdrawal, from whatever substance you have developed an addiction to, you will suffer emotionally. Feelings will may include feelings of anxiety or restlessness, irritability, not being able to sleep or concentrate on anything, feeling depressed and just wanting to be left alone.

Physical

When an athlete enters into detox, the first thing usually thought about is how the ensuing withdrawal will affect him/her physically. During an addiction, whether it be to drugs or alcohol, your body becomes dependent on the usually more than once daily use of the substance involved. To help your body begin to maintain its physical order, you have to remove the object causing the dependency. In that case, athletes can look for the best rehab in Thailand or in other locations to get special care and facilities to assist them in recovery. Drug and alcohol addiction can negatively affect an athlete’s career, so to avoid getting into legal issues, it could be better to get quality de-addiction service on time.

In the process, your body will have a decent sized hissy fit. This may include sweating, having your heart race, palpitations, muscle tension, tightness in your chest, trouble breathing, tremors, and the always uncomfortable nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Any of these by themselves is not the average idea of fun. Together, they can prove difficult to conquer. Having trained medical staff close by is recommended.

Dangerous

Unfortunately, there are cases when detox can become a dangerous affair. Also, another reason not to attempt it on your own. As a trained athlete, many feel physically and mentally more capable than the average person. Do not fall victim to that fantasy. Detox is a serious matter. There are many things to take into consideration when you talk about the intensity of detox.

The biggest among those would be how long you have been on a substance and what the substance actually is. Dangerous withdrawal symptoms can accompany a detox at any time, but seem to befriend addictions to harsher chemicals and addictions that have lasted over a longer period of time. These effects can include grand mal seizures, heart attacks, strokes, hallucinations, and delirium tremens.

In the end, detox from drugs and/or alcohol tends to level the playing field. Do your well trained body a favor and avoid addiction.

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Topic
Athletics
Published
Sep 20, 2017