Testing for drugs is a crucial part of any drug rehabilitation plan. This process involves testing various substances in the body to determine if you have either used or abused them.
You may want to test yourself, your children, your friends and colleagues, or even an animal that you suspect has been using illegal drugs. You can also send samples off to a lab for analysis.
There are many different types of drug tests available, some more common than others. Some tests are designed purely for recreational use, while others are intended mainly for people who work in dangerous jobs where they would be exposed to potentially damaging chemicals. There are also tests made for pets and for animals suspected of being abused by their owners.
To help you decide which type of test to take, keep reading this article. We will discuss what kind of substance you should be testing for, how to collect the sample, and what the results mean for you.
What to test
There are many different types of drug tests. Drug testing can be done for a variety of reasons, including pre-employment screening, random testing, or post-incident testing. Drug tests can detect a variety of drugs, including marijuana, cocaine, amphetamines, opiates, etc. They are important for many business organizations. We can see here the types of these tests. Many people think that all drug tests are for marijuana, but that isn’t true. In fact there are several different types of tests that you can choose from, each with its own purpose and design.
The most commonly used test for cannabis is urine testing because it is easy to obtain and relatively inexpensive. It was made popular as a way to screen for drug usage because it is non-invasive. You just pee into a cup, and the results show up in approximately two weeks. The same applies for alcohol. A blood test can detect whether or not someone has consumed alcohol, but it cannot tell if there has been a recent consumption. If you need to know exactly when alcohol was last ingested, then you will have to wait longer for the results.
Another popular choice of test is saliva testing. This is ideal for detecting drug use on a daily basis because it is easier to get a clean sample than it is for urine testing. It can also detect the presence of drugs such as cocaine, amphetamines, opiates, and benzodiazepines.
If you are worried about the possibility of a positive result, you may want to consider another type of drug test. Hair testing allows you to test for certain substances even after they have left the system. These include methamphetamines, THC, MDMA (Ecstasy), cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and gamma hydroxybutyric acid (GHB).
How to collect the sample
Before taking a drug test, you must make sure that you have a clean sample. This means that you should not have eaten anything since midnight the previous day, nor should you have drunk any alcoholic beverages. If you do, you will have to wait until morning before taking the test, unless otherwise specified in the instructions.
For urine testing, put one small cotton ball inside your penis and a second one inside your urethra. For saliva testing, place the cotton ball under your tongue and hold it firmly in place for at least five minutes. Alternatively, you can stick the cotton ball behind your lower lip, between your cheek and gums.
Once you have collected the sample, you must place it in a container, preferably one that won’t leak. To test for cannabis, place the cotton balls in a plastic bag and seal it shut. Then put the bag in a safe place, out of sight, so that you don’t accidentally contaminate it.
It goes without saying that you shouldn’t smoke or eat anything during this time. If you need to urinate, do so. Make sure that your urine doesn’t spill onto the floor. When you’re finished, throw away the cotton balls and wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water.
You now have to send off the sample to a laboratory. Depending on the type of test you need, it might take anywhere from several days to several weeks for the results to come back. Keep checking your mailbox, and if you haven’t heard from the lab within 14 days, contact them directly.
What the results mean
When the results come back, you will receive a notification letter explaining what the outcome was. If it shows that no drugs were found in the sample, you will be given the results orally by one of your treatment professionals. If you tested positive, you will be told immediately.
If you tested negative, you still have to pay close attention to the next few days. If you experience any symptoms or changes in behavior, such as insomnia, mood swings, anxiety, irritability, depression, paranoia, aggression, or memory problems, you will probably need to seek medical assistance. These signs usually appear within three months of your first positive drug test result.
If you continue to test positive, you will likely have to see a doctor again to discuss possible treatments and possible relapse prevention plans. You will need to start attending regular counseling sessions to deal with the underlying causes of your drug abuse.
If you are going through rehab for a serious addiction, you may be required to undergo random drug testing. This is a good idea, especially if you’ve had several positive tests. Your treatment team will discuss the best way to manage these situations, depending on your specific situation.
This information provides enough details about drug testing kits and the process of drug testing to allow you to make informed decisions. Now that you understand this subject better, you will be able to find the right testing kit for you and your needs.
