Get 24/7 Help

Is Detox Really Necessary?

March 18, 2023

Over 20 million Americans over the age of 12 have been affected by substance abuse disorders at some point in their lives. If you have been affected by addiction, you may be considering if detoxification, otherwise known as detox, is the right treatment tool for you. It’s important that the detox process is completed at a treatment facility and not at home so you can receive the best and most appropriate care while you start your recovery journey.
You may be asking yourself if you or a loved one is in need of medical detoxification? Or you may be wondering what exactly detoxification is? What does the process look like? Below we will discuss all things you need to know about detoxification. What it is, what are its benefits, and where you can go to get help.

What is Detoxification?

Detoxification is the process of eliminating harmful, or in many cases life-threatening, amounts of drugs, alcohol, or other poisons from your body. There are key medical benefits of detoxification.
Detoxification, when done correctly, can help ease your withdrawal symptoms, which can aid in your recovery from substance use. Detox centers will have professional, licensed medical staff who can provide you with medications to help ease the many withdrawal symptoms you may experience while detoxing and make you more comfortable.
Medical detox can provide you with a sense of safety and security. You will be in the best care under professional supervision 24 hours a day. You can feel at ease knowing that you will have all the necessary vitamins, hydration, and nutrition during your stay at a detox facility.

How Long Does Detox Take?

Drug detoxification eases your withdrawal symptoms. These are just some of the drug and alcohol withdrawal symptoms you may experience:

  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Agitation
  • Irritability
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Rapid Heart Rate
  • Fever
  • Fatigue
  • Headaches
  • Appetite Loss
  • Insomnia

When choosing detox, there are two main detoxification methods: inpatient treatment or outpatient treatment.
With inpatient treatment, your general length of stay will be 30 days or more, with 24/7 round the clock treatment to provide you with the best care. There are also long-term inpatient detox programs for those with more severe substance abuse.
Outpatient detoxification is the process of receiving treatment sessions at scheduled days and times depending on which detox program you choose. These detox focused treatment sessions can range anywhere from 3 days up to 2 weeks.

Medical Assisted Detox

Medically assisted detoxification may be necessary if you are experiencing severe withdrawal symptoms. When acute detoxification is present, there are specific medications given to treat and alleviate withdrawal in order to make your detox process more comfortable. Medications such as Narcan, methadone, buprenorphine, and benzodiazepines are used to help treat substance use disorders and decrease any cravings to use again.
You may be wondering how safe or effective these medications are, or if they are right for your specific treatment needs. Narcan is given as a tool to help you prevent relapse from substances like heroin or opioids. Methadone and buprenorphine similarly help to reduce cravings from opioids and help with other withdrawal symptoms. Benzodiazepines are commonly used in detox centers to treat withdrawal, cravings, and can be effective in helping with withdrawal from chronic alcohol use.
With these medications and more, you can feel assured that you will be getting the best detox treatment possible.

Ultra-Rapid Detox

Ultra-Rapid Detox is a drug detoxification process that requires you to go under anesthesia. During this time, medical professionals administer withdrawal medications, like methadone mentioned above. This allows for you to be unconscious during the most severe and critical time of your substance withdrawal.
This method of medical detoxification can be done at many drug detoxification clinics and should be taken into careful consideration in order to know if this method is right for you. Studies and research have shown that ultra-rapid detox does not have any more benefits than medical assisted detox, such as inpatient or outpatient programs. While some studies have shown benefits, the evidence is not conclusive and the research is still ongoing.

Detoxification Centers Near Me

Choosing to find treatment can be an extremely overwhelming yet powerful decision while on your road to recovery. The alcohol and opioid detoxification process may seem intimidating at first, but you can rest assured that when you decide to begin drug detoxification, the clinic of your choosing will have licensed medical professionals who will help you while on your recovery journey and give you the best treatment possible.
Below are a list of inpatient and outpatient detoxification services with direct links and phone numbers that will better answer any questions you may have and help give you a better understanding of how the opioid detox process works, as well as what the alcohol detoxification process looks like for you.

 

Inpatient Drug and Alcohol Services:

  1. Los Angeles Addiction Treatment Center – Trupath Recovery (inpatientdrugrehablosangeles.com) (310) 929-6033
  2. Ascendant New York, Treatment Center, New York, NY, 10022 | Psychology Today (929) 203-9648
  3. Addiction Treatment Rehab – Atlantic Recovery Center (inpatientdrugrehabboston.com) (866) 971-3312
  4. Drug Detox Abilene | Residential Drug Rehabilitation Center (residentdrugrehabcenter.com) 1-844-271-8957

Outpatient Drug and Alcohol Services:

  1. Outpatient Drug Rehab LA (holycrossservices.org) (818) 696- 5019
  2. Cayuga Addiction Recovery Services (carsny.org) (607) 275-5678
  3. AdCare Outpatient at Worcester – Adcare.com (866) 803-6548
  4. Outpatient Care — Alcohol & Drug Abuse Council for the Concho Valley (adaccv.org) (325) 224-3481

If you or a loved one is seeking information on addiction or mental health resources please call (888) 564-4780.

Don't Wait Reach Out To Us Now