Medically assisted detox ensures safe drug withdrawal, managing life-threatening symptoms like seizures and delirium tremens. Alcohol detox is crucial for safely managing withdrawal symptoms associated with alcohol dependence.
Alcohol withdrawal symptoms can range from mild anxiety and tremors to severe complications like seizures and delirium tremens, making medical supervision essential for effective management.
Quitting drugs “cold turkey” can be deadly. Abruptly stopping alcohol, benzos, or opioids risks seizures, heart failure, or lethal withdrawal syndromes like delirium tremens. Even non-fatal detox often leads to unbearable pain and relapse without any sort of medical assistance, especially in cases of long-term substance use.
Without medical oversight, withdrawal becomes a torturous cycle of suffering, a combination of both physical agony and psychological breakdowns, leading to an eroded resolve to stay sober.
Medically assisted detox provides a safer path. Our outpatient/day treatment programs use FDA-approved medications, 24/7 monitoring, and compassionate care to stabilize withdrawal, reduce cravings, and prepare you for lasting recovery from substance use disorders and their related health effects.
Why Medically Assisted Detox Is Often Necessary
Medical detoxification is essential for managing severe withdrawal syndromes. Not all addictive drugs result in severe physical withdrawal symptoms, but some can cause near-fatal or fatal symptoms if not carefully managed.
Certain drugs, like alcohol, benzodiazepines, and opioids, can trigger complications that require serious medical intervention.
Alcohol Withdrawal
Abrupt cessation of alcohol can cause severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms such as seizures, delirium tremens (DTs), and heart failure. This is because long-term alcohol use interferes with the body’s release and management of certain neurotransmitters; suddenly stopping regular alcohol intake can cause a systemic response resulting in neurological symptoms like seizures, and even fatal arrhythmias, where an irregular heartbeat causes heart failure.
Benzodiazepines
Benzodiazepines are depressants, just like alcohol. They and other similar classes of drugs (barbiturates, tranquilizers) can also interfere with certain neurotransmitters and cause seizures, heart failure, and even psychological symptoms such as hallucination and psychosis.
Opioid Withdrawal Symptoms
Opioid withdrawals are rarely fatal but can still severely stress the body, leading to vomiting, dehydration, fever symptoms, cold sweats, and extreme pain sensitivity. Without support, it can be difficult to overcome an opioid withdrawal without succumbing to the urge to use again.
Medical supervision through opioid detox ensures these health risks are managed through appropriate medication, monitoring, and emergency care if needed.
The Dangers of Abrupt Drug Cessation
Attempting to quit “cold turkey” without medical guidance can have dire consequences, especially for depressive drugs and opioids. The detoxification process is crucial in managing the dangers of abrupt drug cessation, as it helps clear the body of substances and manage withdrawal symptoms. The withdrawal symptoms people are most familiar with come from the sudden cessation of alcohol, leading to a set of symptoms known as delirium tremens. Delirium tremens occurs in about 4 percent of withdrawal cases, with a mortality rate of up to 25 percent if left completely untreated.
Delirium tremens are not strictly limited to alcohol use – similar symptoms occur with benzodiazepine and barbiturate withdrawal. It’s perhaps the oldest known form of addictive withdrawal, with documentation of alcohol-related hallucinations and sickness dating back to the 18th century.
Seizures caused by depressive drugs can also lead to long-term neurological damage, memory issues, and cognitive problems. Stimulant withdrawal, on the other hand, can trigger severe depression, suicidal ideation, or psychosis.
Without professional oversight, individuals risk relapse, hospitalization, or death.
How Medically Assisted Detox Works
We take medical detox very seriously. Our treatment model combines medical expertise with flexibility:
- Assessment
- Medication Management
- Opioid Withdrawal
- Alcohol/Benzodiazepine Withdrawal
- Symptom Relief
- Monitoring
- Therapeutic Support
During inpatient treatment, clients stay within the clinic while we provide constant supervision and medical care.
Afterwards, our outpatient programs and partial hospitalization care allow clients to visit our clinic daily for treatment while returning home evenings, balancing treatment with personal responsibilities.
Creating a Personalized Detox Plan
No two recoveries are alike. Our clinicians design plans based on substance type, usage duration, co-occurring disorders, and personal goals. It’s important to us that clients understand that we aren’t just focusing on a specific condition but on every person as a whole. There are biological, psychological, and social factors involved in every case of substance use. We help clients recognize these factors, and work on addressing them a step at a time.
Medically assisted and supervised detox is often the first step, to transition out of the dangerous early period of intense cravings and overwhelming physical and psychological withdrawal symptoms. Successful addiction treatment involves continuing with comprehensive medical and psychological therapies to address both the physical and mental aspects of addiction.
Transitioning to Ongoing Substance Abuse Treatment
Detox is the first step and certainly not the last of the treatment process. We don’t expect clients to walk out of a 30-day program feeling “cured”. Substance use disorders are far more complicated, and managing a history of substance use in the long term requires a long-term plan. In addition to detox, we also offer:
Outpatient Therapy
Outpatient therapy utilizes CBT, DBT, or trauma-informed counseling, within an outpatient schedule (1-3 sessions a week).
Medication-assisted Treatment
Long-term use of naltrexone, buprenorphine, or disulfiram to prevent relapse is often accompanied by counseling to understand the reasons behind substance abuse.
Partial Hospitalization
Also known as day treatment, this is a transition of care from inpatient/detox to a weekly outpatient therapy schedule. Ultra rapid detox, a controversial method developed in the 1990s aimed at alleviating withdrawal symptoms for opioid-dependent individuals, is often criticized for its risks and ineffectiveness, as patients frequently still experience withdrawal symptoms upon waking and it poses dangers for those with pre-existing medical conditions. During day treatment, clients visit the clinic most days of the week, for a few hours per session. Sessions involve both individual and group therapy, as well as other modalities for recovery.
Peer Support
Group sessions help build accountability and community and promote universality. It’s important to combat loneliness and the feeling that you’re alone in grappling with the difficulties of recovery. You are not alone.
Conclusion
Medically assisted detox is the safest, most effective way to begin your journey of recovery. We combine evidence-based, individualized care with compassion, helping you navigate withdrawal and rebuild your life, one step at a time.
Don’t risk your health trying to detox alone. Contact us today to learn how our inpatient and day treatment programs can support your safe recovery.
