More About Drug Detox Treatment

Understanding Drug Detox

Detox or withdrawal are almost always a primary concern for someone entering drug detox or treatment for drug addiction. Understandably so. In particular, people dependent on opioids may be especially anxious about this, because the withdrawal symptoms from opioids are notoriously unpleasant. Imagine the worst flu you’ve ever had, then add stomach cramps, diarrhea, anxiety, depression and insomnia to it and you’ll have some idea. That of course is when someone quits ‘cold turkey’ though. In a drug detox setting the situation is much different, and that’s kind of the whole point.

Medical Drug Detox is a Must-Have for Most

A safe and comfortable detox is a must-have if you are serious about getting sober and staying that way. You need to be physically comfortable, relatively healthjy and have a clear mind before you can benefit from therapy in addiction rehab. In many cases, it’s a matter of safety too. Just quitting cold turkey can be dangerous. It isn’t practical and if you quit alcohol or benzos that way especially, you could be risking your life. A medication assisted drug detox should be at the forefront of any a drug addiction treatment plan. Bottom line. Furthermore, if you’re trying to convince someone you love to get treatment for addiction, being able to assure them a safe and comfortable medical detox is first will go a long way towards alleviating their fears and should help lessen resistance to the overall addiction treatment plan.

NEVER Try to Detox from Benzos or Barbiturates Without Medical Assistance

This is an important point that we feel we really need to drive home. NEVER, EVER try to detox yourself from benzodiazepines (i.e. Xanax, Klonopin) or barbiturates at home. Don’t even THINK about. It could quite literally cost you your life. As a medical organization, it’s our responsibility to communicate this to you in no uncertain terms. Any sudden stop in the use of these medications comes at great potential risk to your health and safety. It requires careful medical supervision to be done safely and even then, you can never eliminate every possible risk. Whether you choose to get your drug addiction treatment with Better Tomorrow Treatment Center or not, it’s absolutely essential that you receive proper medical support for this process from a qualified facility.

How Long Are Drug Detox Programs?

When someone accepts help with drug detox and treatment, inevitably the first questions are ‘how long is drug treatment’? So, how long are alcohol and drug detox programs and what happens after a drug detox is completed? Most drug detox and treatment programs won’t have a set-in stone length of time that’s decided in advance. And they shouldn’t because different people have different needs. Some people are simply not able to commit to more than a certain length of time. In other cases, a person’s insurance may not be willing to cover the length of stay they would like. Rest assured though, that Better Tomorrow Treatment Center will always advocate for our patients to their insurance provider and make the case for the length of stay we think is clinically necessary and appropriate. You have us in your corner there, so breathe easy.  

The Bottom Line on Length of Stay

The bottom line though, if you are getting a medication supported drug detox and no other treatment, the stay will range from 4-6 days to as long as two weeks or more in extreme cases, such as methadone dependence or long-term benzodiazepine dependence, especially with an older person. Most people come in for right around a week or a little less though for their drug detox portion of treatment. The length of stay in an drug detox program has a number of variables to consider. The answers to these questions will play a major role in how long a person would need to be in a drug detox program:

• What drug(s) are being used? (some drugs have more intense physical withdrawal)
• How long as the person been using the drug?
• What amount of the drug(s) is being used?
• Do you have a history of seizures or delirium tremens in withdrawal?
• Are you using alcohol in addition to drugs?
• Do you have a diagnosis of hepatitis, cirrhosis or other liver disease?

Always Tell the Truth When Reporting Using Behavior

It should be clear by now, the amount you use and what you’re using play a major role in the detox process. So does your overall health and any predisposition to seizures or illnesses or conditions which impact your body’s ability to process toxins All of these factors are taken into account for your safety. The whole reason to go to drug detox is to come off of drugs as safely and comfortably as possible. Bear that in mind when doing your clinical intake interview or relaying information about your drug use history. It’s very, very important not to downplay or leave anything out.

Whether because of shame or poor memory or any other reason, anyone who doesn’t give as complete an account as possible of their using is really only hurting themselves when going to addiction treatment or drug detox. You should never feel shame about what you used or how, or how much. Least of all when you’re talking to medical professionals who treat people for drug addiction for a living. You’re not going to shock anyone or tell them anything they haven’t heard before. Believe us! We just want to help. The best way that we and the drug detox clinicians can do that, is if we have as much accurate information as you can give us. The WHOLE story. So, remember, this is a no judgement zone. A safe place to be honest about the help you need. That’s what we are here for.

How Does Treatment Work After Drug Detox?

Often times a person going to drug addiction treatment for the first time may be a little worried about how long they will be in treatment for. This is usually for one of two reasons. They are anxious about being away from familiar places, home, friends and family for more than a week or so. They worry about losing their car or apartment, boyfriend or girlfriend. The sense of a lack of control for that time may worry them. Alternately they may worry that they won’t get enough treatment. Worried they may be discharged before they are ready and find themselves in danger of relapse soon after they leave the safety of the treatment center or detox.

Both are legitimate concerns. If you are trying to help or convince someone you love to go to drug detox and treatment though, it can be frustrating. If you find yourself in a similar situation, try to be as understanding as possible. Worries about the length of drug detox or addiction rehab programs are very common. In most cases the concerns will fade or pass with time. The most important thing is that you keep moving forward, even if the pace isn’t always as fast as you hoped. Do whatever you can to keep that person’s focus (or your own) on the number one objective here. Getting into drug detox AND into treatment afterwards.

Progress Takes Patience

It won’t always happen in the timeframe we might like, but progress is progress. Try and take the focus off the length of time and on to the positives. That this person is finally getting the help they need. How much better they are going to feel after they’ve been sober for 30 days. Their health will return. They will be able to sleep soundly without getting high, maybe for the first time in many years. Going to treatment for drug addiction can be scary, but it’s absolutely a positive development, so do the best you can to encourage a hopeful attitude in your loved one.

Drug detox and treatment usually consists of at least  30-90 days for the partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient programs and perhaps a week for the drug detox portion beforehand. Drug detox usually consists of an inpatient stay at a medical facility from between 4-7 days. The length of stay will vary depending upon a few factors, including the following:

• What drugs they are using.
• The number of years they have been using and how much they use.  
• Their age and relative physical health.
• Other medical issues, predisposition to seizures etc.

WHY CHOOSE US

WHY BETTER TOMORROW TREATMENT CENTER IS A GREAT CHOICE FOR YOU

Evidence-Based Treatment

Better Tomorrow Treatment Center utilizes a scientific approach to addiction care. We use methods of addiction treatment proven by clinical research. This ensures effective treatment that you can trust to deliver the results you need.

Balanced Holistic Approach

While we rely on scientific evidence to choose treatment methods, we never lose sight of the human element and spiritual needs. We believe holistic treatment is about introducing order and balance where before there was only chaos.

3 Phase Program

Our 3-phase program is designed to give you more support for longer than you might be able to get at some other programs. Our outpatient treatment allows you to resume your daily activities while staying connected to Better Tomorrow Treatment Center.

RECOVERY BEGINS WITH ACTION. TAKE ACTION AND CONTACT US NOW.

A Better Tomorrow is in Reach

The next chapter of your life is not written yet. Better Tomorrow is ready to help you build the future in recovery that you’ve dreamed of. Let us help you heal and become the best version of yourself. A better tomorrow begins with the actions you take today.