A detox program aims to help individuals safely and comfortably withdraw from substances such as drugs or alcohol. The goal of a detox program is to help the body rid itself of harmful toxins while providing medical support and managing withdrawal symptoms.
Detox programs can take place in various settings, including hospitals, residential treatment centers, and outpatient clinics. Inpatient programs offer 24-hour supervision and medical care, making it a suitable option for those with severe addiction or co-occurring disorders. Understanding what a detox program provides can help you get the care you need to recover.
What Is A Medical Detox Program?
If you are preparing to enter treatment or send a loved one to treatment, you may be wondering, “What is a detox program?” In simple terms, detoxification is the process of removing toxins from the body. However, there is far more to detox from drugs and alcohol than this simple definition.
Medical detox programs provide medical care for those wishing to recover from addiction in a safe and compassionate environment. Chiefly, the medical detox offered in addiction treatment centers is a vital first step in the recovery process. Consequently, participating in a medical detox program begins the transformation from a life of addiction into a life of recovery. As a result, you rebuild your life into a fulfilling experience with emotional, spiritual, and physical enrichment. For this purpose, medical detox programs save lives and ease the transition between addiction and recovery.
What To Expect In a Medical Detox Program?
Upon admission to a medical detox program, an initial evaluation will be done in order to assess several different areas. So, an intake specialist assesses to acquire an accurate representation of the individual’s medical history, physical condition, and current mental health. After that, our medical doctor develops and the medical staff administers the most effective strategy possible for each individual’s detox. Depending on their initial evaluation, some guests will receive medical care and medications to safely stabilize them. Even after a guest is considered stable, medical staff continues to monitor them 24/7. In fact, this extra layer of safety is in conjunction with daily therapy sessions that provide guests with added support and resources.
Therapy In a Detox Program
Intensive therapy sessions address substance abuse triggers and relapse prevention techniques. During therapy, guests speak openly about their substance abuse, family relationships, and relapse risk factors.
Guests in detox participate in individual counseling sessions. This one-on-one therapy allows for a more personalized approach to addressing underlying issues that may have contributed to substance abuse. A trained therapist will work with each guest to develop an individualized treatment plan focused on their unique needs and goals.
In group therapy settings, guests will also learn about short-term and long-term tools they can use to identify their triggers. Group therapy also teaches guests to regulate their emotions, communicate effectively, and prevent relapse alongside a group of their peers.
Support Groups During Detox
Detox programs include support groups to reinforce the idea of sobriety as a process rather than a quick fix. Peer support groups and recovery meetings allow guests to connect with others who are going through similar struggles and provide a sense of community. These groups also offer resources for ongoing support after the detox process is complete. Support groups can include 12-step programs like AA and NA, SMART Recovery, and other evidence-based recovery programs.
How To Know If You Or A Loved One Needs Detox?
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the reason that only a small portion of individuals struggling with addiction receive treatment is due to the stigma, lack of healthcare, lack of education on addiction treatment, and lack of resources. Thus, alcohol or substance use disorder affects millions of Americans, and only about 10% of people in need of treatment receive it.
Without getting professional treatment in a detox program, recovery is incredibly difficult and even dangerous. Ridding the body of addictive substances is much more complicated than simply stopping the use of drugs and alcohol. For a medical detox program to work safely and effectively, special precautions must be taken by experienced medical professionals. Withdrawal symptoms from certain substances can lead to serious complications and even death without proper medical intervention in a quality detox program.
For this reason, if you or a loved one is struggling with drugs or alcohol, it’s important to seek treatment at a professional detox program.
How Long is Detox?
The length of detox will be different for each individual, but will generally range between 4 and 8 days. However, there is no set time frame. Factors such as which substances were being abused, the number of substances being abused, and the length of the addiction are all taken into consideration.
What Happens After a Medically-Assisted Detox Program?
Medically-assisted detox alone is not anywhere near sufficient in terms of treatment for substance abuse. Following detox, the wisest decision in addiction recovery is to enroll in a full continuum-of-care treatment program. A full continuum of care program will cover each level of care within addiction rehabilitation, including:
Each level of care provides safety, structure, routine, and accountability during recovery. More importantly, each rehab program helps to fortify you with relapse prevention and coping skills. In doing so, you will have to have inner strength and healthy skills to maintain your sobriety.
Detox Programs at Royal Life Centers
The recovery process almost always begins with a medical detox program. In our medical detox program, we remove drugs or alcohol safely from the body with 24/7 direct supervision from medical professionals. Our medical detox services are unique because we offer intensive therapies for the duration of each guest’s stay at our detox facility. Our medically-assisted detox program lasts for either 4 or a full 8 days. The purpose of medical detox is to remove alcohol or drugs from the body safely, effectively, and comfortably.
Upon arrival at our detox facility, assessments will outline your signs and symptoms of withdrawal and evaluate you for any co-occurring disorders. Depending on your specific circumstances, you may also have a medically assisted detox. In a medically assisted detox, our team administers detox medication alongside behavioral therapies.
During our medical detox program, we provide:
- 24/7 medical monitoring
- Medication-assisted treatment (MAT)
- Dual diagnosis treatment
- Behavioral therapies
- Expressive therapies
- Experiential therapies
- Trauma therapies
- Holistic therapies
- Psychoeducation
- Support groups
Our comprehensive approach uncovers the root cause of our guests’ alcohol or substance use disorder and helps them establish coping skills for long-term recovery. After all, withdrawal is far from the only problem addiction treatment addresses in the initial phase of medical detox programs.
Entering Detox
Detox is the first stop on your journey of recovery. Drug addiction treatment just requires reaching out; we will guide you through the rest. At Royal Life Centers, we offer treatment programs that are designed to follow guests through the stages of recovery for seamless transitions. We offer comprehensive addiction treatment that runs on a holistic model, treating the mind, body, and spirit for a full recovery. Located in the breathtaking Pacific Northwest and serene Southwest. Our treatment centers only use proven effective methods of addiction treatment, using the best practices in the industry.
If you have been looking to find treatment, look no further. Our nationally accredited treatment centers offer the highest standard of addiction treatment. If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, please reach out to our admissions team. We are available 24/7 to answer your call. Because We Care.
