Many people are held back from detox by a fear of the unknown. They imagine being trapped in a room, abandoned to suffer for some period of time, and they postpone it. And this is where a medically supervised detox is infinitely more structured and light years more humane than that portrait. Here is a no-fluff guide for the preliminary hours and days to know what you are up against before picking up the phone.
The First Few Hours: Intake and Assessment
Detox begins with questions—lots of them. A nurse or clinician will ask what you were using, how much, how often and when you last used. They will ask you about your medical history, including any pre-existing metal health conditions and prescriptions you are taking.
This component is crucial than it appears. Your answers are used by the team to predict: when and which withdrawal symptoms may arise and how severe they may be. Honesty here will keep you in a much safer zone. The staff have probably heard it all before and of course, their priority is to keep you safe.
Intake usually also includes:
- Assessment of standard signs like blood pressure, pulse and temperature
- Urine and possibly blood tests to find out what substances are in your body
- A short physical exam
- Paperwork, consent forms and a recap of what you carried along with you
The end of your intake, the medical team has a plan centered around you.
The First Day or Two: Monitoring and Comfort
Once they settle you in, staff comes on a set schedule every day and night to check on you. Most programs utilize an objective withdrawal scale, a checklist that assesses symptoms such as sweating, restlessness and shaking, nausea, anxiety and racing pulse. The tests measure how these signs score over the time, which indicates if symptoms are increasing or decreasing.
The team can respond if symptoms raise themselves. That may involve putting you on medications to ease withdrawal, support for nausea or stomach upset, assistance with sleep and fluids and nutrition depending on the substance that was used as well as your health. A medical decision for each individual, the type and quantity of medication provided is one of the primary reasons supervised detox can be more comfortable than attempting to detox alone.
In cases of some substances, peak symptoms occur in the initial days. Some, they construct a bit more slowly. Your team will be the ones to explain what you can expect given your unique situation.
The Middle Days: Rest, Food and Sleep
Recovery of the body comes when the worst symptoms recede. Expect:
- Make simple, everyday meals even if you are not hungry initially
- Plenty of water and the freedom to rest
- Sleep that is fragmented initially and gradually improves
- Chatting with a counselor or therapist for brief time slots as you see fit
Emotions can run high during this stretch. Irritability, sadness and anxiety are common as your brain adjusts. Staff expect this, and it helps to tell someone when you are struggling instead of holding it in.
If you live in the Southwest or are open to traveling, a program offering detox in Arizona may be worth comparing with options near home. Silver Sands Recovery in Prescott is one program in the area to include on your list.
The Last Days: Planning the Handoff
Detox removes substances from your body and makes you medically stable. The behavior, thought and situation patterns that lead to substance use are for the treatment that comes after detox, so toward the end of detox, it is what happens next.
An excellent program gets you set up with follow-up care before you leave. This could include residential treatment, a partial hospitalization program, intensive outpatient treatment or outpatient therapy in your area. The best way is direct, with a start date and an actionplan for the bridge, so there’s no time lag between themodels Detox through Treatment.
If you need help finding treatment options, SAMHSA’s National Helpline is a free, confidential treatment referral and information service, open 24/7, 365 days a year, at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does medical detox usually take?
These depend on the substance itself, its use history and volume as well your general health. Some take 4 to 5 days, others up to a week during detox, whilst others will need more time. An estimate will be provided by your medical team after intake.
Can I leave detox if I want to?
In most voluntary programs, yes. You will be consulted by staff about the dangers of leaving early, and often pressured to remain until you are stable.
Write Down Your Questions First
Write down what you consume and how often before calling a detox program as well as conditions your health or medications. Include in it your biggest fears about the process. It is a much shorter initial phone call as you have the list already, which allows the admissions team to quickly coalesce around what your first day will be like.
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