What To Expect When Detoxing From Drugs and Alcohol?

What Is Detoxification?

Detoxification, or detox, is the process of letting the body remove the drugs and substances in it. The purpose of detox is to safely manage withdrawal symptoms when someone stops taking drugs or alcohol. Everyone has a different experience with detox. CNV Medical Detox & Residential Rehab specializes in drug and alcohol sub-acute detoxification & residential rehabilitation. Our dual diagnosis treatment is also available for those who are suffering from addiction & mental health issues. We treat substance use disorders through a combination of medication and therapy. Medication is used to ease the patient from the physical pain and anxiety of detoxification when needed. Once the patient is relatively comfortable, an individualized treatment plan is created. Patients play an active role in developing their treatment plans. It can take days or weeks to get through withdrawal symptoms for most drugs. The length of withdrawal depends on several factors, including:

• Type of substance the user is addicted to
• Duration of addiction has lasted
• The severity of the addiction
• Method of abuse (snorting, smoking, injecting, or swallowing)
• The amount of a substance the user takes at one time
• Family history
• Genetic makeup
• Medical condition
• Underlying mental health conditions

What To Expect When Detoxing From Drugs and Alcohol?

Depending on what substance you are addicted to and other individual factors, each detox experience is slightly different. However, here is an overview of what to expect:

Patient Evaluation

During your stay at CNV Detox in Los Angeles, California, we will evaluate your condition. Not only does this help us determine your level of addiction, but it’s also helpful in determining if you have a co-occurring disorder. We specialize in dual diagnosis treatments when a patient has an addiction and an underlying mental health disorder. Once we understand all these factors, we can create a personal treatment plan that fits your needs. We also ensure it addresses all areas of concern, whether it be a single addiction, multiple substances, or the additional treatment of psychiatric symptoms.

Treatment & Therapy

Our detox protocols, including length of stay and prescribed medications, are determined by our Staff Physician after the patient completes an Initial History and Physical (H&P) Assessment. Each patient has an opportunity to discuss their specific situation with our Staff Physician upon admission and face-to-face updates throughout the stay. In addition, each patient is visited by our psychiatrist. Our extensive programs, seven days per week, provides healing and support for long-term success in recovery. Our patients attend process groups, individual therapy with licensed/certified clinicians, relapse prevention, breathwork, yoga, and physical training.

Each guest is provided with their own private or semi-private room. We encourage our patients to attend therapy sessions to help them identify problem areas that need to be addressed during the recovery process.

Post-Detox Treatment

Detox is just the first step to successful rehabilitation from drug and alcohol addiction. To ensure our patients remain firm in their sobriety, we encourage them to seek further post-detox treatment: inpatient or outpatient rehab, PHP, IOP, and sober living. These programs are designed to identify the stressors that led to addiction and teach you the skills to cope with issues when they arise.

Drug and Alcohol Detox

The average duration of detox at CNV detox is usually between 5 to 14 days, depending on individual needs and substance abuse. We offer treatment options for:

Alcohol detoxification: Withdrawal symptoms of alcohol abuse can be challenging if not life-threatening. Severe alcohol withdrawal reactions include extreme confusion, intense alcohol cravings, fever, hallucinations, and seizures. Our treatment goals aim to address these symptoms, prevent current or future health issues and address abstinence. How long it may take you to detox from alcohol depends on the length of your addiction. Sometimes treatment extends beyond several days- if the patient’s condition is severe. Although extreme symptoms subside after just several days, some patients may still experience some symptoms seven to ten days after their last drink. An average stay for alcohol detoxification only is 6-10 days.

Opiate detoxification: Patients detoxing from opiates usually go through two phases of withdrawal. The first symptoms include excessive tearing, cramping, paranoia, anxiety, body aches, sweating, yawning, and insomnia. Later withdrawal symptoms include rapid pulse, nausea, diarrhea, abdominal cramping, goosebumps, rapid pulse, and increased blood pressure. Symptoms from short-acting opiates such as heroin usually begin showing within 12 hours of last use. Longer-acting drugs like methadone result in withdrawal symptoms starting just 30 minutes after previous exposure. An average stay for opioid detoxification is 6-10 days.

Benzodiazepine detoxification: Seizures are one of the most dangerous symptoms of benzodiazepine withdrawal and could be deadly without proper supervision. Other symptoms include insomnia, anxiety, irritability, headaches, sensory distortions, heart palpitations, psychosis, tremors, hallucinations, nausea, and dry retching. Recovering from benzodiazepine addiction is a process, so we offer emotional as well as medical support. Without medical supervision, attempting to detox from benzodiazepine can be life-threatening. An Average Stay for  Benzodiazepine Detoxification Only is 6-9 days.

Stimulant detoxification: This process is usually not life-threatening. Symptoms vary from patient to patient and are based on factors such as tolerance and metabolism. When detoxing from stimulants, withdrawal symptoms appear within a couple of hours to a couple of days after last use. More severe psychological symptoms can last up to a few weeks or months after quitting.

Marijuana detoxification: Marijuana withdrawal is not typically life-threatening. Symptoms usually begin 24 hours after last use and can last up to two weeks. Symptoms of marijuana withdrawal include fear, anxiety, irritability, restlessness, poor appetite, poor sleep, and more.

Heroin detoxification: Heroin is an opiate. Therefore, symptoms and recovery times are identical to those of opiate detoxification. Patients detoxing from opiates usually go through two phases of withdrawal. The first symptoms include excessive tearing, cramping, paranoia, anxiety, body aches, sweating, yawning, and insomnia. Later withdrawal symptoms include rapid pulse, nausea, diarrhea, abdominal cramping, goosebumps, rapid pulse, and increased blood pressure. Symptoms from short-acting opiates such as heroin usually begin showing within 12 hours of last use. Longer-acting drugs like methadone result in withdrawal symptoms starting just 30 minutes after previous exposure. An average stay for Heroin detoxification is 6-10 days.

Why Is Drug and Alcohol Detox Important?

Drug and alcohol detox is the first step on your journey to sobriety. However, some withdrawal symptoms can be dangerous or even fatal. At CNV Detox, our medical team monitors the progress of our clients at all times. While we offer private and semi-private rooms and meditation and relaxation, our health practitioners consistently monitor clients to ensure safety during the detoxification process. Detoxing from drugs and alcohol at home may pose serious health risks due to the severity of symptoms.

Detoxing At Home

Whether you’re addicted to drugs or alcohol, it’s dangerous to attempt to detox on your own. Not only is there a higher chance of relapsing back into substance use, but there are also health risks associated with detoxing without medical supervision. Some withdrawal symptoms are so severe that they can damage your health or even cause death if not addressed immediately. Quitting “cold turkey” or without medical supervision can lead to severe issues such as seizures and severe dehydration. People with severe addictions should seek inpatient detox because withdrawal can be fatal. Inpatient detox includes 24-hour support and monitoring.

How Does CBV Detox Can Help?

If you’re ready to kick your addiction to drugs or alcohol, then it’s time to contact our team at CNV Detox. We Are Currently Accepting New Patients. Same-day Admissions is available.

Last but not least, CNV Detox accepts most private & commercial insurances. So if you have private or corporate insurance coverage, your treatment at CNV Detox is most likely covered! CNV Detox is in-network with HMC HealthWorks, Health Net, Com-Psych, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Anthem Blue Cross, Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield, Emblem Health, Aetna, Cigna, United Healthcare, and Meritain Health.