What is Detox Treatment?

When a client first enters rehab, they need to go through an assessment process to determine the extent of their addiction issues. Most of the time, our clients have a significant addiction because of the extent of their drug and alcohol abuse. When a significant addiction is indicated, we are fairly certain they will have to deal with some equally significant withdrawal symptoms almost immediately. How significant?

While withdrawal symptoms might vary based on the kind of substance a client has been abusing, there are some withdrawal symptoms that pop up regardless of the client's substance of choice. Here are a few of those withdrawal symptoms:

• Issues with breathing, blood pressure, and heart rate
• Nausea, vomiting, and sometimes diarrhea
• Sleeping issues
• Stomach cramps
• Profuse sweating
• Body tremors and convulsions
• Bad dreams, hallucinations, or DTs
• Onset of psychological issues related to depression, anxiety, and even suicide ideation

Clearly, these are potentially very serious issues, issues we would like to help minimize on behalf of our clients.

To help clients address potential withdrawal symptom issues, we offer detox treatment programs. The purpose of these programs is to make sure our clients are safe from harm as their bodies detox off drugs or alcohol. At Hollywood Hills Recovery, we use three primary detox treatment options:

• Medically Monitored Detox
• Holistic Detox
• Long Term Detox

Let's review the detox process through each of these detox program options.

The Detox Treatment Process

When trying to determine what kind of detox program a particular client might need, we have to account for certain factors. That would include factors like the substance source of the addiction, the length of the addiction, the amount of drugs or alcohol consumed per episode and day by the client, and the possible presence of co-occurring disorders.

Once we have this information, we can decide which of the detox treatment options will best address each client's circumstances. Let's now look at these options/processes in more depth.

Medicallly Monitored Detox

Some of the aforementioned withdrawal symptoms can create serious physical problems related to sleeping, blood pressure, and breathing. While we always prefer to have clients detox as naturally as possible, there are times when clients need intervention.

In a medically monitored detox program, medical staffers are monitoring the progress of each client as they detox. If a client were to show signs of excessive pain or distress, a doctor would be standing by to intervene. If that intervention includes prescribing prescription medications for symptom relief, that is what the doctor will do until they know the client is safe.

Holistic Detox

Some clients prefer to live a holistic lifestyle. Yes, we understand there is nothing holistic about drug and alcohol abuse. However, that's the addiction in control of their choices. Otherwise, some clients are averse to medical procedures and prescriptions drugs.

In such cases, we like to offer clients a holistic detox option. A holistic detox program focuses on natural interventions to help clients deal with their withdrawal symptoms. By natural intervention, we are referring to spiritual programs and a focus on exercise and nutrition. In essence, we are focusing on treating the health of the whole individual with the withdrawal symptoms serving as the motivation for what we do.

Long Term Detox

We live in a time when devastating substances like heroin and fentanyl are ravishing the bodies and minds of far too many people. When someone enters rehab with a long-standing addiction to substances like alcohol or opioids, they may need to go through a long-term detox program.

To be clear, a standard detox program will last 5 to 7 days. Long-term detox programs can take 2 weeks to 1 month for the addiction sufferer to get safely past their withdrawal symptoms. In such programs, a medical professional will typically prescribe tapering drugs like methadone or suboxone. By allowing clients to use these drugs with slowly diminishing doses, it helps to offset the severity of the withdrawal symptoms a client might experience. At some point, the client will be removed from the tapering drug while finishing the detox process normally.

How Detox Programs Differ Based on the Substance Abused

There is this general perception that detox programs are all the same no matter what substance the addiction sufferer has been abusing. That's not reasonable nor is it true. Why? Each drug affects the mind and the body differently. Some substances are more addictive than others. Also, each person using the same substance will react differently to the substance in question.

These are the reasons why we use different approaches to detox treatment based on the substance the client has been abusing. Take a look at how our detox programs differ based on the substance being abused by the client.

Alcohol Detox

Detoxing from alcohol abuse offers interesting challenges. These challenges exist because drinking alcohol is a part of mainstream culture. It's only a problem for people who lose control of their drinking. In almost all cases, an extreme alcohol addiction will require the alcoholic to go through a medically monitored detox program. Why? Alcohol can easily result in psychological problems as the person detoxes.

Heroin Detox

Heroin and sister fentanyl are among the most addictive illicit substances on the planet. It only takes a drug user a few weeks to fall into a severe addiction to these substances. As for detox treatment, the right option is almost always a tapering program with suboxone. Going through a standard medically monitored program offers too much risk given the dangerous nature of some heroin/fentanyl withdrawal symptoms.

Cocaine / Crack / PCP Detox

For decades, cocaine/crack/PCP have been one of America's favorite recreational drugs. When these types of drugs take hold, they bring with them a euphoria that drives users to use more and more.

Detox programs for these substances have to offer patience. Why? There is an emotional component that addiction sufferers have to deal with as their bodies adjust to not having access to the euphoria these substances produce. Clients know they have to stop using, but they worry about how not using could affect their social lives.

Methamphetamine / Amphetamine Detox

The way methamphetamine and other amphetamines affect the brain is profound. When addiction sufferers have to go through detox treatment for these types of substances, it usually creates psychological issues like depression and anxiety. This happens because a lot of meth users have come to rely on the drug to give them confidence. Without their meth crutch, they worry and fall into sadness and depression. Typically, addiction sufferers going through Meth withdrawal need a little extra counseling during the detox process.

Suboxone Detox

Suboxone is an opiate substance that doctors will prescribe to help heroin users taper off heroin. While this substance is not nearly as addictive as heroin, it is still addictive. As part of a heroin detox program, doctors have to constantly monitor the client's detox process to make sure they aren't forming a substitute suboxone addiction.

Prescription Drugs

Clearly, all prescription drugs have medical relevance for the treatment of diseases, disorders, and medical conditions. That creates a problem for someone who gets addicted to their prescription drugs. Trying to help someone detox off a substance they need creates conflicts and challenges for the medical professionals who are trying to manage a medically monitored detox program.

It's also worth noting that the most abused prescription drugs are painkillers. Yes, painkillers contain opioids as the drug's most active ingredient. That's why detox programs for prescription painkillers are quite similar to the detox programs the addiction treatment community uses for heroin and fentanyl.