Detox – short for detoxification – is the process of removing the dangerous chemical byproducts of alcohol and substances of misuse from your body. Excessive or chronic use of alcohol and drugs causes your body to change. When you stop taking alcohol and drugs, your body changes again. In some cases, this second change – called withdrawal – causes physical symptoms that can be dangerous and life-threatening.
Medically monitored detox keeps you safe during this critical time. The symptoms of withdrawal create physical, emotional, and psychological challenges that are difficult to overcome without professional support and supervision.
Supervised Detox for Your Safety
Physical withdrawal symptoms may include:
Headaches
Seizures
Nausea
Vomiting
Cramping
Convulsions/tremors
Constipation
Muscle/joint aches/pains
Psychological/emotional symptoms of withdrawal may include:
Depression
Anxiety
Panic attacks
Insomnia
Disorientation
Mood swings
Irritability
Difficulty concentrating
These symptoms are a primary reason people have difficulty quitting alcohol and drug use: in some cases, it’s simply too hard to make it through the withdrawal period alone. At kathy ireland® Recovery Centers, a team of doctors and nurses are on call to monitor your symptoms, respond to any complications, and help you manage the withdrawal period with a combination of medication, psychotherapy, and social support.
Click here to learn more about medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for alcohol use disorder, opioid use disorder, and withdrawal management.
With the expert care of our qualified, compassionate medical staff, you can detox in a safe and sane manner – and achieve the psychological, emotional, and physical stability you need to start your journey toward lifelong recovery.
What Happens During Detox Stabilization?
The exact detox and stabilization process varies from person to person, but follows this pattern:
Stage 1: Assessment
During your intake assessment, our intake and admissions team evaluates your individual needs and communicates with our clinical team – your treatment team – to ensure your medical safety during detox and withdrawal.
Stage 2: Detox and Stabilization
The length of your detoxification period depends on several factors, including:
Substance(s) used
Duration of use
Severity of use
Medical history
Current state of health
Current medications
During your admissions assessment, we obtain a full personal and family medical history. This helps us – and you – understand what to expect during detoxification.
As your body adapts to the absence of substances of misuse, you enter the stabilization phase. If you think of detox as the period of time between your last dose of a substance of misuse and the time it completely leaves your system, think of stabilization as the period of time between the end of detox and the time you’re ready to initiate a less immersive level of care, like residential treatment.
Stabilization involves several forms of treatment, including psychotherapy, recovery skill development, medication-assisted treatment (MAT), peer support, and other modalities. The benefits of this integrated approach include:
Decreased withdrawal severity
Decreased risk of relapse
Decreased risk of overdose
Increased medical safety
Increased emotional stability
Increased psychological stability
Some symptoms are more dangerous than others, but all of them can disrupt the stabilization process. Our evidence-based methods and experienced staff support you during stabilization and help you form a solid foundation for what comes next.
Stage 3: Treatment and Recovery
Detox and stabilization typically take place over a relatively short period of time. For some, detox and stabilization may last a week or less, while for others, detox and stabilization may last two weeks to a month. The duration of your detox and stabilization depends on the substance(s) you took and the clinical milestones you meet, which are clearly defined ahead of time by you and your treatment team.
When your system is clear of substances of misuse and you’re physically, emotionally, and psychologically prepared for the next step, you have several options. The best option is to capitalize on your recovery momentum and continue structured treatment at one of the following levels of care:
Residential treatment
Partial hospitalization program (PHP)
Intensive outpatient program (IOP)
Outpatient program (OP)
Your First Step Toward Sustainable Recovery
When you commit to treatment for SUD, you learn quickly that recovery takes time. One of the first things you hear from therapists and counselors is that recovery is a lifelong journey.
Overcoming the first hurdle – completing your detox, withdrawal, and stabilization program – is a significant accomplishment. It takes real work and commitment – but it’s just the first step.
The next step is to develop a set of practical, durable recovery skills that will last as long as you need them. Which means – and we’re not pulling our punches here – they need to last the rest of your life. That’s what happens when you participate in our residential, PHP, IOP, and OP programs after detox and stabilization. You work with expert clinicians and recovery peers to replace patterns of emotion, thought, and behavior associated with addiction with new patterns of emotion, thought, and behavior that promote, support, and affirm recovery.
Those new patterns allow you to live the life you choose, on your terms – without the use of alcohol or substances.
Our detox and stabilization program provides a safe, healthy space where you can receive treatment for the mental and physical symptoms related to withdrawal.
Our network of facilities created by kathy ireland® Recovery Centers by Ascension Recovery Services provide a path to successful recovery from substance use disorders.
