Addiction detox is worth it
Addiction detox is a hard process, but it has a huge payoff. Once you make it through the physical and psychological obstacles of detox, you will find a new freedom waiting on the other side.
What is detox?
Detox is short for "detoxification." It generally refers to ridding the body of toxins and addictive or harmful substances. The goals of detoxification are to reduce the harm caused both by the substance and by withdrawal symptoms. This puts the individual into a good position to begin long-term recovery.
What is medical detox?
Medical detox, or medical detoxification, refers to going through the initial phase of acute withdrawal under the care of a medical team. For most people, this means going to an inpatient facility where their detox can be supervised. Sometimes this is part of a more extended rehab, but medical detox can also take place at a regular hospital. Telemedicine offers the ability to combine many of the benefits of medical detox (like medication-assisted treatment and expert advice) with the comfort of home detox for opioids. Workit Health affiliated clinicians do not offer an at-home medical detox program for alcohol at this time.
What is opioid detox like?
Opioid detox is extremely uncomfortable. For many people, the combination of physical pain and discomfort plus cravings can make it difficult to stick with their goal of quitting if they don’t have support during this stage. The good news is, support is available. There are medications available to mitigate the symptoms and cravings.
Here is a rough opioid withdrawal timeline:
What is alcohol detox like?
Because alcohol is widely available and often socially acceptable, many are surprised to learn how serious alcohol detox can be. It’s extremely uncomfortable for most, and life-threatening for some. Expect to feel physical and emotional symptoms for several days after your last drink.
Here is a rough alcohol withdrawal timeline
Some people experience more severe and dangerous symptoms. Seek medical attention if you experience symptoms past 12 hours.
Is it safe to detox from home?
At home opioid detox
For most people, it is safe to detox from opioids at home with proper preparation, like the detox kit listed below. Preparing yourself before you get dopesick will help you avoid a crisis when you’re withdrawing. You probably won’t feel up to running to the drugstore, so plan ahead. It can also be incredibly valuable to talk to a healthcare provider ahead of time about medication-assisted treatment that can help ease your withdrawal symptoms, like Suboxone (buprenorphine/naloxone), methadone, clonidine, or Zofran. If detox and withdrawal hit you hard, medication-assisted treatment can be the difference between relapse and entering long-term recovery.
At home alcohol detox
Because there is a danger of serious health concerns and even death, it's important to have other people support you while you detox from alcohol. It might be tempting to hole up by yourself and detox alone, but that's not a wise decision. If you have a history of DTs or if you want to taper off of alcohol over time, you should seek supervised medical detox instead of detoxing at home. If you do choose to detox at home, prepare a detox kit like the one listed below, and plan some time off. It can be very helpful to talk to a healthcare provider about medication-assisted treatment that can help ease your withdrawal symptoms, like gabapentin and topiramate, which are intended for other purposes but have been discovered to be helpful when prescribed off-label for some people with alcohol use disorder. Physicians also prescribe benzodiazepines—diazepam, chlordiazepoxide (Librium), clonazepam (Klonopin), etc.—to those in withdrawal from alcohol use.
At home detox kit
Make yourself a detox kit that includes:
Over-the-counter meds including Pepto Bismol for diarrhea, Tylenol for muscle cramps, and Benadryl or Dramamine for nausea.
Choose a comfy spot to hang out and stock up your toilet paper.
Get hydrating drinks like water, Pedialyte, Gatorade, or popsicles.
Get some Epsom salts for taking baths.
Recruit trustworthy friends or family members to check in on you.
Plan low-stress, comforting activities like shows or podcasts, coloring, gentle walks, and baths to keep your mind from spiraling.
Have a list of crisis and emergency resources on hand, just in case:
SAMHSA National Helpline: 1-800-662-4357 – the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration provides information services and treatment referrals in English and Spanish.
Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 – The Lifeline will connect you with a trained crisis worker who can provide support and direct you to further resources.
Crisis Text Line: 741741 – Connect with a trained crisis-support volunteer via text. They offer nonjudgmental support and can refer you to additional resources if necessary.
Make yourself a detox kit that includes:
Over-the-counter meds including Pepto Bismol for diarrhea, Tylenol for muscle cramps, and Benadryl or Dramamine for nausea.
Choose a comfy spot to hang out and stock up your toilet paper.
Get hydrating drinks like water, Pedialyte, Gatorade, or popsicles.
Get some Epsom salts for taking baths.
Recruit trustworthy friends or family members to check in on you.
Plan low-stress, comforting activities like shows or podcasts, coloring, gentle walks, and baths to keep your mind from spiraling.
Have a list of crisis and emergency resources on hand, just in case:
SAMHSA National Helpline: 1-800-662-4357 – the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration provides information services and treatment referrals in English and Spanish.
Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 – The Lifeline will connect you with a trained crisis worker who can provide support and direct you to further resources.
Crisis Text Line: 741741 – Connect with a trained crisis-support volunteer via text. They offer nonjudgmental support and can refer you to additional resources if necessary.
Questions about treatment or pricing?