Drug detoxification, commonly referred to as detox, is the process of allowing your body to clear all of the drugs out of your system. This process can lead to negative symptoms, called withdrawal, which is a large part of what makes stopping drug use so difficult. Most often these symptoms are merely unpleasant physical problems, much like being sick, but for some addictions, withdrawal symptoms can be life-threatening. That is why addiction rehab facilities have specialized drug detox programs. Within these programs, people are monitored and given medications to help make their withdrawal symptoms easier to deal with – and help prevent or treat any medical emergencies if they arise. Continue reading to learn more about the drug detox process and our addiction treatment center here in Florida.

The withdrawal process, as well as its symptoms, can vary depending on what drug you are addicted to, as well as how much you have been using. Symptoms can appear in as little as a few hours after the last time you used and can continue for a few days or weeks. Some of the most common drugs and their withdrawal symptoms include:

While it may be tempting to think that once you complete drug detox you are no longer addicted, this simply isn’t the case. Even after you have successfully detoxed, you are still likely to experience very intense cravings for drugs. This is because the underlying issues related to your addiction are not treated during detox. Instead, detox is just the first step on your recovery journey. The next step is undergoing behavioral therapy to address cravings and drug-use triggers, as well as medical treatment for health issues your addiction may have caused. After this, you should also enroll in aftercare programs that continue to give you support after you have left the rehab facility. All of these steps will give you the best chance at being able to maintain your sobriety in the long term. The Healing Place offers both detox and residential addiction treatment services in Lauderhill, Florida.

Just as every person is different, every person’s drug detox journey will be different. The length of your stay will depend on what drug you are addicted to, how often and how much you use, and how long you have been addicted. Some people may be done with detox in just a week, whereas others may need to stay for up to a month. There are also rare occasions in which people experience something called protracted withdrawal, where the symptoms last for months. You won’t have to stay in detox for that entire period, but you will need additional support for your symptoms once you move on to your addiction treatment program.

Instead of focusing on how long drug detox will take, you should instead focus on the long term goal: getting off of drugs so that you can live a normal life. Starting your journey with a drug detox program is going to give you the best possible chance of getting sober and being able to maintain that sobriety in the long run.