When someone is addicted to drugs or alcohol, their journey to sobriety starts with a process called detoxification.
The purpose of detox is to address the physical components of addiction so that you’ll be strong enough to tackle the emotional aspects. Wolf Creek Recovery partners with Northern Arizona’s most experienced detox treatment center in Arizona to provide individualized medical detox to our clients.
Medical detox is the process of removing all traces of drugs, alcohol and toxins from the body, ensuring that you are physically stable and ready to start therapy – the nuts-and-bolts of the recovery process.
When you use drugs or alcohol, your body becomes used to having these substances in their system. If you try to stop or decrease your use, you’ll suffer intense withdrawal effects. Without adequate medical support, some of these effects can be life-threatening. At the very least, they prevent you from making a full recovery.
Fortunately, you are not alone when you go through Wolf Creek Recovery’s affiliate detox program. Around-the-clock supervision, medication and therapy are provided to reduce cravings and withdrawal effects. By managing your symptoms, the detox process will be less stressful and more tolerable.
In a short period of time, you will be clean and working through the deeper issues of your addiction at our drug rehab in Arizona.
On average, most clients attending one of our affiliate detox centers complete detox in three to ten days, but this is at the discretion of the medical team. Your time in detox depends on the substance you are addicted to, the severity of your addiction, your treatment history and other factors. There is no rushing through this process. With the right support, you will heal on your timeline.
Here is a brief breakdown of what to expect during the detox process:
To build an accurate picture of your individual needs, we’ll start with an assessment. The information gathered will be used to build a personalized treatment plan.
Withdrawal symptoms are a result of the body adjusting to not having chemicals in its system. Each person’s withdrawal symptoms are different, but you can expect a combination of physical and psychological symptoms.
We do not leave our clients to deal with their withdrawal symptoms on their own. There are many effective medications used to manage cravings, withdrawal symptoms, insomnia, anxiety and depression.
Around-the-clock supervision is provided in medical detox. You will be carefully monitored throughout your stay.
Alcohol withdrawal can be fatal, which is why at-home detox is not advised. Suddenly quitting alcohol can cause seizures, hallucinations, heart failure and death. While some of the other symptoms are less serious, they are still highly uncomfortable, making a successful at-home detox nearly impossible.
Detoxing from alcohol is most effective under the guidance of a professional detox treatment center in Arizona. You will be overseen by a team of professionals who can offer you the care you need, minute by minute. They will check your blood pressure, monitor your heart rate and prescribe medications to decrease cravings and withdrawal symptoms.
Withdrawal symptoms typically start in the first 6-12 hours from the last drink. Initial symptoms include shaking, nausea, irritability and headaches. The most painful symptoms begin within 24-48 hours and then come and go for about a week. This is also the timeframe when you’re more at risk for life-threatening complications. Symptoms begin to taper off after one week, though some effects will be longer lasting.
Benzodiazepines, or benzos, are prescription drugs used to treat a wide range of conditions such as anxiety, panic attacks, epilepsy and insomnia. Whether taken legally or illegally, benzodiazepines can be addictive. Because of their habit-forming nature, it’s difficult to stop their use on your own. And, quitting cold turkey can be physically and emotionally painful.
The most common withdrawal symptoms are called “rebound symptoms” because they’re the same symptoms benzos are designed to treat. Rebound symptoms typically occur within the first one to four days after stopping the drug and include insomnia, anxiety, panic attacks, cravings, headaches, sweating and heart palpitations.
In severe cases of addiction, it’s possible to have hallucinations, seizures and psychotic reactions. Medical detox will manage these symptoms for your comfort and safety, which typically taper off around 10 days.
As soon as the long-term use of opiates is stopped or cut back, withdrawal symptoms like anxiety, agitation, muscle aches, insomnia and stomach problems arise. These symptoms are very uncomfortable, though usually not life threatening. However, death can occur from persistent vomiting and diarrhea.
A medically-supervised detox program will provide you with medications to relieve withdrawal symptoms and cravings. Buprenorphine, naltrexone and methadone are all common medications used in detox, and they can also prevent relapse by blocking the pleasurable effects of opioids.
It’s important that you start a treatment program immediately after opioid withdrawal, as most opiate deaths occur in people who have just detoxed. Withdrawal reduces your tolerance, so you can overdose on a much smaller amount than what you’re used to.
Stimulants, or “uppers,” are street drugs that temporarily increase alertness and energy. The most common types of stimulants include amphetamines, cocaine and medications used to treat ADHD/ADD. Withdrawal symptoms are both physical and mental and can be extremely severe, causing some people to become violent or suicidal.
The most common withdrawal symptoms are a depressed mood, along with chills, anxiety, hallucinations, paranoia, body aches and insomnia. If you have a mood disorder, you are at risk for more severe withdrawal symptoms and a longer withdrawal process.
Symptoms of withdrawal usually start within a few hours to several days after the last use, with the most intense symptoms peaking in about a week. Some symptoms, like depression, can last for much longer. Medical detox makes the process more tolerable and efficient.
Synthetic drugs are created using man-made chemicals as opposed to natural ingredients. Some of the most popular synthetic drugs are ecstasy, LSD, methamphetamines and synthetic marijuana. These are very dangerous because you never know what you are taking and in what quantity.
Because the exact chemical composition of synthetic drugs is unknown, withdrawal symptoms are unpredictable. This is why medical detox is highly recommended as you will receive prompt treatment for unpleasant and potentially life threatening symptoms.
Support professionals will walk you through each step of the process and ensure that you are kept comfortable throughout the entire detox process. Many of our clients find that they’re able to move through detox with as little pain and stress as possible. Once clean, they’re able to start the next step in the healing journey.
You have already made the important and difficult decision to admit your problem and accept help. Trust that you are in the best hands and preparing for a healthy and successful recovery. Contact Wolf Creek Recovery to learn more about our medical detox affiliate program and how it can help you build strength for the work ahead.
At Wolf Creek Recovery – Treatment Center AZ, we take a values based approach when addressing substance use.
