Medical Detox in Florida
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Most recoveries begin with detoxification. This process clears the body of toxins accumulated during the period of drug and alcohol abuse and provides a starting point for recovery. Once the bio-chemical addiction has been addressed, the process of mental and emotional healing can begin. Drug and alcohol detox is the first step towards successful drug and alcohol treatment while here in Florida.
Detox is considered to be complete when all the major withdrawal symptoms have subsided and the substance is no longer present in an addict's system. The detoxification process can vary depending on the frequency of abuse, the pattern of typical use and on individual differences. Because major withdrawal symptoms will peak during the first few days after discontinuing use, it is important to seek medical detox help from trained professionals immediately if trying to quit an addiction. The major withdrawal symptoms are generally cleared within this first phase of detoxification; however, many lesser withdrawal symptoms can last much longer.
Detox Approximation:
- Heroin-5 to 14 days
- Alcohol-5 to 7 days days, but can last up to 2-3 weeks in advanced cases
- Benzodiazepines (Xanax) - because stopping "cold turkey" can be very dangerous, the dose is reduced gradually for the patients safety. Detox can last 1-2 weeks or longer.
- Cocaine and crack - 5 to 14 days, the drug will normally take 5 days to clear but symptoms can often occur much longer.
- Methamphetamine -7 to 10 days, but even the less extreme symptoms can persist much longer. The drug can be cleared within 2 days, but the majority of patients will develop "withdrawal syndrome", which accounts for the longer periods of time.
- Prescription Opiates (Hydrocodone, Vicodin)-7 days
When anyone stops the use of drugs or alcohol abruptly, regardless of the degree of abuse, he or she will experience some level of physical discomfort which is known as withdrawal. Mild to mid-level withdrawal symptoms can normally be treated on an out-patient basis by a medical professional, but more extreme cases will most certainly require in-patient rehab.
For someone less dependent, withdrawal symptoms will include:
- Nausea
- Shakes
- Night sweats
- Fatigue
- Depression
- Nightmares
- Anxiety
- Rapid heart beat
- Increased blood pressure
For someone with a more extreme dependency, withdrawal symptoms can include:
- Convulsions
- Hallucinations
- Seizures
- Muscle Tremors
- Black Outs
- Profound Confusion
- Severe autonomic nervous system overactivity
- Death
Alcoholism has some of the most harmful withdrawal symptoms (delirium and hallucinations) and unsupervised detox can be extremely dangerous to an individual. Opiate withdrawal, while not life threatening, can become so uncomfortable for a person trying to quit, they may abandon their commitment to sobriety, and barbiturate withdrawal can possibly lead to death. Detox must be done in a safe and supervised environment. Trying to detox on your own can be extremely dangerous, sometimes even life threatening. Someone who is less dependent may experience more mild withdrawal symptoms, but the "craving" that he or she will experience once off drugs or alcohol can sometimes become so intense, it makes abstaining extremely difficult without the proper counseling and support. Regardless of the degree of dependency, it is important that a person who wishes to stop drug or alcohol use and begin detox receives the proper medical treatment before entering a drug recovery program.
