ADDICTION DETOX FOR DRUGS AND ALCOHOL
During early recovery, when entering a program of addiction treatment for drugs or alcohol, it is common for people to experience withdrawal – physical symptoms or intense cravings – for the first several days. Withdrawal symptoms range from feeling sick or dizzy, experiencing changes in blood pressure, shaking, sweating, or fever. It is also common to experience mood swings, increased anxiety, or insomnia.
A withdrawal is a part of treatment that can range in severity depending on the drug(s) being used, length of use, general level of health, age, and other factors.
An acute detox should be complete within 7-10 days, but the exact length will depend on someones individual circumstances. Even after this initial detox period, it is normal to continue to experience some physical or mood-related symptoms – but engagement in psychotherapy and other therapeutic modalities can effectively address these symptoms.
Common drug types which require careful monitoring and medical supervision include alcohol; benzodiazepines like Valium, Klonopin, Xanax and Ativan; and opioids like heroin, fentanyl and Oxycontin. Drugs like cocaine and methamphetamine often require a supervised ‘crash’ period, where the patient is also medically supervised.