Will a Florida center for recovery offer detox services? Yes, of course, some absolutely will. However, others may not. There are generally three stages of substance abuse recovery. First is detox, then rehab and then aftercare. These three stages are intended to produce long-term sobriety, although sobriety is an ongoing process in itself, too.
What is Detox?
Detox is the process of eliminating any abused drugs from your body. You cannot begin drug rehab until you have been through detox. This usually means that you will attend a detox facility until your body is physically free of your drug of choice. Not many people can abstain from their drug for very long, but some people do manage it. If so, a rehab will probably accept you as long as you have been drug-free for a specified period of time, usually at least 10 days.
The detox method is determined by the drug or drugs you have been using. Detox from more than one drug class at the same time requires expert medical supervision, especially if it involves alcohol or benzodiazepines. If you’ve been using opioids and alcohol, for example, especially in high doses and over an extended period of time, forget about doing detox without professional help. It’s not safe, and you will be unlikely to succeed.
Medical Detox
Opioid medical detox often involves medications to ease withdrawal symptoms and keep drug cravings at bay. The most common medication used is called buprenorphine. It’s a synthetic opioid, but it doesn’t tend to produce a high in people already tolerant to opioid drugs. It activates the same brain receptors as other opioids do, but not as completely. Buprenorphine can greatly reduce or even eliminate unpleasant opioid withdrawal symptoms, including:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Restless leg syndrome
- Insomnia
- Hot and cold sweats
- Stomach pain
- Pain in the muscles and joints
- Depression
Buprenorphine and Methadone
Often, buprenorphine is the only medication needed to keep you comfortable as your body withdraws from your opioid of choice. If not, other medications can help with nausea, muscle tremors and depression. For those who don’t get sufficient withdrawal relief from buprenorphine, there is methadone. Methadone is far more active on the brain’s opioid receptors because it is a full narcotic, not a partial one like buprenorphine is. Even so, methadone tends to produce little to no euphoria. It will completely relieve even stubborn withdrawal in almost everyone, regardless of their prior opioid dose or length of use. Both buprenorphine and methadone are long-acting and produce a blocking effect, discouraging the use of other opioids.
Stimulants, Alcohol and Tranquilizers
If you have been abusing stimulants, alcohol, tranquilizers or sleeping medications, detox will provide medications to safely allow you to withdraw from these substances. In particular, stimulants, such as cocaine and amphetamine, deplete a brain chemical called dopamine. When dopamine brain levels are low, severe depression can result. Medications can help to counteract this effect until the brain can normalize itself and function properly again. Alcohol withdrawal can be particularly dangerous. Never attempt to do this without direct medical supervision. Alcohol and benzodiazepine withdrawal is more than just unpleasant. It can be life-threatening. This is because of the risk of grand mal seizures.
Florida Detox
It’s not hard to find a fine Florida rehab with a detox unit. Many offer this service on both an inpatient and outpatient basis. Not everyone can just exit their lives and attend residential treatment for several months or longer. While residential treatment can benefit any kind of substance abuse, not everyone requires this level of care. Some people may do fine with total outpatient treatment.
Others may require inpatient drug detox but not residential treatment. It’s a matter of personal choice, individual needs and medical priority. Any substance abuse treatment facility, whether it be outpatient or inpatient detox or rehab or residential rehab, will be able to advise you on what you need to do to detox safely and then address your substance abuse problem. There are so many Florida options available. All you have to do is get some assistance to find the right one.
Call Us for Help
If you need to find a Florida rehab that offers detox services, you can call us anytime at 844-639-8371. We are a group of professional drug counselors with the resources to help you find the kind of rehab facility that is best for you.