What Should I Expect During a Medical Detox?

A medical detoxification, referred to as a medical detox, is a process under the supervision of a licensed medical professional in which the body is rid of an addictive substance. The goal is to ensure that all traces of the substance are out of the system. A medical detox can be extremely helpful for a person's recovery. It can be managed with various medical techniques and helps the body reset on the way to an individual’s addiction recovery.

Why Medical Detox?

Medical detox is used for patients who have all kinds of dependencies. Commonly, a medical detox will be offered to those who are addicted to substances such as alcohol, opioids, or other kinds of drugs. The goal is to flush the system of harmful chemicals so that the body can begin its healing process. 

A medical detox is important as symptoms of addiction can be severe, difficult to manage, and powerful enough to send people spiraling and even into life-threatening conditions. Medical detox helps ensure the process is safe and supervised.

Importance of Supervision for Medical Detox

Detoxing by yourself can be incredibly dangerous, with the possibility of detoxification causing severe physical and psychological symptoms. These symptoms can include seizures, psychosis, dehydration, uncontrollable vomiting, and much more. While the detoxification phase of recovery can be difficult, supervised medical detox can help aid individuals in the process.

A supervised detox means an individual is not alone. A medical detox offers a level of support that is otherwise not available.

Preparing for Medical Detox Treatment

There are multiple ways individuals can prepare for medical detox treatment. 

Communicate with a healthcare professional

Talk with a healthcare professional who can give specific guidance for your individual situation and provide suggestions on how to prepare. Communicating with your healthcare provider about your addiction, medical history, and other relevant factors can help in the creation of an effective and personalized approach to detoxification.

Physical preparation

A full medical assessment prior to detoxification can help a medical professional understand an individual’s physical condition.

A common recommendation is to engage in light physical activity before detox to help tire your body out, as this has been linked to improved circulation and stress reduction. It is not advisable to complete strenuous activity though, so activities such as walking may be good options. On top of this, it’s advisable to try and make sure the body is sufficiently hydrated and nourished, as withdrawal can deplete the body of nutrients. Make sure to check with a medical professional for directions on how to physically prepare for detox.

Mental and emotional preparation

Before beginning the detoxification process, it may be helpful to solidify your motivation for addiction recovery. Keeping in mind why living substance-free is so important can help in moving forward to treatment.

Having reasonable and motivational expectations for yourself and picturing life beyond addiction can also be helpful.

Recognizing that detox can be an emotional process, prepare by having mindfulness tools and stress-relieving practices in place. A mental healthcare provider can talk to you about ways to prepare and what can be done during the detoxification process to foster emotional wellness.   

During Medical Detox

During detoxification, toxins are eliminated from the body. Shortly after the detoxification process has begun, withdrawal will often start to set in. It's essential to understand that individuals experience detox differently depending on what they are addicted to and how long they have been addicted to the substance. Medical history and other factors can also affect the detoxification process.

While detox is not always the same, here are some common withdrawal symptoms:

• Anxiety
• Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea 
• Sweating
• High temperature and/or chills
• Increased heart rate
• Headaches
• Stomach cramps
• Vivid nightmares
• Irritability
• Paranoia
• Extreme mood swings
• Intense cravings
• Depression

More severe symptoms include:

• Delirium
• Seizures
• Hallucinations

While withdrawal during detox can involve such symptoms, medical detox can help manage the effects. Through stabilization practices during medical detox, an individual is kept as stable as possible as wellness begins to return.

Medical Detox Services

Jackson House Recovery Centers offer medically supervised detox services. During the detoxification process, individuals are shown personalized care and provided with 24/7 assistance and support, medical-assisted treatment, and adequate time to recover.

Our team includes trained personnel, with specialists in addiction recovery and mental health treatments.  

We want to ensure those at the center who receive medical detox experience safe, compassionate, and effective treatment. We care about you as an individual, not just your substance addiction. Our whole-person approach is combined with a low client-to-staff ratio and attention to a warm and welcoming environment.

Our Treatment Philosophy

Focus areas at the center are community, customization, and nutrition, and we believe that each of these elements contributes to long-lasting recovery. 

• Community: Group activities are provided to help residents connect while building a supportive environment. 
• Customization: In addition to the community aspect of our treatment approach is a focus on customization. We know that experiences, health conditions, and other aspects differ among our clients, and we give attention to creating personalized treatment plans meant for sobriety and ongoing wellness.
• Nutrition: Our focus on nutrition is evidenced by healthful meals meant to help restore nutritional levels depleted by substance abuse.

Together, this emphasis on nutrition, customization, and focus on community form a structure for supportive treatment that is carried out by a professional team. 

Supervised Medical Detox in San Diego

We provide compassionate and professional medical detox services in San Diego, and we invite you to learn more about our approach to medical detox. Please get in touch with us today for information or to schedule a free, confidential consultation.