What Can I Expect During The Detox Process?

When someone is living with alcohol or drug addiction, detox is often a necessary step to begin recovery. While detox is essential, it can be an intense process.

Understanding what to expect during the detoxification process can help alleviate any anxiety you have and increase the chances of successful treatment outcomes.

The Detoxification Facility

Detoxification can occur at a facility through inpatient or outpatient care. Bedrock Recovery Center offers an inpatient detox unit with 40 beds and a seven to ten day detoxification process.

Patients receive an evaluation on the first day to assess the potential severity of withdrawal symptoms and create a treatment plan.

Bedrock Recovery Center monitors patients for symptoms that require medication, post-acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS), and transition to the next appropriate level of care.

During detoxification, Bedrock offers group therapy, psychoeducation, community-based support, and aftercare planning.

Substances That Require Detox At Bedrock

At Bedrock Recovery Center, people who are dependent on alcohol, opioids, and benzodiazepines require detoxification.

Medical detoxification is required for these substances because the withdrawal symptoms may be severe or life-threatening without careful observation by the clinical team.

Throughout detoxification, the clinical team will monitor each client’s withdrawal symptoms and prescribe medications to counter their side effects and provide as much comfort as possible.

The First 24 Hours

Patients will receive an evaluation in the first 24 hours of treatment at Bedrock to determine the medical protocol and withdrawal severity.

They will also meet with a clinician for a safety assessment, biopsychosocial assessment, and treatment planning.

Additionally, each person will also receive monitoring for withdrawal symptoms that may require medication and an ongoing evaluation for post-acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS).

Medical Detoxification

Bedrock offers FDA-approved medications to counter the withdrawal symptoms associated with alcohol, opioid, and benzodiazepine dependence.

During detoxification, these medications are individually prescribed according to each client’s experience.

Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) may begin in detox and continue through treatment for people who are receiving care for opioid abuse or alcohol addiction.

The medications used in MAT limit withdrawal symptoms and discourage drug use, which can be a helpful relapse prevention tool for as long as the client requires.

Drug tapering is a specific form of medical detox that is required for benzodiazepine addiction and may be necessary in other individual cases.

Tapering gradually reduces the dose of the substance to prevent cravings and reduce dependence. This is a necessary approach with benzodiazepines, as rapid discontinuation can be fatal.

Detoxification Services

Bedrock provides various services during detoxification, including daily psychoeducation and group therapy, and community-based support groups in the evenings.

At Bedrock, you will also have daily meetings with your case manager to discuss:

• work or job concerns
• insurance questions and application help
• legal concerns
• aftercare planning, including residential treatment

All of our detoxification services seek to provide necessary support to the individual throughout the process.

Continued Monitoring

During detoxification, Bedrock clinicians continuously monitor individuals for post-acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS) and withdrawal symptoms that require medication.

We also provide continued monitoring to aid in the transition to the next suitable level of care based on the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) criteria.

Learn How To Start Detox At Bedrock

If you are looking to begin detox in Massachusetts, we can help. Contact the Bedrock Recovery Center team to learn more about our comprehensive treatment services.