Detox Overview

Withdrawal symptoms are probably the most challenging aspect of drug and alcohol detox. It can be unpredictable, meaning no two people will have the same symptoms, even though there are common ones.

The length of time and the severity of withdrawal varies from person to person.

In addition, different treatments are given depending on what drug one was using or whether they are withdrawing from alcohol.

Some substances that cause withdrawal symptoms are:

• Alcohol
• Benzodiazepines
• Opioids
• Sleeping Medication
• Stimulants
• Xanax
• Oxycodone
• Hydrocodone
• Heroin
• Cocaine

Weaning, a gradual decrease in the amount of a substance taken, is a complex process, requiring the oversight of addiction professionals. The reality is that it can take as short as a few days or as long as a few months to overcome withdrawal symptoms for most drugs. The length of withdrawal is dependent on several elements, including:

• Substance of choice
• Mental health issues
• Family history
• Length of the addiction
• Severity of the addiction
• Amount of substance taken at each time
• Medical condition
• Genetics
• Method used (i.e., injecting, smoking, swallowing, or snorting)

Since there are so many factors that come into play regarding drug and alcohol withdrawal, length and severity are vastly different for each person—as such, attempting to taper or detox at home is very dangerous and not recommended.

There are a few different options when it comes to detox. Some are far safer than others. Depending upon the substance use factors, a person can experience severe withdrawal symptoms that shouldn’t be managed at home. Types of detox include:

1. At-Home-Detox: attempting to do the detox process at home

2. Cold Turkey: stopping drug use abruptly

3. Drug Tapering: slowly and gradually reduces drug use over a period of time, typically under a medical supervision

4. Medical Detox: entering an inpatient recovery treatment facility to be monitored during withdrawal

Drug and alcohol detox is physically and emotionally difficult. Those who attempt to go it alone are taking a serious medical risk, especially if they choose to stop abruptly. Detoxing, under the supervision of a medical professional, is highly recommended to address psychological and physical symptoms. Some of the most common dangers linked to detoxing include:

• Delirium tremens (DT)
• Psychosis
• Severe pain
• Suicidal thoughts

While these dangers range in severity, some can be deadly. Therefore, it is absolutely critical to detox either in an inpatient rehab facility or under a medical professional’s supervision. When a substance abuse disorder takes hold of a person, their body grows accustomed to having the substance to function normally. Take that substance away, and the body reacts via withdrawal.

The length of drug detox varies based on the substance of choice, how long it was used, and the amount of the substance typically consumed during usage. Also, detox length will vary depending upon one’s mental and physical state when they enter the detox program. On average, detox takes anywhere from 7 days to 14 days but can last up to a month.

Research has shown that those who enter detox motivated to get sober have a less challenging time with detox symptoms than those who are hesitant to enter a recovery program.