Starting a drug and alcohol detox can often be the first step toward recovery from addiction. If you need physical detoxification from alcohol and/or drugs, this must be carried out by a professional. Depending on your health needs and personal preference, detox can be done as an inpatient, or as a managed home detox, prescribed and monitored by medical professionals, to ensure your safety and comfort.
What is a detox?
A detox is a process of removing drugs and alcohol safely from the body. It is a process that typically takes around 7-10 days, but this can be longer depending on the substances you’re taking, and your co-existing health needs.
You may have heard the phrase ‘cold turkey’ but this simply is not a safe option to stop taking drugs or alcohol. A medically-assisted detox is designed to wean you off these substances in a safe and controlled way, so that you can start your recovery with the professional care you need.
Detox programmes are planned by medical professionals, and it is not advised that you try to complete a detox yourself without their guidance and oversight.
If you need help finding a detox programme, you can find more information here.
A drug and alcohol detox is the process of removing physically addictive substances from your body. Then you can move on to a rehab programme from there, to address the psychological addiction to alcohol and/or drugs.
Home detox
A home detox is as it sounds, you detox whilst living at home, but it is still planned, prescribed and supported by a medical professional. You are given all of the information and tools you need for the detox, but you carry it out in the comfort of your own home. Being surrounded by familiar things and having your loved ones around to support you through the detox can be a comforting thing for some. It’s not suitable for everyone, but we can advise on your individual circumstances, when we carry out your alcohol and drug treatment assessment.
Inpatient detox
We know that at home detox is not the right option for everyone. For some clients, an inpatient detox is recommended, either for safety reasons or because it’s their preference to be supported round the clock. With an inpatient alcohol or drug detox, you stay in a facility for the duration of your detox. This may be a better option if you want more medical support throughout the process, your home is not suitable or you have no support from family or friends, or you would just prefer a different setting for this part of your journey.
So, what’s the difference?
Both are planned and supervised by a medical professional. The main difference is the setting and the level of support provided throughout, which also has an impact on cost: an inpatient detox costs more than a home detox.
Is a detox right for me?
Detoxification can be the best route prior to your psychological treatment for addiction, including for those suffering from severe alcohol and drug addictions. Before a detox is carried out, your wellbeing, mental health and your support networks, will be assessed to ensure that we recommend the right option for you. Medical detox is necessary for some before starting rehab for your psychological dependence. If you are unsure, you should contact a detox facility to chat it through or get in touch with us, and we will support you with advice and appropriate referral to trusted detox providers.
Which one is best for me?
Which detox programme is best for you will depend on the setting you want and need to be in, as well as external factors such as whether or not you have the support at home to ensure your safety. There are benefits to both, and it is often a personal preference where you would like the detox to be carried out.
Finding drug and alcohol rehab near me
If you are looking for drug and alcohol rehab, then Help Me Stop can help. We offer rehab programmes for those seeking help with addiction in our two London locations, in our Winchester rehab, and in our Online Rehab too. We are here to listen without judgement and help you find your own route to recovery.
We offer tailored solutions, rooted in integrative psychotherapy. At the heart of our treatment programme, we’ve embedded the 12 step approach to addiction treatment. We combine this with proven therapeutic modalities, including person-centred therapy, CBT, family therapy, recovery workshops, and alternative therapies such as art and mindfulness. We work mainly in group therapy sessions, but this improves outcomes. You also get a weekly one-to-one counselling session with your Help Me Stop focal therapist.
Many of our staff have walked in your shoes and are now in long term recovery from addiction. So, we know what it is like, what you’re going through right now, and we are here to support you through every step of the process.
At Help Me Stop, we offer drug and alcohol addiction treatment programmes in our non-residential rehab centres. You can view our locations here or view our Online Rehab programme, which is available across not only the UK, but the world – all you need is a laptop or tablet with stable wifi, and a private room, then you can log on.
For a confidential chat about drug and alcohol addiction, you can call the team on number, and we will be here to listen and offer guidance without judgement.
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