Detox is The First Mark in The Journey to Sobriety
Undergoing Alcohol and Drug Detoxification in an Inpatient Detox Setting:
Drug and alcohol addiction takes a terrible toll on the body and mind. Whether it is alcohol, opioids, or other drugs, when a person with a Substance Use Disorder (SUD) suddenly stops using, they may require inpatient treatment in a “detox hospital,” to safely and comfortably overcome withdrawal symptoms (and complications) under a doctor’s care.
Medical detoxification (“detox”) is the first step of the rehabilitation process for recovery from addiction. Without a doubt, detox is a trying and painful experience. It is no walk in the park. But even though it is difficult, it can be one of the best experiences (and personal triumphs) you will ever have. Generally speaking, an inpatient detox will have most or many of these features:
Assigned medical doctor (and/or psychiatrist) and social worker
Medically supervised detoxification from substance(s) of choice
Group therapy, medical education, and 12-step/recovery meetings
After-care support (e.g., planning next steps, addressing legal issues, etc.)
Medically Monitored Detox is Necessary for Most Addicts
Long-term abuse of alcohol and drugs creates a host of medical problems. When users quit (especially if abruptly), dangerous, potentially life-threatening symptoms may result. Simply put, medically assisted detox is critical to fully detoxify your body and thereby eliminate physical dependency (and associated withdrawal symptoms).
Detoxing from any substance is nothing short of miserable, so patients receive medications to ease withdrawal. And in some situations, withdrawal symptoms can be fatal: with alcohol and benzodiazepine dependence, withdrawal can kill unless certain medications are prescribed to allow safe detoxification. Medications are used for all patients with withdrawal symptoms, to varying degrees
In addition, all patients receive general medical treatment and a psychiatric screening. The latter is extremely important because co-occuring mental conditions very often accompany (and exacerbate) the addiction.
Note: Studies indicate, for example, that among those diagnosed with bipolar disorder, 60 percent had some history of substance abuse. 45 percent of people in the United States struggle with a dual diagnosis, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH)
What is it Like Being a Patient in a “Detox Hospital?”
Importantly, a detox hospital is simply a mental/psychiatric hospital that treats addiction alongside other mental illnesses. And mental hospitals are filled with a wide cast of characters, with colorful personalities and quirks galore. So undergoing detox treatment can be the most interesting and trying experience simultaneously.
My first detox experience happened in the summer of 2013. I had just graduated from law school, and shortly thereafter, my brother was killed in the line of duty as a Granite Mountain Hotshot (wildland firefighter) in the Yarnell Hill Fire in Yarnell, Arizona. He and 18 other men died protecting lives and property that day. They are known collectively as the “Granite Mountain 19.” The only one who survived was the lookout.
I was emotionally shattered and physically ravaged by a decade’s worth of alcohol abuse. And my stay in the detox hospital could not have been better. In a sense, I finally felt at home, because every single patient there was a little bit like me: these people are passionate, highly intelligent and highly intuitive, caring, and each truly unique in their own way.
It is important to understand, generally speaking, the typical process and order of admission, plus the daily rigor and routine of living in a mental hospital.
Admission to a Detox (Mental) Hospital
A patient will enter detox when he or she presents with severe and/or life-threatening withdrawal symptoms upon stopping or decreasing substance use. Addicts deal with withdrawal symptoms on a daily basis, so typically, people enter detox when these awful symptoms become too much to handle. And that is saying an awful lot because addicts go for years upon years using drugs and alcohol despite the horrific withdrawals and damage to the body. The admission process looks like this:
Referral from medical provider (primary physician or a doctor from an emergency room the patient has recently visited) or self-referral
Call detox to schedule an admissions appointment (or have doctor call on your behalf; typically, if patient first presents to the ER)
Arrive at admissions appointment: undergo screening, including health history, substance abuse history, and a battery of mental health questions
Admitted to detox, where average length of stay is typically 3-7 days, depending on severity of withdrawal symptoms and other associated mental/physical conditions
Typical Features of Detox Hospitals
Because a detox hospital is a mental hospital, there are a number of restrictions in place to keep all patients safe. Many present with suicidal ideations and some have recently attempted suicide. There is a significant link between substance abuse and suicide.
Compared with the general population, individuals with alcohol dependence and persons who use drugs have a 10–14 times greater risk of death by suicide, respectively, and approximately 22% of deaths by suicide have involved alcohol intoxication. A Closer Look at Substance Abuse and Suicide
Every detox I have undergone has been a “Medically Managed Intensive Inpatient Detoxification.” This is a psychiatric hospital inpatient center, with 24-hour care in an acute inpatient setting. These facilities see the sickest of the sick. Thus, to ensure safety, the following restrictions are implemented:
24-hour patient monitoring (whereabouts are monitored every 15 to 20 minutes, including sleep checks at the same interval)
Ban or limitation on personal items (e.g., all strings on shorts and sweatshirts, for example, must be removed for safety reasons)
Daily appointments with psychiatrists, therapists, and other professionals
After-care/discharge planning (next steps, further treatment, medical/social support)
Structured daily schedule
This may sound intimidating, and it may be for many. But the overwhelming level of support from medical staff and (most importantly) one’s fellow peers, makes it not only manageable, but perfect for close personal examination and reflection in a safe environment. Being in a trying situation with others just like you is an amazing feeling.
Alcohol Withdrawal: Nothing to Shake a Stick At
I often jokingly say that my autobiography will be called: “You Haven’t Lived Unless You’ve Had the Shakes”: The Life and Times of Robert Matthew Percin.” I know I would buy a book with that title, for one.
As an alcoholic for over a decade, drinking night and day, everyday, I developed quite the physical dependence (specifically, vodka in my case). By consuming 20-plus drinks a day, my body was totally physically dependent on alcohol. I was a slave to the bewildering beck and call of booze.
If I did not answer that call, there was hell to pay, like those “shakes” that I mentioned. Because I drank daily, round the clock, I had to wake up and immediately drink or else I would go almost immediately into full-blown alcohol withdrawal.
All types of withdrawal are hellish, but not all (hellish) withdrawals are fatal. Typical withdrawal symptoms include:
Anxiety (feeling of “impending doom”), involuntary tremors, fever & sweating, vomiting, tachycardia, seizures, hallucination
Delirium Tremens (“DTs”):
DTs is a rapid onset of confusion usually caused by withdrawal from alcohol. Often, it presents about three days into the (general) withdrawal symptoms, and lasts for two to three days after that.
Physical effects may include shaking, shivering, irregular heart rate, and sweating. People may also see or hear things other people do not (hallucination). Occasionally, a very high body temperature or seizures may result in death. Alcohol is one of the most dangerous drugs from which to withdraw.
Detox Can Save Your Life and Mark the Beginning of Sobriety
Detox is tremendously difficult, but it is absolutely worth it. While you may not maintain long-term sobriety after your first detox, it will set you on the right path and mark the beginning of a new journey in life.
If you have been abusing alcohol and/or drugs to the point you get awful withdrawals, detox is a wonderful option: in my case, it was the only option, and there are many, many people out there just like me.