Medical Detox

MEDICAL DETOX SERVICES

Maryland House Detox offers comprehensive drug and alcohol detoxification services. With fully accredited medical professionals on staff, you will be in a safe environment as you fight withdrawal symptoms and overcome physical dependency.

When a chemical dependency forms, your body will rely on those chemicals to function properly. When the continual supply of that drug stops, your body will go into withdrawal. Symptoms can start within a few hours in some cases and after 24 hours in others.

MEDICAL DETOX SERVICES

Maryland House Detox offers comprehensive drug and alcohol detoxification services. With fully accredited medical professionals on staff, you will be in a safe environment as you fight withdrawal symptoms and overcome physical dependency.

When a chemical dependency forms, your body will rely on those chemicals to function properly. When the continual supply of that drug stops, your body will go into withdrawal. Symptoms can start within a few hours in some cases and after 24 hours in others.

Withdrawal symptoms can vary widely depending on several factors, but there are a few common effects:

• Fatigue
• Depression
• Insomnia
• Cramps
• Elevated heart rate
• Muscle tension and soreness
• Irritability
• Nausea
• Shortness of breath
• Hallucinations

Drug and alcohol withdrawals can be dangerous without medical supervision. In some cases, physical dependence on a substance can cause seizures, heart attack, or stroke. That’s why it’s important to have qualified medical professionals nearby, who can mitigate discomfort and monitor your overall health.

FREQUENTLY ASKED DETOX TREATMENT QUESTIONS

WHAT IS DETOX TREATMENT?

Detox treatment—or medical detox—is the first step in the addiction recovery progress. Medical detox is the highest level of care according to the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) continuum of treatment. It is reserved for people with immediate medical needs or people who need medically managed services. Medical detox involves doctors and other on-staff medical personnel that administer and manage any needed medication to alleviate uncomfortable symptoms and avoid dangerous complications, as opposed to other types of inpatient services, which monitor for medical complications and respond to them accordingly.

Medical detox treatment may vary depending on your specific needs. Factors that can affect the type of care you receive include:

• The drug for which you need detoxification. For instance, opioids cause flu-like symptoms in withdrawal and need to be treated differently than drugs like meth, which primarily case psychological symptoms.
• If you are entering detox for polydrug use. Many people who would become addicted to illicit drugs use more than one kind of drug, which means more than one kind of withdrawal symptoms.
• Other medical issues that need treatment. Injuries, infectious diseases, or chronic diseases sometimes need to be brought under control before turning your focus toward clinical treatment.
• You present with emotional, behavioral, and cognitive complications. Some drugs, like methamphetamine, cause intense mental and psychological symptoms in withdrawal that can be treated during medical detox.

Medically managed services are designed to treat the first three dimensions is ASAM’s criteria for treatment: Acute intoxication and/or withdrawal potential, biomedical conditions, and emotional and cognitive complications. Medical detox is officially used to manage the physical symptoms of withdrawal. However, many high-quality detox facilities also have a certified clinician on-staff to help you manage other non-physical symptoms.

DO I NEED MEDICAL DETOX TREATMENT SERVICES?

If you want to stop a pattern of drug or alcohol use but you are wondering if you need medical detox, there are several things to consider. If you’ve developed a dependence on alcohol or other nervous system depressants like benzodiazepines or barbiturates, medical detox is necessary to avoid potentially dangerous withdrawal symptoms. Dependence on nervous system depressants causes your brain to work overtime to balance brain chemistry.

When you quit them suddenly, the neurochemicals that were counteracting the relaxing nervous system suppressing effects are unleashed. This can result in an overactive nervous system leading to seizures, panic, anxiety, insomnia, and Delirium Tremens. Seizures can result in dangerous accidents, falls, and injuries. In rare circumstances, they can be deadly. Delirium tremens can be fatal without medical treatment in as high as 35 percent of cases. However, with proper medical treatment through detox, that number can drop down to five percent. 

Injuries, diseases, and infections are medical needs that must be addressed as soon as possible. If you are seeking addiction treatment and you are suffering from an injury or illness, medical care in a detox facility can help you recover physically as you address your addiction.

If you are currently in active addiction, you may need to go to detox as a first step in addiction treatment. Detox is the safest way to begin rehabilitation. Even emotional, behavioral, and cognitive issues as a result of withdrawal symptoms can complicate your continued treatment if they aren’t addressed. If you’re not sure if you need detox, you can learn more if you call the addiction specialists at Maryland House Detox. If you decide to enter a treatment program, you will be placed into a level of care based on your needs.

HOW LONG IS MEDICAL DETOX TREATMENT?

The length of time you spend in detox depends on several factors, including the drug you are detoxing from, other physical issues you might have, and the length of time you had been addicted to a drug. Generally, detox lasts for three to ten days but often not more than a week. Again, the treatment process is tailored to individual needs. In extreme cases, detox can last as long as two weeks. When you are finished with detox, clinicians will help find continued treatment services for you. Maryland House Detox is part of a larger network of facilities to connect you to the continuum of care.

MEDICAL EVALUATION

Different chemicals affect the brain in unique ways. The treatment that would be appropriate for one addict may not help another. When you arrive at MHD, you will be evaluated based on your unique body composition, the drug and dosage of your addictive substance, how long you were using drugs, and the presence of any comorbid addictions. Based on your evaluation, you will enter a four-to-seven-day detox program tailored to your needs.

MEDICALLY SUPERVISED DETOX

With state-of-the-art facilities and treatment techniques, Maryland House Detox can manage any addiction. Experienced medical staff will be on-site every day, 24 hours per day to monitor progress and administer medication when necessary. You will continue to be assessed throughout your stay to ensure your comfort.

CLINICAL CARE

At MHD, we are committed to facilitating long-term treatment. While our medical team ensures your physical well-being, our clinical team evaluates you and your needs. Since the most successful recoveries involve long-term dedication, we will work with you to find the best treatment following detox.

Maryland House Detox works closely with both local and national drug and alcohol addiction treatment providers. The centers in our network share our passion for helping the countless victims of addiction across the country. When you’ve completed detox at MHD, our clinical staff will work hard to find your next step to lasting recovery.

CONTINUED COMMITMENT TO RECOVERY

Maryland House Detox is a member of the Delphi Behavioral Health Group family of drug treatment facilities. Together we believe that the problem of addiction in the U.S. can’t be solved with quick shortcut solutions or one-size-fits-all treatment. Individualized treatment in long-term programs is the best way to beat the disease of addiction.