Inpatient Detox

Patients are admitted to a hospital or detox center where they are supervised by medical staff while going through the withdrawal process. Detoxing at home can be miserably uncomfortable, even life-threatening in some cases, so inpatient detox is an important first step for many struggling with moderate to severe addiction. Withdrawal symptoms can include insomnia, paranoia, extreme agitation, hallucinations, and seizures. These symptoms can be minimized with the medication and monitoring offered by detox facilities. Patients typically stay 3 to 7 days and then begin an inpatient or outpatient treatment program.

PROS: Withdrawal symptoms can worsen rapidly and, for some patients, cause serious medical complications, in which case medical supervision is essential. Detoxing at home can be so excruciating that many patients give up and start using again, losing the motivation to give recovery another try.

CONS: For patients who care for children or other family members, leaving the house for 3 days may be logistically impossible. Also, detox beds are limited and not always immediately available.