The human brain is composed of billions of intricately interlinked neurons. At each point of connection, your neurons communicate with one another via precise chemical signals: every pathway in the brain uses a specific type of natural chemical, called a neurotransmitter, to send messages between neurons. These messages make up our senses, perceptions, emotions, thoughts, memories and more.

Substances like drugs and alcohol trigger the over- or under-production of certain neurotransmitters in different areas of the brain. The feeling of being drunk or high is essentially an artificially produced mood that occurs when drugs or alcohol influence the brain’s pathways for pleasure, alertness, energy levels and sociability. Over time, repeatedly introducing these artificial levels of neurotransmitters causes the brain to stop producing them naturally. Individuals who struggle with substance abuse will commonly experience side effects of having low natural levels of neurotransmitters; namely, withdrawal symptoms that can include anxiety, depression, nausea, head and body aches, fever and chills. Many people with substance use disorders become trapped in the cycle of addiction because the easiest way to relieve these withdrawal symptoms is to use drugs or alcohol again.

At Palmetto Addiction Recovery Center, we admit many patients who have been unable to get sober because their withdrawal symptoms and cravings are too powerful. We help our clients overcome withdrawal through our medically managed detox program, which ensures safety and comfort while all traces of drugs and alcohol are eliminated from the body’s systems. Once physical sobriety is achieved, the brain begins to restore a natural balance, and complete recovery — mind, body and spirit — becomes possible. Our detox program is offered onsite, and is overseen by licensed medical professionals who are available 24/7 to monitor each patient’s symptoms and health. It is our goal to deliver a positive detox experience that starts each client’s journey to sobriety on the right foot.

Do I Need Medically Managed Detox?

Not all detox is medically managed detox. Some individuals who struggle with addiction will go through detox on their own, whether knowingly because they do not want to go to a treatment center, or unintentionally if they run out of drugs or alcohol and cannot access more. In other cases, treatment centers have dedicated detox facilities but do not provide the same high-level, full-time professional care included in medically managed detox. Detoxing alone or without medical supervision can be dangerous, though, and a growing body of research supports medically managed detox as the safest and most effective option. Palmetto is fully equipped to facilitate the medical detox process.

Not everyone who is entering treatment for a substance use disorder will need medically managed detox. Some substances do not cause withdrawal symptoms that require medical attention; in other cases, a patient’s substance use disorder is not severe enough to warrant intensive detox care. There are a few groups, however, that are more likely to need medical detox because the risks of dangerous withdrawal symptoms are particularly high. These groups include:

  • Individuals with an opioid use disorder (e.g., heroin, morphine, fentanyl, Vicodin or OxyContin use disorders)
  • Those who are struggling with addiction to benzodiazepines (e.g., Xanax, Valium or Klonopin)
  • People who have severe or long-term alcohol use disorder

If you or a loved one is struggling with a substance use disorder, we urge you to consider medically managed detox at Palmetto. We will ensure that your health is not in danger as you go through withdrawal, and we will use our medical experience to make the process as seamless and comfortable as possible. To find out if our medically managed detox programs are appropriate for your needs, please contact us today. Our staff is ready to learn more about your situation and determine if detox is necessary as you begin your recovery.

How Does Medically
Managed Detox Work?

Medically managed detox, also called medically monitored detox or medical detox, is an inpatient detox program that uses a combination of safe medications and round-the-clock medical supervision to control withdrawal symptoms and keep patients out of harm’s way. Palmetto offers onsite medical detox in our own accredited space.

Our detox treatment includes full-time care from our on-staff licensed physicians and nurse practitioners, all of whom have extensive detox experience. These providers have the training and experience to make sure our clients stay healthy throughout the process and are not at risk of dehydration, malnutrition, circulatory problems or seizures.

Detox treatment typically lasts 3-10 days, though this will vary from patient to patient and may be somewhat shorter or longer. Our staff performs an initial health evaluation upon admission that helps us determine whether a particular patient needs detox and informs his or her course of care. We perform ongoing evaluations during detox to monitor each patient’s progress. Once detox is complete and physical sobriety has been established, our patients transition seamlessly into one of our long-term recovery programs.

Adult Detox Care at Palmetto Addiction Recovery Center

The medical detox program at Palmetto welcomes men and women ages 18 and over from across the United States. We believe that everyone deserves access to high-quality care that makes sense for them, and we work hard to accommodate different needs and walks of life while ensuring that all of our clients can come together and support each other within our close-knit recovery community.

Upon admission, our medical staff works one-on-one with every person to create a treatment plan geared toward his or her experience with addiction. We want the process of treatment at Palmetto to feel personalized and calming, beginning with detox. Our onsite, accredited detox space allows Palmetto staff to make adjustments to our patients’ care and comfort as needed. Our staff physicians and nurse practitioners have years of experience providing specialty care for individuals with substance use disorders and will be able to help with any symptoms that arise. We want our clients to begin recovery feeling confident and strong, and we know that the right detox experience can give them a head start.

Will My Insurance Cover Detox Care?

Palmetto works with several major insurance companies to ensure that our programs, including medically managed detox, are not cost-prohibitive. To learn more, please get in touch with our team for a confidential call with your insurance information handy. We can be reached at 318-728-2970.

Check your Insurance

Next Steps After Detox

Physical sobriety alone is not enough to ensure lasting recovery. After detox, full- or part-time recovery care is necessary to build sustainable recovery skills like self-care, time management, interpersonal relationships and empathy. At Palmetto, many of our detox patients transition seamlessly from our detox facilities into our residential program. Residential clients may continue seeing the same providers, and will have access to the same comfortable amenities. Other patients may transition into one of our other part-time programs. We provide several levels of care that are geared toward clients with different needs, including:

  • 3-Day Evaluation
  • Residential Treatment
  • Partial Hospitalization Program
  • Intensive Outpatient Program

At Palmetto Addiction Recovery Center, we want you to break free from the cycle of addiction — and we want you to know that you do not need to make this journey alone. Our detox program is designed to help you feel confident and supported as you take an essential first step toward lifelong sobriety. If you or your loved one is in need of help with a substance use disorder, we want to hear from you. Reach out to us to find out if our programs are the right fit for you.