Inpatient Detox: The Safe and Comfortable Way to Get Through Withdrawal

One of the most challenging parts of addiction recovery for many patients is getting through withdrawal. WIthdrawal is a set of symptoms that can be extremely unpleasant and in some cases even deadly. Inpatient detox, or detoxification, is the safest and most comfortable way to overcome drug or alcohol withdrawal.

Inpatient detoxification involves medically supervised treatment to ensure patient safety and comfort. At BetterAddictionCare, we work with a nationwide network of inpatient detox centers and can help you get on the road to recovery.

What Is Withdrawal?

Withdrawal is defined as a set of symptoms that occur when someone who is dependent on a substance such as drugs or alcohol stops taking that substance.

Repeated use of a drug or alcohol may cause the body to become physically dependent on the presence of these chemicals. Every drug has a specific impact on the body, especially the brain. This also means that withdrawal from every substance will be somewhat different, although there are many similarities. Many symptoms are commonly found in withdrawal from many substances.

Common WIthdrawal Symptoms

Many withdrawal symptoms are mental or emotional in nature.

• Restlessness
• Irritability
• Insomnia
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Confusion
• Mood swings
• Short temper

Many other withdrawal symptoms are physical in nature. 

• Heart complications
• Difficulty breathing
• Profuse sweating
• Nausea and vomiting
• Flu-like feelings
• Fever
• Shakes and twitches

Luckily, most of these symptoms, whether mental or physical,  can be greatly alleviated by medical professionals during inpatient rehab.

Dangerous Withdrawal Symptoms

While most withdrawal symptoms are extremely unpleasant, they do not pose serious long-term medical risks. However, some substances, primarily alcohol, benzodiazepines, and barbiturates, are associated with more dangerous withdrawal symptoms. Some of these symptoms can cause severe injury, long-term complications, and even death.

Some of the most dangerous withdrawal symptoms include:

• Seizures
• Hallucinations
• Stroke
• Heart failure
• Delirium tremens
• Injury
• Death

The possibility of severe injury or even death makes medical supervision of the detox process, preferably in an inpatient setting, essential when going through alcohol, benzodiazepine, or barbiturate withdrawal.

Why Is Inpatient Detox Necessary?

Whenever withdrawal can cause serious physical issues or life-threatening symptoms, medical inpatient detox is highly recommended to ensure patient safety. Many, if not most, addiction professionals strongly recommend inpatient detox for alcohol, benzodiazepine, and barbiturate withdrawal if at all possible for the patient, and medically-supervised outpatient detox if not.

However, even where inpatient detox is not necessary to prevent severe complications or death, it is still necessary to keep the patient comfortable and to best prepare them for treatment.

Withdrawal can be a very unpleasant experience, with many symptoms causing severe discomfort. This prolonged discomfort can cause negative effects on the sufferer’s mental state. This is especially true of many mental symptoms like anxiety and hallucinations. 

Rehab requires a great deal of focus and introspection, which can be difficult if the patient is in a negative mental state.

Patients who have undergone inpatient detox are generally in a significantly better mental state than patients who have not. This dramatically improves their treatment experience and significantly improves treatment outcomes.

What Happens During Inpatient Rehab?

Because every patient is different, inpatient detox centers approach each case individually to manage symptoms and overall health. For instance, some patients may be prescribed a medication to prevent seizures, and care providers will then provide supervision while this risk is present. Once this period passes, the medication is slowly tapered off until the patient doesn’t need it at all. Another example is managing nutritional deficiencies to ensure that patients receive vitamins and minerals they may be missing. 

Care focuses on keeping patients as safe and comfortable as possible during detox. Inpatient care is generally the preferred method for this process to ensure complete patient safety.

Examples of services provided during inpatient rehab include:

• Anti-anxiety medications
• Medications for digestive issues like vomiting and diarrhea
• Supervision during seizures and hallucinations
• Emergency services or transport in case of severe complications
• IV drips to prevent dehydration
• Counseling to help patients get through
• A safe and caring environment

What Happens After Inpatient Detox

Full addiction recovery begins with detox. Inpatient care continues after the critical period of detoxification passes, however. At this point, patients can begin to address underlying reasons for the addictive behaviors and formulate plans for how they will avoid substance abuse in the future.

BetterAddictionCare works with a nationwide recovery network offering not only medical detox but also continued and customized addiction counseling. The alternative rehab programs we work with have highly trained medical personnel as well as counselors who are waiting to help patients get sober. Many facilities accept private insurance to ensure cost-effective treatment. Call today to speak with a professional client care specialist, who will conduct a personal pre-screening to determine what would be the best treatment plan for you. You can also fill out our contact form and we will reach out to you to help you find the right rehab solution.