As opioid dependency continues to take over our country, you may find yourself or your loved ones struggling with an opioid use disorder and trying to find a treatment program that works. One of the most popular options you may come across is an inpatient detox program.
This guide will help you learn what inpatient opioid detox programs are and how they differ from other detox programs and opioid dependence treatments. You will also discover what to expect during and after the treatment and its advantages and disadvantages.
What is Inpatient Detox?
Inpatient detox is an intensive treatment program that is usually the best option for individuals suffering from a severe opioid use disorder. During this process, the patient resides in an inpatient detox center. They undergo detoxification and receive 24-hour care from medical professionals whose top priority is keeping them comfortable and safe.
The primary purpose of an inpatient detox is to manage the short-term detoxification process.
As the patient’s body eliminates the drug from their system, they may experience symptoms of withdrawal that can lead to other medical complications. Being in an inpatient facility allows patients to be under close medical supervision and receive treatment for any symptom or complication that arises throughout the detoxification process.
Inpatient vs. Outpatient Detox
The biggest difference between outpatient and inpatient detox is where you live during detoxification.
When you’re going through outpatient detox, you will remain in your own home while receiving medical supervision and support. On the other hand, if you choose inpatient detox, you will stay in the treatment facility full-time for the duration of your detox treatment.
What Happens During Inpatient Detox?
Inpatient detox includes the following stages:
- Medical care
- Medical detox
- Rehab programs
Medical Care
Once a patient decides to undergo inpatient detox and checks into a specific detox center, the first stage they go through is the medical assessment. The intake director asks them a set of important questions to determine what the best approach to detox is and what type of care they would need.
The goal of the care team will be to make the patient as comfortable as possible throughout the entire experience. Having this level of support and care 24 hours a day promotes the best outcome for the patient.
Medical Detox
During the medical detox phase, your body will suffer symptoms of withdrawal. Their severity can range from mild to severe and be different for everyone. Attending an inpatient detox allows you to undergo a medically assisted process that can help reduce the intensity of these symptoms, keeping you in a safe and comfortable space.
As you begin to experience withdrawal symptoms, your care team will do their best to provide you with medical treatments that will minimize their severity. There are no medications that will completely eliminate all symptoms, but you may be given medications to help calm some symptoms like anxiety and depression, difficulty sleeping, and nausea.
Rehab Programs
Since inpatient detox itself isn’t enough for a person to sustain a permanent opioid recovery, patients are often sent to different types of rehab programs. They are also advised to attend regular checkups and get long-term follow-ups in order to avoid relapse.
This isn’t the case with ANR treatment. You won’t need to attend any post-treatment programs to maintain a sober life, as your cravings will be eliminated after the treatment. Read more about ANR treatment below.
How Long Does Inpatient Detox Take?
Most people will complete the detox process in a matter of days (up to a few weeks), but the timeframe can still vary depending on several factors, such as:
- Length of abuse
- Amount of the drug recently consumed
- Type of substance(s) you are detoxing from
- Severity of your withdrawal symptoms
- Required medical assistance
- Co-occurring diagnoses or disorders
Advantages & Disadvantages of Inpatient Detox
Inpatient detox treatment comes with several advantages and disadvantages. Learning more about these will help you decide if this type of detox is right for you.
Advantages of Inpatient Detox
- Your days will be more structured. If you have been struggling with a substance use disorder, it is likely that you have adopted somewhat of an irregular schedule, which includes sleeping more during the day and being more awake at night. During inpatient detox, your care team will structure your day to help you get back into a better routine.
- You won’t have to deal with the stresses of everyday life. Although being required to remain at the treatment facility 24/7 might feel restricting to you, it can also be beneficial. During this time, you will not have to deal with the stresses caused by other responsibilities, such as work, school, or relationships.
- You will receive more intense care than you would in an outpatient detox program. In addition to the benefits of a medically assisted detox, being in an inpatient detox facility forces you to participate in your recovery.
Disadvantages of Inpatient Detox
- It can be more costly. Typically, inpatient detox costs more than outpatient care, so it can get expensive in some cases. Still, this is no reason to rule it out completely; if you have health insurance, you can check whether it covers such types of treatment.
- The transition period after detox can be hard. While it is very beneficial for you not to have to deal with any of the stresses of everyday life during the detox process, it can also be a bit of a shock when you return to your normal responsibilities. This may feel overwhelming, and you may feel tempted to seek out your drug of choice. This is why it is extremely important to have a strong support system in place.
- You can’t leave to take care of important things. Even though you may have children, a spouse, or a job, you will not be able to leave and attend to these things while you are in an inpatient detox program. Putting all of these things on hold while you detox can be very difficult, both financially and emotionally.
Next Steps After Inpatient Drug Detox
Even if you have undergone detox and dealt with withdrawal symptoms, your road to recovery is not over yet. Once this phase is complete, the main goal of your care team will be to get you physically and mentally stabilized.
Following this, you will face several options for continuing your treatment program. These options may include:
- Returning to your home. You may think this sounds like the best idea, but it’s not always as good as it seems. Returning to your home immediately after detoxing increases your risk of relapsing.
- Transitioning into an inpatient addiction treatment facility. This option provides intensive care that will help you strengthen your coping skills and your ability to prevent relapse. This option can take anywhere from one to six months.
- You can transition into a sober living home. This might be a good alternative for you if you don’t feel like either of the other two options is right for you. You will still have good chances of recovering and maintaining sobriety without feeling like you are under intensive clinical supervision. Also, when you reside in a sober living home, you can attend outpatient treatment as you would if you lived at home.
Deciding if Inpatient Drug Detox is Right For You
If you or someone you love is struggling with a substance use disorder, you might be trying to decide which type of detox treatment program will be the best option. When making such a choice, there are various factors you should take into consideration, such as:
- Is inpatient detox affordable for you? Inpatient detox is usually more expensive than outpatient detox, and it’s less likely to be covered by health insurance.
- Do you plan to continue working or attending school while undergoing treatment? If you want to continue with your usual daily responsibilities, inpatient detox might not be the best option because it doesn’t allow you to go on with your normal day-to-day life.
- Do you have any additional health conditions that could make the detox process riskier? As mentioned previously, the detoxification process can be accompanied by uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms. In some cases, these can be dangerous and even life-threatening, and having certain health conditions can put you at a greater risk of experiencing such issues. Attending inpatient detox will provide the medical care needed if or when any complications arise.
- What type(s) of substance(s) did you abuse? Whether or not you combine several substances can play a big role in determining the type of detox you should undergo. This also helps you determine how much medical supervision you may require during withdrawal.
- What type of support do you have in your home environment? If your home environment is not supportive enough, you may find it more difficult to maintain sobriety. In this case, an inpatient treatment program would likely be the best choice.
The Best Option for Defeating Opioid Dependence
When you choose to undergo inpatient or outpatient rapid detox, you will be forced to go through potentially dangerous withdrawal symptoms and intense drug cravings.
Until now, the only way to detox and recover was to endure these uncomfortable experiences. However, everything changed when Accelerated Neuro-Regulation (ANR) entered the scene.
Dr. Andre Waismann has spent decades researching and perfecting this opioid treatment and has helped more than 24,000 people on their recovery journey. ANR uses modern technology to treat the biological root of your opioid use disorder by regulating the opioid receptors and endorphin levels in your brain, returning them to their pre-addiction state.
When undergoing Accelerated Neuro-Regulation, you complete the detoxification process while under anesthesia. This means you never have to suffer through intense cravings or withdrawal symptoms that otherwise accompany an opioid detox. You will remain sedated for approximately 4 to 6 hours, and the entire hospital stay will only take approximately 36 hours.
ANR Opioid Dependence Treatment
The ANR treatment offers the opportunity at lasting success, as you will not be tempted to relapse or suffer uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms.
You can schedule a free consultation with ANR today to get started and reach us by phone at 813-519-6768 or by email at [email protected]. We aim to make his process as smooth and comfortable for you and your loved ones as possible.
Key Takeaways
Inpatient detox can be a solution to your opioid detox needs. However, it can also be restrictive and require much time away from your family and other responsibilities.
The bottom line is that whether you go through inpatient or outpatient detox, you will have to endure the uncomfortable and potentially dangerous symptoms of withdrawal and intense drug cravings.
ANR treatment is the only treatment that allows you to return to your pre-addiction state without going through these undesirable detox phases. ANR provides convenient experience and ensures the best chances of success.
Inpatient Detox FAQ
#1. Is inpatient drug detox effective?
Yes, inpatient drug detox can offer a higher level of safety than outpatient detox because of the higher levels of medical care and supervision. However, the process can also be difficult and require a large commitment.
#2. Is inpatient detox covered by insurance?
Because of the greater levels of medical care and supervision that you receive in an inpatient detox program, they are often far more expensive than an outpatient detox program. Your health insurance might not fully cover an inpatient opioid detox stay, but most plans will cover at least a portion of the cost.
#3. Is ANR treatment a better alternative to rapid detox?
Accelerated Neuro-Regulation addresses the root cause of opioid addiction, which is why it outperforms all types of detoxes, including rapid detox. Unlike these options, ANR helps patients get off the drug without withdrawal symptoms or cravings and return to normal life more easily.
Additional information:
Can a drug detox facility hold you against your will once you’ve already been voluntarily committed?
Can I drink beer the night before I take a detox for a drug test the next day?
