Medical detox marks the start of recovery for millions of Americans each year. Whether you’re in recovery from drugs or alcohol, our detox program will mark the beginning of comprehensive addiction treatment.
Do you have questions about the detox process? Do you want to know more about our addiction treatment center? Read on to learn how Port St. Lucie Hospital can provide you with world-class medical care while you detox.
While there are many detox centers in Florida, not all of them provide the same quality of care. For example, other Florida detoxes may offer you a safe space to detox but not provide accompanying medical care. While this method is better than going cold turkey at home, it may not meet your needs in the way that a medical detox can.
So what advantages can you get with a medical detox? First, you will receive 24/7 medical supervision from a team of licensed physicians and nurses. This means that if you experience any unpleasant symptoms of withdrawal, our medical care team will be able to keep you safe and as comfortable as possible. Without this type of care, withdrawals may be life-threatening with extreme symptoms like seizures or delirium tremens. For that reason, we recommend medical detox for anyone going through withdrawal of drugs or alcohol where severe symptoms of withdrawal could pose a health risk.
But more than just medical monitoring, medication-assisted treatment (MAT) is another part of our medical detoxification. Depending on whether you suffer from alcohol or drug addiction, you may be prescribed medications to minimize your symptoms and keep you comfortable. This can make the detoxification process much easier on your body and increase your chances of staying in recovery long-term.
Of course, MAT looks different depending on what substance abuse issue has led you to pursue medical detox in Florida. Let’s look at our different detoxification options for drug and alcohol addiction.
If you are trying to recover from alcohol addiction, you may qualify for our alcohol detox program. This level of medical detox treats the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal while keeping you in a comfortable space where you can resist any urges to drink. Thanks to our MAT, however, we are also able to provide certain medications to make the alcohol detoxification process easier on you.
For patients who are interested in MAT, our medical care team may evaluate their physical health and determine if MAT will help their recovery. If it seems like the patient could benefit, they may be prescribed a tapering dosage of the benzodiazepine Ativan for five to seven days. Current medical research has shown that benzodiazepines can minimize alcohol withdrawals. However, because we are aware of the dangers of benzodiazepine addiction, we closely monitor these dosages and do not prescribe them to patients who would prefer to detox without them.
Whether or not you choose to undergo MAT, your alcohol detox should take between five and seven days. After that, you will be encouraged to pursue additional drug rehab treatments to keep you in recovery, but that choice will be yours to make.
At Port St. Lucie Hospital, we offer medical detox for opioid and benzodiazepine addictions. And that’s a necessary treatment for our community, since the National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that benzodiazepines and opioids are among the most dangerous and commonly abused drugs out there. These follow similar types of care because they are both medical detox programs, but they diverge into two different pathways when it comes to MAT.
For opioid addiction (e.g. heroin addiction, prescription drug addiction), we offer patients the opportunity to receive Suboxone to help them wean off of opioids. This type of drug detox takes seven days, and it works because, while Suboxone is an opioid, it does not create a “high” in prescribed dosages. In this way, it stimulates opioid receptors to minimize symptoms of opioid withdrawals, but does not continue the cycle of addiction.
We also offer medical detoxification for people recovering from benzodiazepine addiction. In this case, their MAT will look similar to that of our alcohol detox program, with a five-to-seven day weaning period using Ativan. This helps the body to gradually adjust to life without benzodiazepines. As a result, you will experience less severe withdrawal symptoms than you would without this treatment option.
After successfully completing our medical detox program, you will have several options. Among the many treatment programs at Port St. Lucie Hospital, we offer a dual diagnosis program to help individuals recover from co-occurring addiction and mental health issues. We provide this level of care to address gaps left by other addiction recovery programs. Where they may solely treat addiction symptoms, by addressing mental health, we treat the root of addiction.
Alternatively, you may transition into another rehabilitative program or return home following treatment. While we always encourage people to continue with addiction recovery treatment, we also respect your wishes. To that end, our social workers will accommodate your preferences and help you start off your new life on the right foot.
Port St. Lucie hospital is a 75-bed treatment center that addresses both mental health and addiction recovery needs. Our peaceful, serene environment gives patients the necessary space to heal and recuperate. Additionally, our medical detox programs may be customized to meet individual needs. By providing essential space for healing, we serve the Port St. Lucie community and strengthen our community.
