AKA: Medical Detoxification
A medically supervised process that helps a person safely stop using alcohol or drugs and manage withdrawal symptoms.
In the context of addiction treatment:
Detox is often the first step, not the whole treatment. After detox, people usually move into residential or outpatient treatment.
What to know:
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Detox can be serious and even life-saving, especially for alcohol, benzodiazepines, and heavy opioid use.
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After detox, continuing treatment and support greatly improves outcomes.