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Teen and Young Adult Detox Referrals

Addiction to drugs and alcohol is not a matter of willpower.

You can’t simply force yourself to stop taking drugs or drinking alcohol if you struggle with addiction. And if you do, there could be devastating consequences.

Choosing to detox at home can lead to dangerous and potentially fatal consequences. At best, the withdrawal will be unnecessarily uncomfortable. At worst, it can lead to a relapse, overdose, or life-threatening health complications.

Medically supervised detox is the best option for teen and young adult addiction treatment. Detox clears the drugs from the system and manages withdrawal symptoms, allowing the individual to move into a residential drug and alcohol addiction program.

What Is Detox?

Drug detox, or detoxification, is the process of clearing the body of drugs that have been consumed with the help of medical professionals. The purpose of detox is to manage withdrawal symptoms safely and keep the individual as comfortable as possible.

Medical professionals stabilize patients during detox and minimize uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms with medications. Having medical supervision reduces the potentially harmful effects of withdrawal and helps a patient transition into a substance use rehabilitation program.

How Do I Know If My Youth Needs Detox?

Not all substance use requires medical detox. Think of it as a step toward recovery, not a treatment in itself.

Generally, anyone experiencing severe physical withdrawal symptoms like nausea, vomiting, headaches, body aches, sleep disturbances, and sweating should undergo a detox program. In extreme cases, withdrawal can cause delirium tremens, or DTs, which can be severe and potentially life-threatening. Other potentially dangerous symptoms may include coma or seizures.

Individuals may also need detox if they experience severe mood changes with depression, anxiety, or irritability. Intense cravings, particularly related to the use of drugs or alcohol and the people, places, and rituals involved with it, may indicate the need for detox to avoid relapse.

If other medical issues are involved, such as diabetes or heart problems, or repeated attempts at rehab with relapses, detox may be necessary to find a new path forward.

If you think your child may need medically supervised detox, speak to a healthcare professional or contact us at Ember Recovery.

Group of teen taking a selfie

How Long Does Detox Take?

The length of detox can depend on several factors. Generally, withdrawal symptoms may level off in a week or two, depending on the substances used.

However, the time spent in detox is less important than the commitment to long-term sobriety. As a step toward treatment, detox provides a relatively fast process to clear the drugs from the system, limit the risk of health complications, and reduce the cravings that can lead to relapse. Once that’s complete, the work begins with intensive addiction treatment to address the underlying causes of addiction.

Teen and Young Adult Detox Referral at Ember Recovery

Does your child need medically supervised detox for addiction treatment? Ember Recovery can refer your child to a local hospital for detox treatment before starting residential addiction programs.

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