Addiction Treatment, Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT), Rehab, Substance Abuse, Therapy, Treatment

How Does Drug Detox Work?

June 9, 2025

Everyone who struggles and copes with drugs and alcohol has a different story to tell. As varied as the types of substances at play, from stimulants to depressants, prescription medications to illicit narcotics, each person shares a unique experience about how they arrived at their addiction.

And they’re unified by an alarming statistic: each of them is one of the 27.2 million people with a drug use disorder — 9.6% of the U.S. population, according to the 2023 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health.

There’s one more commonality: drug detox is a necessary, critical step taken to avoid spiraling further down into dependency or worse. It’s the prospect of a detox from drugs that can feel intimidating, though. You may have heard stories about the withdrawal symptoms or wonder if you’ll be able to make it through. If you’ve been using substances for a while, you might be concerned about what it will feel like to stop.

The truth is that you can beat addiction with the right treatment in place. What does drug detox and rehab involve? What’s the experience like, and how can it help you recover? For you or a loved one with a drug abuse problem, keep reading to know what to expect

What Is Drug Detox?  

Detoxifying, or detoxing, is the process of going to a drug detox center and taking the time to allow addictive substances to clear your system completely. It’s the first step in addiction treatment necessary to address the physical dependence that develops when your body becomes reliant on the presence of drugs, alcohol, or other substances.

During this initial stage of drug detox and rehab, your body begins adjusting to functioning without being fed substances, which can trigger the onset of withdrawal symptoms that can range from simple discomfort to life-threatening, depending on the drug. Withdrawal typically begins within the first 24 hours and can last a few weeks, depending on the severity of the addiction.

A drug addiction treatment center is staffed with doctors, nurses, and addiction support specialists aware of and experienced with managing and mitigating these periods of withdrawal, so when you enter drug detox, their goal is to help you through your symptoms with few issues. They’ll monitor your vital signs, administer medication if needed, and provide a constant, compassionate oversight — a significantly safer space than trying to quit on your own.

Why Is Drug Detox Necessary?

Addiction begins when your body begins developing a tolerance to certain substances, meaning you need more of the drug to achieve the same effect. Recreational drug abuse isn’t the only time this happens; sometimes, a person prescribed a painkiller may start building a tolerance and become hooked.

Drugs and alcohol change the way your brain responds, and over time, its neurochemistry begins accommodating the constant flow of substances until dependence and addiction take hold. Understandably, when you’ve become so physically and psychologically dependent on a drug, stopping its use abruptly can create a shock to the system, so much so that coping with addiction becomes easier than dealing with withdrawal.

“Many withdrawal symptoms are treatable, though for many, using drugs may feel like the only way to alleviate them,” notes a report from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).

It’s one reason why going “cold turkey” — quitting a drug outright with no outside assistance or help — is risky without the right measures in place, since some drugs produce unexpected withdrawal symptoms that can prove dangerous.

Withdrawing from substances like alcohol, benzodiazepines or opioids can potentially result in nausea, vomiting, intense cravings, delirium tremens, panic attacks, seizures, psychosis, violent behavior and even suicidal ideation, just to name a few — a series of symptoms challenging to handle on your own outside of a clinical environment with the right staff, equipment and facilities in place.

There, a drug treatment center ensures that withdrawal is gradual, tapered, and carefully mitigated, and your progress is monitored hour to hour, day to day, minimizing any risks as you go while addressing complications if and when they arise.

Who Offers Drug Detox Near Me?

The good news about searching for “drug detox near me” is that there’s a wealth of opportunities to find drug addiction treatment. There are standalone clinics that offer detox from drugs, some hospital-based programs, and even some outpatient services.

But keep in mind that the most ideal recovery center for drugs will offer a full spectrum of programs — from medical detox to inpatient and outpatient therapies, aftercare services, treating all manner of substance use disorders through a continuum of care that takes you through all the steps to recovery. Ideally, the best drug treatment center should also fulfill the “near me” portion of your search with a location that’s convenient and local to you.

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What Drugs Require Detox?

All addictive substances create some degree of dependence when used and withdrawal when not used. But depending on the type of drug and the severity of one’s addiction, some drugs may need detox, and others may not.

For instance, while withdrawing from marijuana or nicotine can be uncomfortable, marked mainly by discomfort and cravings, there are next to no urgent complications that may arise needing medical intervention. In other cases, the milder one’s addiction to a drug, the duration and amount of use, and your overall health status don’t call for formal drug detox.

Drug detox and rehab are recommended for other drugs carrying severe withdrawal potential:

Opioids

Prescription painkillers like fentanyl, oxycodone, methadone, and hydrocodone, and illegal drugs like heroin, all belong to a class of opioids — some naturally derived, some synthetic — that carry dangerous addiction and overdose potential, and among some of the substances necessitating a formal detox to curb withdrawal.

Opioid withdrawal symptoms begin within a few hours of your last dose and can include:

Cravings

Anxiety and restlessness

Abdominal/gastrointestinal trouble

Muscle tension

Insomnia

Tachycardia, an elevated heart rate

Methamphetamine

Many drugs derive from natural origin, but methamphetamines, or meth, is a lab-created, synthetic stimulant that results in a heightened sense of euphoria when taken. Highly addictive, most meth is created in unregulated underground labs, where crystal meth, a popular variant, can lead to a host of health problems, short- and long-term.

According to NIDA, meth withdrawal symptoms reach their worst between two to three days after last using the drug and can last up to a week:

Depression and anxiety

Irritability

Physical pain and tension

Disturbed sleep patterns

Intense drug cravings

Lack of focus/trouble concentrating

Although meth withdrawal is seldom life-threatening, detoxing at a recovery center for drugs is recommended due to their intensity.

Benzodiazepines

“Benzos” are a series of prescription medications used to treat anxiety or insomnia — depressants that help calm you and your nervous system down. Drugs like Xanax or Valium are highly effective benzos when taken as instructed, but the potential for dependency is a major drawback.

The drug detox timeline for benzos can vary based on the specific medication, where withdrawal from short-acting benzos (those with a shorter half-life) begins sooner but potentially resolves faster. Symptoms at their most severe — where supervised drug detox is recommended — may include:

Grand mal seizures

Panic/anxiety attacks

Hallucinations/delusions

Anorexia and weight loss

Crawling skin sensations

Depression

Detachment from reality

Cocaine

Powdered cocaine, which can be snorted, inhaled, or injected, remains one of the most addictive stimulant drugs to this day. Its powerful, euphoric effects are on account of the drug working with the brain to release more dopamine, a pleasure-seeking neurochemical that leads users to take the drug over and over again.

Like meth, cocaine carries mostly non-life-threatening withdrawal symptoms:

Irritability and agitation

Depression and anxiety

Fatigue and hypersomnia (increased sleep)

Disturbing dreams

Overall discomfort

Slowed coordination and reflexes

What Is Detox from Drugs Like?

Drug addiction can take someone down any number of paths that threaten one’s health, well-being, relationships, and future. Thankfully, when you seek treatment at a recovery center for drugs, medical detox from drugs follows a well-planned, structured trajectory.

The detox process typically unfolds in phases — beginning with intake procedures and assessment, followed by the active withdrawal period, and finishing with preparing for inpatient or outpatient therapy. Each segment is tailored to your needs depending on what the medical team on staff has gathered from your assessment questions and answers, mainly about the type and severity of the drug addiction being treated. Here’s what’s involved:

Managing Drug Withdrawal Symptoms

Everyone’s response to withdrawal can differ. During detox, withdrawal symptoms may begin gradually and then come on strong depending on how one’s body reacts to curbing its use — one reason why the “cold turkey” method can be unsuccessful without professional guidance at your side.

The detox team is familiar with the signs and symptoms of withdrawal. For example, if you’re in treatment for benzo abuse, they’ll recognize early, initial symptoms like irritability or restlessness. Likewise, as they continue to care for you in the drug detox phase, they’ll monitor closely when symptoms move into the acute or potentially protracted stages, delivering a precise level of care to make sure any complications or health issues are addressed immediately. Their goal is to help you stabilize your system as it flushes out any remnants of a substance.

Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT)

MAT isn’t a mandatory part of drug detox and rehab, but it’s often necessary in more serious withdrawal cases. Sometimes, it may be so severe that medication is needed to assuage symptoms that can risk your health and even your life.

For example, MAT for opioid detox often includes medications like buprenorphine, methadone, or naltrexone, designed to control cravings, reduce symptoms, and block the effects of opioids. Or, in the case of alcohol addiction, medications like acamprosate, disulfiram, and naltrexone help to regulate neurochemicals altered by alcohol addiction and balance out the side effects that can make withdrawal uncomfortable.

Around-the-Clock Care

Most drug withdrawals, especially serious ones, require continuous observation. Here, around-the-clock, 24/7 care is no exaggeration — the detox team is literally there for you morning, noon, and night to tend to and check in on you as you move through the stages of drug detox. You may have your vital signs checked multiple times per day, or even hourly, if the risks are high, or medication administered at specific points, such as during acute withdrawal when symptoms may be at their most unpredictable or intense. You’ll appreciate the constant care given to you, knowing that detox is almost complete, and you can begin making a new start.

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What Happens After Detox?

Detox is step one in the recovery journey. After your body has been cleared of substances, step two is to start formal drug use disorder treatment, taking shape in two ways:

Inpatient Drug Rehab

Some drug addictions can become so crippling that one is unable to care for themselves, tend to basic, everyday needs or simply avoid the risk of relapsing when left on their own. They might live in substance-using or unstable home environments unconducive to recovery. These are a few examples of why inpatient rehab — sometimes referred to as residential treatment — may be the best option.

At a recovery center for drugs, this will call for you to live at the facility for several weeks (or longer, depending on your progress), where treatment is more structured, supervised, and intensive. You’ll attend therapy sessions for several hours a day, seven days a week. Inpatient is like an extension of detox, where you continue to stay onsite to immerse yourself full-time to get clean and sober.

Outpatient Drug Rehab

Other people arrive at outpatient treatment in a couple of ways. You might graduate to it after completing a stint in inpatient, or those with milder addictions may go directly to an outpatient capacity if they don’t need round-the-clock care.

Outpatient — where you attend therapy sessions during the day and return home at night — also might be right for you if you have pressing work, school or family obligations you can’t take time away from, since inpatient requires a commitment to be away from home for weeks, possibly months, at a time. There’s variety in outpatient treatment at a drug treatment center; Partial Hospitalization Programs, or PHPs, and Intensive Outpatient Programs, or IOPs, offer different levels of care that might be best for you along your recovery journey.

Aftercare

One of the biggest myths of drug detox and rehab is that ties to your treatment community are severed once you complete the program. Aftercare programs through a drug detox center work to debunk this misconception. Once you’re finishing inpatient or outpatient care, your therapist and case manager can connect you with a multitude of resources to continue your recovery once you’re on your own again.

This might include getting set up in a sober living home, a structured, drug-free environment where you can room for a time with others transitioning out of recovery. It may involve obtaining contact information and scheduling for local 12-Step support groups in your area or SMART Recovery meetings. You might consider enrolling in the rehab center’s alumni program (like our North Star support system), a safe, supportive space to stay connected, access resources, and maintain focus on your recovery goals.

Finding a Drug Detox Center

Professional help can be invaluable to your recovery. When looking for a drug detox treatment center, don’t overlook certain dealbreakers that can cheapen that value.

Find a recovery center for drugs that is fully accredited by organizations like the National Association for Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC) or the Joint Commission Accreditation for Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) — badges showing it meets certain established clinical standards of quality care.

Make sure that medical staff have the expertise, experience, and continuum of care to treat various addictions or mental health issues to ensure that yours are treated fully and aren’t overlooked.

And inquire deeper into that continuum of care. Does it align with the center’s clinical philosophy? Are inpatient, outpatient, psychotherapy, and alternative, holistic modalities offered? Each one can serve you well. Lastly, will it work with your insurance provider and arrange an affordable payment plan for any out-of-pocket costs?

Aliya Health Group offers 22 rehab centers across the country, and we can follow through on each of those points. We meet anyone who seeks drug abuse recovery with us where they’re at, and our only goal is to see you live your best life. Reach out to us with questions about some of the above, drug detox, or general inquiries. Change your life with one phone call.

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