800-671-4304Outpatient Detox: How They Work, Who They Help, and What to Expect
What is outpatient detox? It is medical detoxification that can be done from home rather than an inpatient or residential facility.
The purpose of detox treatment is to help rid your body of the substance more safely and comfortably. Otherwise, quitting cold turkey on your own can cause very uncomfortable and sometimes dangerous withdrawal symptoms as your body tries to function without a drug it has become dependent on.
During medical detox, providers supervise the withdrawal process. They also administer medications to help reduce symptoms and may slowly wean your body off the substance.
The benefit of detox via outpatient services is that it allows you flexibility. You can do it from home while continuing your normal routine rather than being admitted on an inpatient basis. Outpatient detox is safe to do depending on your circumstances.
Call today & learn if outpatient detox is right for you!
SponsoredWhat Is Outpatient Detox?
Outpatient detox, or outpatient medical detox, means that medical providers oversee your detox process on an outpatient basis. You commute from home to attend appointments that may be daily or less frequent.
Outpatient detoxification can occur in places like a physician’s office, healthcare or addiction treatment facility or in the patient’s home.
An outpatient detoxification program is safe as long as a healthcare provider conducts a comprehensive assessment and determines that it is a good option for you.
Who Is a Good Candidate for Outpatient Detox?
You might wonder, “Is outpatient detox right for me?” The answer depends on a few factors.
For outpatient detox to be appropriate, a person must have:
- Mild to moderate withdrawal risk
- A strong social support system
- The ability to attend daily appointments
- Willingness to follow treatment recommendations
A person may meet all these criteria but inpatient detox may still be needed in some cases. For instance, outpatient alcohol detox or outpatient detox from benzodiazepines may not be the best option for some people because withdrawal can be dangerous for someone with medical issues.
Symptoms like seizures and blood pressure problems can have fatal consequences. In such situations inpatient detox allows providers to constantly monitor symptoms and treat them appropriately.
What Substances Can Be Treated in Outpatient Detox?
Common substances for which detox treatments can be done on an outpatient basis include:
- Marijuana
- Stimulants
- Opioids
- Alcohol
- Prescription drugs including opioids, depressants, and stimulants
Outpatient alcohol detox can occur in a subset of cases in which there is a low risk of complicated withdrawal. Opioid detox on an outpatient basis can be done since opioid withdrawal is usually not life-threatening.
However, the symptoms of opioid withdrawal can significantly worsen without treatment. Therefore, it is recommended that providers repeatedly assess symptoms during the detox process.
Medical detox involves a set of services to facilitate physical well-being and preparation for drug rehab.
What Happens During Outpatient Detox?
Detox on an outpatient basis includes a few services. You can search online for “detox treatments near me” to find an outpatient detoxification program and see what services they offer. These can include:
- Medication management. Providers often prescribe medications on a tapering schedule to help your body slowly wean off the substance. Medications may also be administered to manage withdrawal symptoms.
- Counseling/behavioral therapy. Counseling during detox involves helping the person mentally prepare to enter rehab treatment.
- Checkups with medical providers. Regular appointments with doctors or nurses include monitoring vitals (temperature, blood pressure) and how well the person is responding to medication.
- Holistic options. Some detox programs may offer holistic or alternative approaches such as acupuncture and herbal remedies. These are not stand-alone treatments but they can provide some symptom relief, improve treatment retention, and promote health when used alongside scientific and evidence-based treatments.
Such services are established regularly with a daily and weekly structure that can fit your schedule. The timeframe for outpatient medical detox can vary from a few days to a few weeks depending on the type and severity of the addiction as well as the types of medications available.
Curious about outpatient detox? Call today, and get answers.
SponsoredOutpatient Detox Medications
Some detox medications are similar to the substance of addiction. They are administered in tapering doses to gradually wean your body off the substance.
Other detox medications are used to tackle specific withdrawal symptoms, such as nausea or anxiety. Medications for withdrawal are monitored closely until detox is completed and the person is medically stable.
Opioid Withdrawal
Opioids for pain are one of the more commonly misused prescription medications in addition to illicit opioids like heroin. Possible detox meds for opioid detox include buprenorphine, methadone and lofexidine.
Depressant Withdrawal
Substances that cause depressant effects in the body slow down brain processes. These include alcohol, sleep medications and anti-anxiety medications like benzodiazepines.
Benzodiazepines are often prescribed for alcohol withdrawal. They are also often used to treat anxiety (e.g., Ativan, Valium). Prescription benzodiazepines can also be misused. In detox for benzodiazepines, antidepressant medication like trazodone and imipramine may be administered.
Marijuana Withdrawal
Marijuana withdrawal can sometimes include symptoms like depression, insomnia and vomiting. Antidepressant medications, sleep aids and antinausea meds can be administered during detox to counter these symptoms.
Stimulant Withdrawal
Prescription stimulants like amphetamine are prescribed for ADHD and narcolepsy and they are common substances of misuse. There are no known medications proven to be effective in managing stimulant withdrawal and research is ongoing.
At the same time, stimulant withdrawal does not tend to be life-threatening or cause physical discomfort. If there is a case where stimulant withdrawal is likely to cause poor outcomes then clinical interventions may be appropriate.
Cocaine or amphetamine withdrawal can lead to depression and possibly suicidal ideation. During detox, providers closely monitor the person for suicidality and depression and administer antidepressant medication if appropriate.
Outpatient Detox Timeline
Are you wondering, “How long does outpatient detox last?” It can vary based on a few factors such as the substance itself, severity of the dependence, severity of withdrawal symptoms and if there is physical dependence on more than one substance.
Alcohol withdrawal symptoms can begin six to 24 hours after the last drink and last several days. Withdrawal from benzodiazepines can start within one to four days after the last use and symptoms can peak in severity over the first two weeks.
For short acting opioids (e.g., heroin, morphine, fentanyl, oxycodone, hydrocodone), withdrawal can begin eight to 12 hours after the last use, peak within one to three days, and continue for seven days.
For long acting opioids like methadone or extended-release formulations withdrawal symptoms can start to appear 24 hours after the last use and can continue for 14 or more days.
Cocaine withdrawal may begin within 24 hours of the last use,and withdrawal symptoms could last weeks.
Concerning withdrawal from marijuana symptoms typically begin within the first 24 to 48 hours after stopping use and the severity of symptoms peaks by the third day.
Treatment Options After Detox
It is important to note that outpatient detox is not addiction treatment. Rather, it is a process of stabilization to prepare someone for treatment.
Treatment includes a variety of services such as psychotherapy, drug education, and fostering healthy coping strategies. A few different treatment levels are available after detox is completed depending on individual circumstances.
Inpatient treatment involves living at the rehab clinic so that people can focus on their recovery in a drug-free environment. This is usually a fit for someone with a severe substance use disorder (SUD), more than one SUD or co-occurring conditions.
A multidisciplinary team of professionals will provide treatment including psychiatrists, psychologists, therapists, case managers, doctors and nurses.
Partial hospitalization programs (PHPs) include an intensity of treatment similar to inpatient so they are a fit for someone who needs intensive services but does not require round the clock care. PHP is also a good fit for someone who can commute to treatment appointments daily and has a home environment supportive of recovery.
Intensive outpatient (IOP) drug rehab is suited for someone with moderate addiction. IOP treatment typically occurs a few days per week and some IOPs are offered in the evenings and on weekends for those who need to work or attend school while in treatment.
Finally, outpatient rehab is a fit for someone with mild addiction as it involves attending appointments once or twice per week for individual or group therapy.
Outpatient rehab is also a good step down program after a person completes one of the other rehab programs as a way to maintain progress made in therapy and help prevent relapse.
Inpatient vs. Outpatient Detox
Inpatient vs. outpatient treatment has different pros and cons. This also applies to inpatient vs. outpatient detox as listed below.
| Outpatient Detox Pros | Outpatient Detox Cons | Inpatient Detox Pros | Inpatient Detox Cons |
| Lower cost | No round the clock monitoring | 24 hour monitoring by medical professionals | Requires round the clock stay at the facility |
| More convenient | Requires ability to attend daily appointments | May be able to easily transition to inpatient care at the same facility | Higher cost |
| Can use health insurance | Can use health insurance | ||
| Greater ability to ensure medical safety |
What Happens After Detox?
The difference between detox and rehab is that detox is a process of stabilization and rehab is SUD treatment.
Addiction treatment after detox is what helps you to achieve and sustain recovery because it addresses factors that contribute to addiction like depression, anxiety, trauma and interpersonal dynamics. Healing of deeper pain and strengthening coping skills are what help to achieve and maintain sobriety.
Transitioning to rehab right after detox can help you to keep up the momentum of getting closer to recovery. Assessment from a mental health professional can help determine what type of therapies and treatment settings (like inpatient or outpatient rehab) are best for you.
How to Find Outpatient Detox Near You
You can search for medical detox services in a few different ways. One way is to search in your internet browser by entering the phrase “outpatient detox near me” or “outpatient alcohol detox near me” for specific substances.
General searches with phrases like “detox treatments near me” can provide a long laundry list of options in and around your area. For more targeted searching, you can use treatment directories like:
Detox.com. Visit our online listing directory, and click on your state. On the next page, you can search for your specific city and use filters for type of setting, medications, payment options, specific treatment programs and treatment level.
SAMHSA: The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) also has a directory you can use. Search by entering your address, city, zip code, or facility name. On the next page, you can further narrow your search using the filters.
AID Directory: The National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers provides an Addiction Industry Directory (AID) where you can search by keyword or location.
As you consider different detox programs, you can consider these factors before deciding on one:
- Location
- Cost
- Accepted insurance plans
- Medications offered
- Services provided
- Types of counseling offered
It’s never too late to start detox and begin your path to recovery. Call Today.
SponsoredOutpatient Detox FAQ
Detox as an outpatient service is a medically supervised detox that happens on an outpatient basis. You would attend appointments with providers daily (or sometimes less frequently) and take the medications they prescribe.
Outpatient alcohol detox is safe for some individuals. However, severe alcohol dependence can have serious outcomes, especially in someone with medical or mental health conditions. Inpatient detox is usually needed in such a case.
Detox can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks depending on the substance used, the length of time used and the frequency of use.
Common medications used in opioid detox include methadone, buprenorphine and lofexidine. Benzodiazepines tend to be used for alcohol detox. Antidepressants or sleep aids may be used in some cases like for marijuana or prescription drug detox.
Yes, you can detox from opioids on an outpatient basis. Medical detox can help reduce uncomfortable symptoms, mitigate cravings and reduce your risk of relapse.