Legacy Healing Center Detox
What is Medical Detox?
While the term “detox” is often used in conversations about food and ridding the body of certain toxins, medical drug detox is slightly different. Medically assisted detox refers to ridding the body of toxic, addictive substances under the supervision of a medical team. This team usually is led by a physician and consists of nurses, clinical staff, and therapists.
Like diabetes, asthma, or arthritis, addiction is a chronic condition that flares up occasionally, especially when the individual is exposed to certain triggers. However, like these conditions, addiction and sobriety can be managed.
Medically assisted detox plays a similar role in treating substance abuse that a hospital emergency department plays in the management of long-term medical conditions. Similar to an ER visit for a severe asthma attack, medical detox provides stabilization for an acute “flare-up,” but alone does not entirely treat the condition.
For most people who seek inpatient or residential care, medically supervised detox is the priority and occurs at the beginning of treatment. Even for those interested in IOP or PHP, medical detox is usually required first.