Not all inpatient drug and alcohol treatment programs in Colorado offer detoxification services. But many of them do, and for good reason. It can be problematic for people who have to go through detox at a facility and then wait to get into rehab. The best results are usually seen with those who have a seamless transition between the two different types of treatment.

Any rehab program that does not offer detox should still recognize its importance. It is dangerous for people with some types of addictions to avoid detoxing. They should always offer those individuals referrals to programs in the local area that they know and trust.

Withdrawal symptoms can quickly become severe once a person has stopped using. It is important to address them early on. This gives the patient a much better chance of being successful in recovery.

People often hesitate to get any information about detox and rehab because they are unsure if they need treatment. Most of the time, this means that they are in denial about having an addiction. Certain types of drugs may require the individual to go through detox for safety reasons. But a person may need to go through the detoxification process if they have a drug or alcohol addiction of any kind.

Some of the most common signs of addiction include:

• Being unable to stop using drugs or alcohol, even though you have a desire to quit.
• Continuing to use drugs and alcohol even though you are having mental or physical health issues.
• Using drugs and alcohol as a way to cope with your problems.
• Taking risks while under the influence of substances, such as driving while intoxicated.
• Letting go of hobbies and activities that were once enjoyable in favor of using.
• Believing that you are in control of your substance abuse habits and that you can quit anytime you choose to.
• Having stashes of your drug(s) of choice around the house to ensure you never run out.
• Having financial problems because of the amount of money you spend on drugs or alcohol.
• Having legal issues that are tied to the use of substances.
• Choosing to only use in secret and keeping your use of substances hidden from other people.
• Going through withdrawal whenever you have not used in a period of time.
• Having trouble sleeping at night.
• Not caring about your appearance as much as you once did.

If you can identify with only a few of the items on this list, it could mean that you need drug and alcohol detox.

Not every addiction requires patients to go through the detoxification process. For example, someone who is addicted to marijuana may have withdrawal symptoms, but they tend to be rather mild. They are not dangerous at all, and are really only uncomfortable. But this is not the case for someone who is addicted to the following drugs:

• Alcohol
• Barbiturates
• Opioids/opiates
• Stimulants
• Benzodiazepines

All of these drugs can cause severe withdrawal, and sometimes the symptoms can even become fatal. It is critical for anyone who is addicted to any of the above to detox prior to going to rehab. This is the safest way for them to quit.

The length of time it takes to get through the detoxification process is very personal. It depends on a few different factors, such as:

• The type of drug you are using.
• The amount of time you have been using it.
• How much of the drug you use at one time.
• Whether you are mixing other drugs or alcohol with your primary drug of choice.
• Various personal factors, such as your gender, height and weight.

It can help to look at some withdrawal timelines to see what the average detox time is. For example, when it comes to opioid withdrawal:

• Withdrawal may begin within as little as 8 hours or as long as 4 days after the last dose. This is dependent upon the half-life of the drug that was taken. Heroin withdrawal tends to start much sooner than withdrawal from methadone.
• Symptoms tend to be milder when they begin and then increase in severity.
• There is a peak that is reached, which is when symptoms tend to be the most severe. That can happen around the third day for short-acting opioids, and it may take up to a week for long-acting opioids.
• After the peak, symptoms begin to get easier to manage. Some symptoms may disappear altogether and you generally start to feel a lot better.
• Symptoms may mostly resolve after about 10 days or so.

This is just an idea of what the average person might experience during opioid detox. But everyone is different. Some people might need to go through detox for a longer period of time, and others may not need to be there for quite as long.

The detoxification process should be personalized to meet each patient’s needs. When they are ready to move on, they should be evaluated by a medical professional and arrangements for the transition should be made, if appropriate.

Most Colorado detox centers do offer therapy while their patients are going through withdrawal. It can be very helpful for them to talk with others about what they are experiencing throughout this process. It is also nice to know that you are not alone and that others are struggling just as much. Therapy allows people to offer support to one another as they recover.

After detoxing, it is important for people to continue on to rehab. It is not enough to just treat the physical aspect of the addiction; attention also needs to be paid to the psychological side. That is the purpose of rehab. But having said that, not all rehab programs are the same, and not everyone will need an inpatient program.

A higher level of care is recommended for people who have just gone through detox. Most of the time, that means going to an inpatient rehab, but there are alternatives. For example, intensive outpatient treatment can be very effective, even for people who have never been to rehab before. It is best for people who have strong support systems at home.

But most people do move on to inpatient rehab because they need a higher level of care. Inpatient programs allow them to immerse themselves in treatment and they can let go of the cares of the outside world for a little while. This is what we always recommend.

After going to a rehab in Colorado, people often assume that their addictions are cured and they can go back to life as normal. But that is simply not the case. Science has yet to find a cure for addiction, but it has done very well at finding ways for people to remain in recovery.

After you go to rehab, you will be given an aftercare plan that you should follow. This is extremely important because those who do not get the necessary support are the ones who are most likely to relapse. That is what you want to avoid.