Detox: Summary & Key Issues to Remember

Detoxification is a key step in the ongoing management of many substance use disorders. Some key things to remember:

• For many patients, completely and abruptly stopping their substance use may be best before entering into a long-term treatment program.
• Withdrawal is both uncomfortable, and, in the case of alcohol and sedatives, dangerous. Therefore it needs to be managed carefully.
• Detoxification can be done safely as an outpatient for some individuals with general good health and reasonable social support.

Detoxification alone is never enough: patients are not able to avoid relapse without transition to treatment to help them maintain sobriety.

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