Provisional data from 2025 indicate a substantial drop in drug overdose deaths in New York State, a trend that began in 2023. Over the past two years, fatalities related to addiction have fallen by 40%.
However, despite this huge decline in overdoses, substance use disorder (SUD) remains a major health concern in the state, killing one person every five hours.
According to a recently updated report from the Department of Health, over 14% of New Yorkers aged 18 and older admitted to using cannabis regularly. The teenage alcohol abuse rate is at 6.6%, while illicit drug misuse is at 6.8%.
For families and individuals trying to overcome some kind of substance abuse problem, medical detox is often the first critical step toward sobriety.
Long Island Treatment Center is a premier detox and withdrawal management provider in New York. The facility is equipped to provide holistic personalized care, from medication-assisted treatment to post-rehab outpatient interventions.
If you or someone you know is struggling, know that safe and reliable help is always available. Here’s everything you need to know.
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Cold Turkey vs Medical Detox
When someone has become dependent or addicted to alcohol, prescription medication, or illicit drugs, ridding the body of these substances is essential to begin recovery. This process is called detoxification.
Withdrawal is the body’s response to the cessation or reduction of substance intake after an extended period of dependence. It often comes with uncomfortable symptoms, such as:
- Muscle aches and pains
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Paranoia
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Fatigue
- Excessive sweating
- Irritability and aggression
- Confusion
- Difficulty sleeping
- Appetite loss
- Dehydration
With certain substances, abrupt abstinence can lead to life-threatening complications. This is why the “cold turkey” approach in detoxification is typically discouraged by drug addiction experts.
Some drugs that may be risky to abstain from without medical support include opioids, such as fentanyl, heroin, and oxycodone.
Detoxing from benzodiazepines, which directly affect the body’s central nervous system (CNS), can induce psychosis, confusion, hallucination, and seizures. Examples of benzos are alprazolam and lorazepam.
Alcohol use disorder (AUD), one of the leading causes of preventable deaths in the country, is similarly dangerous.
Withdrawal from alcohol can sometimes lead to delirium tremens, characterized by shaking, hallucination, disorientation, fever, and high blood pressure. This symptom has a 5% to 15% mortality rate.
Detoxing under physician care in a safe facility can substantially alleviate uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms and reduce the risk of complications and death.
How Supervised Alcohol and Drug Detox Works
Medical detox is supervised by qualified physicians and staff and delivered in a safe, comfortable setting. Depending on the severity of withdrawal, some people may require hospitalization.
Most alcohol and drug detox programs involve three stages.
Health Evaluation
A medical team will conduct screening on those seeking medical detox. This is an important step to identify existing physical and mental health conditions that could affect or interact with medication.
During evaluation, patients are asked about their drug of choice, how long they’ve been diagnosed with SUD, and the frequency and amount of their use. In many cases, a drug test will be required.
Personal medical history is also asked.
Healthcare providers gather this information to build an accurate picture of the situation and tailor an effective detox and intervention plan.
Stabilization
Stabilizing withdrawal symptoms is a key component of supervised medical detox. This is done through a combination of medication and counseling.
The type of medication used will depend on the patient’s substance of choice.
For alcohol, physicians recommend various prescriptions to ease the effects of alcohol and its symptoms. For opioids, opioid antagonists are given to block the substances’ influence on the brain.
Benzodiazepines are typically tapered off by switching to a less potent substitute to prevent serious health complications attributed to the “rebound effect” of these drugs.
Therapeutic interventions may be used in conjunction with medication during detox to improve treatment outcomes.
Rehab Preparation
While a major part of recovery, detox isn’t the only treatment an individual struggling with SUD will need.
Addiction is a complex disease and often requires long-term continuing care. Someone who stops receiving treatment immediately after medical detox is more likely to relapse than those who don’t.
Detox prepares the patient for further treatment, often through inpatient or outpatient interventions and programs.
After withdrawal, once the patient is stable mentally and physically, their physician or case manager can introduce them to rehab options that would work best for them. They can also help arrange your transition.
Day treatment or residential rehab is ideal after completing medical detox.
Long Island Treatment Center Detox Services
Located in Hicksville, Long Island Treatment Center (LITC) is a trusted detox and addiction treatment provider serving communities in New York and Nassau County.
The center specializes in evidence-based outpatient programs, offering multiple levels of care to match your unique needs and lifestyle. LITC is accredited by The Joint Commission (TJC) and licensed by the New York State Department of Health.
Here are some of the services you can expect to receive:
Continuous Monitoring
To manage withdrawal safely, physicians closely monitor every patient’s progress.
Withdrawal symptoms, physical condition, and mental health are evaluated regularly throughout the program. Treatment and medication are also adjusted accordingly.
In an outpatient arrangement, these assessments are done during scheduled visits. Recovering patients are encouraged to observe their vital signs and seek medical attention promptly in an emergency.
Some facilities use telehealth check-ins. Drug tests may also be conducted regularly or at random to track sobriety and promote accountability.
Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT)
Medication-Assisted Therapy is central to many detox programs and at the start of long-term interventions for alcohol and substance use disorders.
Clinicians use various medications to stabilize withdrawal and ease uncomfortable symptoms during detox.
For alcohol use disorder (AUD) withdrawal, they can prescribe:
- Acamprosate: This is a drug that helps sustain sobriety from alcohol by restoring balance to brain chemicals disrupted by long-term AUD, such as GABA and glutamate.
- Benzodiazepines: Diazepam and lorazepam are benzos commonly used to prevent anxiety and other serious complications like seizures and delirium tremens.
- Disulfiram: Prescribed to reinforce abstinence, disulfiram induces uncomfortable physical effects when someone detoxing from alcohol resumes drinking.
- Naltrexone: Available in oral and injectable forms, naltrexone blocks the effects of alcohol in the brain and has been proven to help reduce binge drinking.
Synthetic fentanyl, pain medication, and heroin are among the most commonly abused opioids in the country. These are highly addictive drugs and require medication management for safe recovery.
For opioid use disorder (OUD) detox, providers may offer opioid antagonists:
- Methadone: This is a full opioid antagonist given to detoxing OUD patients to reduce intense cravings. Methadone is taken daily to enhance its effects.
- Naltrexone: By blocking the euphoric effects of opioids, naltrexone reduces the risk of relapse among those detoxing from OUD. It’s also used for pain and sleeping problems.
- Clonidine: Individuals who take clonidine during opioid withdrawal experience less tremor, sweating, and chills. As a receptor antagonist, it may also alleviate anxiety.
- Buprenorphine: Also called “bupe,” this medication is a partial opioid antagonist and may be prescribed by physicians to be taken during an opioid withdrawal.
Although useful for acute mental health conditions, benzodiazepines are a type of psychoactive drugs that work by depressing the central nervous system (CNS) and are addictive.
To manage withdrawal from short-acting benzos (alprazolam or lorazepam), clinicians may provide long-acting medications (diazepam) to taper off. Dosage is carefully reduced over weeks or months.
Mental Health Support
Going through withdrawal at home and alone can be challenging without guidance, medication, or mental health care. This lack of support significantly increases the relapse risk.
Individuals relapsing after a period of abstinence also become more vulnerable to fatal overdose. Feelings of isolation can spiral into depression and anxiety.
Emotional and psychological support are provided in many detox programs.
With help from experienced coaches and staff during the intense stages of withdrawal, patients have a better chance at overcoming SUD.
Further mental and behavioral therapies can be given once the person is physically and mentally stable during formal rehab.
Nutritional Care
Sweating, nausea, vomiting, appetite loss, insomnia, and gastrointestinal issues are common symptoms during withdrawal.
For that reason, it’s not uncommon for those abstaining from their substance of choice to become dehydrated and malnourished. These can cause health issues that may hinder recovery.
Reputable treatment facilities will help patients stay hydrated and well-nourished. During medical detox, physicians can provide IVs. Staff will typically monitor your water and food intake as well.
Aftercare and Relapse Prevention
Detox on its own is usually insufficient to achieve full recovery from SUD, even for mild to moderate cases of addiction.
Rehab centers like LITC prioritize relapse prevention planning in their programs. Patients could be referred to continuing support, such as outpatient counseling, sober living homes, and 12-step groups.
How Long Does Detox Last?
Detox and withdrawal management programs typically last for 3 to 10 days. However, this can vary from one person to another, depending on the medical need and personal circumstances.
Those who have long-term, chronic, and multiple substance dependence can spend anywhere from several weeks to months.
Factors that may impact detox duration include:
- Which substance was abused
- How heavy and frequent was the intake
- Co-occurring disorders
- Medical history besides SUD
- Age and gender
- Taking prescription medications
The severity of withdrawal symptoms is another factor.
For AUD, withdrawal can start as quickly as 24 hours after an individual’s last drink. Symptoms peak within 72 hours, which can be accompanied by seizures, hallucinations, and fever.
Physical withdrawal symptoms caused by alcohol usually taper off after a week, while cravings may persist for 3 to 4 weeks after detox.
Benzodiazepines lead to more uncomfortable symptoms and longer.
Headaches, nausea, and body pains occur on the first day, followed by shaking, irritability, weight loss, and palpitations. All these can last for over 10 days, in addition to the “rebound effect.”
The severity of opioid withdrawal depends on whether the opiate of choice is short or long-acting, but it generally only lasts for a week. Some symptoms may persist for up to a year if OUD is chronic.
Safe, Reliable Medical Detox Support in Long Island
Detoxing alone can be daunting, especially for someone abstaining from drugs for the first time. If you or someone you know is trying to overcome SUD, medical detox is a safer and more comfortable way to begin recovery.
Long Island Treatment Center offers a full range of evidence-based interventions, from outpatient detox, day treatment, evening intensive outpatient care, and ancillary withdrawal services.
Take a step toward a drug-free life with confidence with LITC. Message us and let us know how we can help today!