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About Detoxification (Detox)

Detoxification is a process of removing toxic substances from the body. Individuals addicted to both legal prescription drugs and illegal substances often require medical assistance in this removal process, in order to prevent significant body pain, seizures, and other complications.
Serenity House offers residential medical detoxification for clients at its Abilene location. During detox the patient is closely monitored by a physician, as well as a 24-hour nursing staff. In many cases, the doctor can prescribe medications to help lessen the painful side effects of withdrawal. The detox process generally takes between three and five days, though the time varies for each patient.
           
Three reasons a patient would go through our detoxification program:

1. Intoxication – When an individual enters rehab while intoxicated or “high” detoxification is required.

2. Withdrawal - Withdrawal can be life threatening if an individual attempts to stop using some substances without medical help. Symptoms of withdrawal vary depending on the substance used but they can include nausea, chills, fever, tremors, seizures, muscle and joint pain, insomnia and sweating. Medically-assisted detox helps reduce these painful effects and significantly prevents further complications, therefore it is often recommended for incoming patients.

3. Monitoring – When the staff is unsure how long an individual has gone without drugs, the individual is placed under supervision in the detox unit. This ensures the client has safely withdrawn from the substance of their addiction before they proceed on to our recovery programs.