Comprehensive Drug Detox, Port Saint Lucie
The untreated use of drugs and alcohol can lead to a gradual deterioration of an individual’s well-being, causing severe and long-lasting harm to their quality of life. Not only can substance abuse destroy our most cherished relationships, but it may also undermine a person’s physical, emotional, and mental health.
While the substances we turn to create brief moments of relaxation, euphoria, and elevated confidence, it’s important to note that these feelings are temporary. Continual substance use will almost always lead to long-term suffering and distress.
Positive transformation is within your reach. Completing an effective drug detox program is a significant first step in safely and sustainably managing drug or alcohol addiction.
At Agape Drug and Alcohol Detox Center of Port St. Lucie, guiding our clients to long-term wellness is our top priority. We take a uniquely targeted, whole-health approach to help our clients regain control of their lives. Our treatment center leverages all of the most trusted and effective therapies and treatment modalities by offering around-the-clock support in our drug detox program.
Our proven efforts allow those suffering from drug and alcohol withdrawal to enjoy greater levels of comfort, expedited healing, and higher levels of long-term success. Learn what to bring to detox and get started today!
What is Drug Detoxification?
Drug detoxification, often referred to as detox, is the process of removing toxic substances or drugs from the body. It is the first step in a comprehensive treatment program for substance use disorders. Detoxification aims to manage withdrawal symptoms safely and comfortably when someone stops using drugs or alcohol. This process can vary in duration and intensity depending on the substance involved, the duration of use, and the individual’s health. Detox is typically followed by therapy and counseling to address the psychological aspects of addiction.
What are Common Symptoms Associated with Withdrawal?
Common withdrawal symptoms can vary depending on the substance use but often include:
- Physical Symptoms: These can include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle aches, sweating, chills, headaches, and changes in blood pressure.
- Psychological Symptoms: Anxiety, depression, irritability, mood swings, and difficulty concentrating are common.
- Sleep Disturbances: Insomnia or excessive sleepiness can occur.
- Cravings: Intense urges to engage in substance use again.
- Changes in Appetite: Either a loss of appetite or increased hunger.
- Fatigue: Feeling extremely tired or lethargic.
- Tremors or Shaking: Particularly common with alcohol or benzodiazepine withdrawal.
- Heart Palpitations: An increased heart rate or irregular heartbeat.
The severity and duration of these symptoms can vary based on several factors; however, these are the most common withdrawals that people experience throughout the detox process if they are not medically managed.
What Factors Affect the Severity and Duration of Symptoms?
The severity and duration of withdrawal symptoms can be influenced by several factors, including:
- Type of Drug: Different substances have different withdrawal profiles. For example, opioids, alcohol, and benzodiazepines often have more severe withdrawal symptoms compared to other drugs.
- Duration of Use: Long-term use of a substance can lead to more severe withdrawal symptoms.
- Dosage: Higher doses of a substance can result in more intense withdrawal symptoms.
- Frequency of Use: Regular, frequent use can increase the severity of withdrawal.
- Individual Health: A person’s overall physical and mental health can impact how they experience withdrawal. Pre-existing health conditions can exacerbate symptoms.
- Age and Gender: These can also play a role, as metabolic rates and hormonal differences can affect withdrawal.
- Genetic Factors: Genetic predispositions can influence how a person experiences withdrawal.
- Psychological Factors: Mental health conditions, stress levels, and emotional state can affect withdrawal severity.
- Environment: A supportive environment can help mitigate withdrawal symptoms, while a stressful or unsupportive environment can worsen them.
- Polysubstance Use: Using multiple substances can complicate withdrawal and increase its severity.
These factors can interact in complex ways, making each individual’s withdrawal experience unique.
When the body rids itself of harmful substances, it must then go through a process of relearning how to function effectively in the absence of those substances. Throughout this relearning process, we couple nutritional support with other natural interventions for increased safety and a rapid return to regular functioning.
Our Florida Detox Process
Detox support at Agape Detox Center begins the moment our clients enter our Port St. Lucie facility.
Our team understands how physically and emotionally challenging the start of recovery can be. Upon arrival, we perform a thorough psychological evaluation and medical exam to best asses your treatment plan. A needs-specific plan is then structured based on your assessment results and intake interview, promoting comfort and all-around medical stability.
Once settled in, clients are shown to their rooms. Vital signs, emotional well-being check-ins, and the detox plans revision are regularly revisited for effectiveness. In most cases, withdrawal occurs in a set of distinct phases. Rest assured, our team is always available to evaluate and mitigate:
- Physical symptoms
- Psychological symptoms
- Behavioral symptoms
Our detox program at Agape Detox Center of Port St. Lucie is held in a clean, comfortable, and well-organized environment.
Patients are cared for by a team of experienced and highly compassionate medical professionals who love what they do. More importantly, our patients have the opportunity to complete their withdrawal in a safe and comfortable environment free of temptation, common triggers, and other challenges.
If you’re concerned with how you will pay for detox treatment, know that we are in-network with many insurance providers and accept various rehab insurance plans.
Managing Drug Withdrawal Symptoms
Detoxing from addiction is a difficult and often dangerous journey that requires professional support and medication-assisted treatment.
Because denial and overconfidence often lead people to attempt detox on their own, their chances of success with recovery are greatly diminished. If not done properly, withdrawal symptoms can be severe and even life-threatening.
Our goal is to leverage interventions that provide the right support without setting the stage for new dependencies. When necessary, we utilize proper medication to assist with the stabilization of vital signs until the body relearns how to function on its own. This also helps to prevent significant changes in behaviors and psychological well-being.
At Agape Detox Center of Port St. Lucie, we manage detox symptoms thoughtfully and consistently using medication-assisted treatment. Throughout the entirety of the withdrawal process, our primary goals are to:
- Prevent existing symptoms from worsening
- Limit the discomfort that patients feel
- Shorten the detox process overall
When appropriate intervention methods are applied early on, acute withdrawal symptoms may never manifest at all, depending on the substance. Many substances also cause post-acute withdrawal symptoms (PAWS). PAWS are largely psychological symptoms that indicate the brain is still working towards balance and normal functioning. This also includes many mental health disorders that develop as a result of addiction.
Psychological Symptoms of Withdrawal Include:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Insomnia and other sleep troubles
- Lack of motivation
- Restlessness
- Trouble focusing
PAWS and other lingering feelings and emotions will still be present after detox, so it’s important to take the next step in the treatment process and attend an addiction treatment program to help you on your recovery journey. In South Florida, Agape Treatment is available for individuals who graduate from our detox program.
Types of Drugs We Treat With Detox
General detox programs alone cannot provide the targeted, needs-specific approach that each patient requires. The risk of detoxing and the symptoms of withdrawal vary greatly for each drug type. This is why medical intervention is necessary for the most effective treatment.
At Agape Detox Center, we offer personalized medical detox programs for a variety of common substances, including:
Whether you are looking for an alcohol detox program, a heroin detox program, or any other type of drug detoxification, we are here for you. The Agape Detox team is fully experienced in meeting the needs and nuances of each detox type. This allows for streamlined treatment plans, optimum levels of comfort and safety, and reliable, effective support.
What are the Next Steps After Detox?
Completing detox successfully is an incredible feat and one well worth celebrating. However, detox is merely one step in the treatment process. Oftentimes, it’s quickly followed by a range of new challenges as people are no longer suffering from physical drug addiction.
Excessive drug and alcohol use causes significant changes in brain function and chemistry, making sustained abstinence an everyday challenge. After the body has cleansed itself of drugs or alcohol, the brain must heal.
A staggering 15% of people who are admitted through emergency rooms for detox go on to receive additional addiction treatment. This is a very important next step as it helps patients overcome psychological symptoms associated with drug addiction.
The risk of relapsing is at its highest during the first several months of recovery. At Agape Detox Center, we streamline the process, allowing patients to seamlessly and safely resettle into structured addiction treatment after detox. Our detox programs create a strong foundation for success by avoiding long breaks in treatment.
Residential Treatment
Residential treatment is a structured, live-in program designed to help individuals overcome substance use disorders and other mental health issues. It offers a safe and supportive environment where patients receive intensive therapy, counseling, and medical care if needed. This type of treatment provides a holistic approach, addressing both the physical and psychological aspects of addiction through a combination of individual therapy, group sessions, family involvement, and educational workshops. The immersive nature of this form of treatment allows individuals to focus solely on their recovery without the distractions and triggers of everyday life.
The transition to residential care is a critical step in the recovery process. After completing detox, individuals are often guided into a residential program. This transition is typically seamless, as many rehab centers are part of larger treatment facilities that offer both services. The continuity of care is crucial, as it ensures that individuals continue receiving the necessary support and therapy immediately after detox. This reinforces the coping strategies and tools needed to maintain sobriety and prevent relapse, addressing the underlying psychological factors of addiction in a supportive and structured setting.
Outpatient Treatment
Outpatient treatment is a flexible program for individuals recovering from substance use disorders, allowing them to live at home while attending scheduled therapy sessions and medical appointments. This type of treatment is ideal for those with less severe addictions or for those who have completed a more intensive program like residential care and need continued support. Outpatient treatment combines individual therapy, group counseling, and educational workshops, enabling participants to apply recovery strategies in real-world settings, maintain daily responsibilities, and integrate family support into their healing process.
The transition from detox to outpatient treatment is designed to ensure that individuals continue to receive support as they adjust to life post-detox. Patients may be assessed for outpatient suitability based on the severity of their addiction and personal circumstances. This transition involves coordinating with clinical care professionals to create a personalized treatment plan that addresses ongoing recovery needs.
Treatment for Co-Occurring Disorders
Treatment for addiction and mental illness, also known as dual diagnosis, involves addressing both disorders simultaneously. This integrated approach is essential because each condition can impact the other, complicating recovery if treated separately. Treatment typically includes a combination of psychotherapy, medication management, and support groups. The goal is to help individuals manage their mental illness symptoms while also developing strategies to maintain sobriety, offering a comprehensive path to addiction recovery.
The transition to co-occurring disorders treatment is a crucial phase, as it lays the foundation for addressing both addiction and mental issues. After detox, a thorough assessment is conducted to identify any underlying mental health conditions. This assessment helps in creating a personalized treatment plan that addresses both disorders. The transition is often facilitated by a coordinated care team, ensuring continuity of treatment and support. By starting therapy and medication management soon after medical detox, individuals can better address the complexities of their conditions, reducing the risk of relapse and promoting long-term recovery.
Risks of Detoxing on Your Own
For most substances, attempting to detox alone is physically unsafe.
People use drugs like benzodiazepines and opioids to artificially trigger feelings of euphoria through the release of powerful chemicals within the brain’s reward system known as neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters operate as both “feel good” chemicals that are capable of inspiring heightened confidence and relaxation and drivers for critical physiological functions.
Neurotransmitters support balance, memory, coordination, various aspects of general cognition, smooth muscle control, and more. When a person is chemically dependent upon a substance, and that substance is then taken away, these same neurotransmitters can undergo dramatic changes in their normal production or release.
Changes within brain functioning and chemistry make detoxing from specific substances dangerous. Medical care mitigates these dangers by helping the brain and body to gradually ease their way back toward normal functioning.
When targeted support isn’t provided, this process is far more physically taxing and may lead to permanent or long-lasting damage to the heart, brain, liver, and other vital organs. In some cases, seizures, comas, and even death may be a result of inadequate detoxing. Thus, it’s far safer to enroll in a drug detox program that provides the targeted medical interventions you require.
Our Drug Detox in Port St. Lucie, Florida
Finding a quality detox program doesn’t have to be difficult. The first step to long-term well-being is only a phone call away.
Our Agape Detox Center admissions counselors perform a comprehensive intake interview upon contact. This provides us with deeper insight into your addiction history and general health that enables us to streamline your care. We’ll discuss insurance benefits and alternative payment options as we work with most major insurance providers. You may have little to no out-of-pocket expenses.
Our team will even assist with transportation arrangements to our treatment center for your convenience. You can expect active support and compassion from start to finish, making this difficult time more manageable for you and your loved ones. Take back control of your life. Contact our admissions counselors to get started today.
- November 25, 2022
- Updated Date: October 28, 2024
Detox Programs
Have any questions?
Stephanie Robilio is an accomplished Clinical Director at Agape Behavioral Healthcare. With a Master of Social Work degree, LCSW license, and extensive training in Rapid Resolution Therapy under her belt, she brings a wealth of expertise to her role. Her unique combination of education and experience allows her to provide exceptional care to clients and lead her team with confidence. Stephanie’s joy comes from witnessing the moments when her patients creatively connect the dots and bravely move toward reclaiming their power. Her purpose is to help individuals understand their past so they can create a future full of hope, growth, and success. Stephanie attributes a large portion of her success to the supportive culture and strong sense of community fostered by the Agape team.
