Alcohol Use Disorder
Medically supervised alcohol detox and residential care for people who find it hard to stop or cut back on drinking.
Program
Medical Detox at Serenity Moon
If you found this page, something has probably felt off for a while, for you or for someone you love. Even looking takes honesty and courage. Our medical team is here to help you get through withdrawal safely, one steady day at a time.
Written by Serenity Moon Recovery editorial team
Reviewed by Serenity Moon Recovery editorial team
- Updated
Who Medical detox is for
Medical detox may be right for you if you use alcohol or drugs regularly and feel sick, shaky or anxious when you cut back or stop. It is also for people who have tried to quit on their own and found withdrawal too hard to get through.
Every body responds to withdrawal differently. Before you arrive, our team asks about your health, your substance use and any medications you take, so your plan is built around you and not a preset schedule.
- People with alcohol use disorder who feel shaky, sweaty or anxious when they stop drinking
- People with opioid use disorder, including fentanyl, heroin or prescription pain medicines
- People with benzodiazepine use disorder or dependence on other sedatives who want to stop safely
- People coming off stimulants such as methamphetamine or cocaine who need rest and close support (stimulant use disorder)
- People living with a mental health condition alongside substance use
- Anyone who has had a hard or frightening withdrawal before
What happens day to day
No two detox stays look the same, because care changes with how you are feeling. This is the general shape of detox at Serenity Moon.
Step 1: Arrival and assessment
Our medical team reviews your health, your substance use history and any medications you take. This helps them plan safe care that fits you.
Step 2: Around-the-clock monitoring
Staff check on you regularly, including overnight, and keep track of your symptoms and vital signs. If symptoms change in the middle of the night, someone responds and adjusts your care.
Step 3: Medication for comfort and safety
When it is appropriate, the medical team uses medications to ease withdrawal symptoms and prevent complications. You can also talk with them about medication-assisted treatment for opioid or alcohol use disorder.
Step 4: Rest, meals and quiet time
Daily life during detox is simple. You rest, eat fresh meals and take things slowly in a private, home-like space.
Step 5: A gentle start to therapy
As you feel steadier, you can begin meeting with a therapist or joining groups, but only when you are ready.
Step 6: Planning your next step
Before detox ends, your care team talks with you about what comes next and helps you move into ongoing treatment without a gap.
How long does medical detox last?
Alcohol withdrawal symptoms usually start within hours of the last drink and tend to peak within 24 to 72 hours, though some can last longer. Your medical team decides with you when you are stable enough to move on.
Staffing and medical oversight
Detox at Serenity Moon Recovery is overseen by our medical director, Dr. Courtney Scott, who is board-certified in addiction medicine.
Licensed nurses are on site 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and licensed therapists are part of your care from the start. Medical, nursing and clinical staff meet regularly to talk about how you are doing and adjust your plan.
Because we care for only 12 people at a time, the people looking after you know your name, your history and how you are doing hour by hour.
What comes next
Detox helps your body stabilize, but it is not treatment on its own. The National Institute on Drug Abuse notes that detox without follow-up treatment usually leads back to drug use.
Many people move straight into residential treatment after detox, with the same care team. Others step down to our intensive outpatient program when that is a safe fit.
To ask about a detox bed, visit our admissions page or check your insurance coverage.
Is it safe to detox at home?
For some substances, stopping suddenly without medical help can be dangerous. After heavy, long-term drinking, withdrawal can cause seizures and a severe condition called delirium tremens. The FDA warns that stopping benzodiazepines suddenly, or lowering the dose too fast, can cause withdrawal reactions, including seizures, which can be life-threatening.
Opioid withdrawal is usually not life-threatening, but it is very uncomfortable, and that discomfort often leads people back to using. Withdrawal also lowers tolerance, so a much smaller amount than before can cause an overdose.
Detox by substance
Withdrawal looks different for every substance. Each plan is built around what you have been using, how much, for how long and your overall health.
Alcohol
Close monitoring for a withdrawal that can turn serious, with medication to help prevent complications.
Opioids
Comfort-focused care for fentanyl, heroin or pain medicine withdrawal, with open conversations about medication.
Benzodiazepines
A careful, medically guided plan, because stopping these medicines suddenly can be dangerous.
Stimulants
Steady, supportive care through the crash, with close attention to mood and sleep.
Where it's offered
Where we offer medical detox
Does insurance cover medical detox?
Many plans cover medical detox when it's medically necessary. Most PPO plans, in and out of network. Medicaid and Medicare are not accepted. We'll check your benefits for free before you decide anything.
Keep exploring
Related to medical detox
Conditions treated in this program
Opioid Use Disorder
Medically supervised opioid and fentanyl detox with comfort care, medication options and overdose-prevention planning.
Stimulant Use Disorder
Supportive, medically monitored care for meth, cocaine and prescription stimulant use, with close attention to mood and sleep.
Benzodiazepine Use Disorder
A safe, medically supervised path off benzodiazepines, with care for the anxiety and sleep problems that often come with them.
Co-Occurring Disorders
Integrated care for substance use and mental health conditions like depression, anxiety and trauma, under one team and one plan.
Therapies used in this program
Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT)
FDA-approved medications combined with counseling for opioid and alcohol use disorders, when a medical provider agrees it is a good fit.
Motivational Interviewing (MI)
A judgment-free conversation style that helps you explore mixed feelings about change and find your own reasons to move forward.
Questions
Questions about medical detox
It depends on the substance. Alcohol withdrawal can cause anxiety, sweating and shaking, and in severe cases seizures. Opioid withdrawal often brings muscle aches, nausea, trouble sleeping and strong discomfort.
When it is appropriate, yes. Our medical team may use medication to ease symptoms and prevent complications, and medication-assisted treatment options include naltrexone and buprenorphine (Subutex and Suboxone).
Your privacy is protected by law. Federal rules (HIPAA and 42 CFR Part 2) and California law give substance use treatment records extra protection, and we generally share information only with your written consent. There are limited exceptions the law allows or requires, such as a medical emergency. We explain them in plain language at admission.
Many plans include coverage for medical detox. We work with most PPO plans, in and out of network, including Aetna, Anthem, BCBS, Cigna, TriWest Healthcare Alliance, UnitedHealthcare, but not Medicaid or Medicare. Our admissions team can verify your insurance benefits before you arrive.
Often the same day or the next, depending on bed availability and your medical needs. Call (888) 298-2814 and we will tell you what is possible right now.
Sources
- Treatment for Alcohol Problems: Finding and Getting HelpNational Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
- Alcohol withdrawal (MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia)U.S. National Library of Medicine (MedlinePlus)
- FDA requiring Boxed Warning updated to improve safe use of benzodiazepine drug classU.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
- Opiate and opioid withdrawal (MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia)U.S. National Library of Medicine (MedlinePlus)
- Treatment and Recovery (Drugs, Brains, and Behavior: The Science of Addiction)National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
Ask us about medical detox
Whenever you're ready, late at night or right now, someone on our admissions team will pick up. The call is free, and there's no obligation.