FAQ

What is detox like?
We try to make detoxification and substance abuse treatment at Sunrise Detox as comfortable as possible for our clients. There are scheduled daily activities, including group therapy and meetings, which are specifically designed to help our clients get on the road to recovery. The schedule is not so hectic that clients are overwhelmed, nor is it so relaxed that it becomes boring. We are not a hospital or a psychiatric ward, so our clients are not locked in: We see our clients as our guests, and treat them as such.

When is detox necessary?
Detox is needed when someone is abusing alcohol, heroin, cocaine, crystal meth, pills or other addictive substances. When someone consumes large amounts of alcohol on a daily basis, they can become dependent on it. This is the same with heroin and opiate pain medications which also may require detox. Other pills such as benzodiazepines (Valium, Xanax, etc.), barbiturates, Soma and Ultram also cause withdrawal symptoms and may require detoxification.

How long does detox take?
The exact answer depends on the type and amount of a drug being used so our intake specialists will help determine the best course of action on a case by case basis. A person's age and health condition also plays a role. As a general guide, the average length of stay is 3 days for alcohol detox, 7 days for opiate detox and 7 days for benzodiazepine detox.

What about Ultra Rapid Opiate Detox?
Ultra Rapid Opiate Detox is a medical procedure done under anesthesia that infuses a person's body with an opiate antagonist, in turn accelerating the detoxification process. There is a 1 to 2 day recovery period after the procedure. UROD is purported to be a "miracle" treatment that eliminates withdrawal symptoms, however, the procedure is dangerous because it uses full sedation. It is an expensive procedure and there are no known studies that show it successful in helping people achieve long term opiate abstinence.

What about outpatient detox?
Numerous physicians and pain clinics now advertise outpatient detox programs, in which someone can live at home, and perhaps even continue working while they detox from opiates. Proponents of these programs claim that, with the use of various medications, their clients experience no side effects or withdrawal symptoms. Unfortunately, these programs have serious drawbacks. It is unrealistic to ask someone who is going through detox to be responsible for taking their medications safely and according to instructions. These programs are rarely successful and expend time and resources that could otherwise be used for proven detoxification methods.