What is Outpatient Detox?
Patients who take part in an outpatient detox program receive psychological support and medical treatment for drug dependence while living at home and, in some cases, continuing work or school obligations. Outpatient detox programs can be more convenient and affordable than inpatient detox, where patients spend the entirety of their treatment program at a facility.
Who Is Outpatient Detox For?
Detox programs are designed for individuals with drug and alcohol addiction in which they are physically dependent on the substance, requiring professional detoxification. When someone stops using drugs of abuse, it can lead to uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms and, in some cases, even risk of physical harm. In a medical detox setting, patients can safely and comfortably withdraw from addictive substances with medical supervision and support. Outpatient detox programs may be suitable for patients who are relatively stable, have support at home, and have some level of reliability. It is ideal for those who have work or home responsibilities that they are unable to put on hold.
Who is Involved in Outpatient Detox?
An outpatient drug detox involves several professionals who play essential roles in the recovery process. Similarly, the patient’s family can offer support throughout the detox process. Psychologists can give needed support and help the patient work through more psychological symptoms of withdrawal. If deemed necessary, psychiatrists can prescribe medication to help manage both physical and psychological symptoms as well as reduce cravings. Aside from professional support, we emphasize the importance of having family support to motivate and encourage the patient, as well as to help maintain structure and compliance.
Psychiatric Medication Detox
Unfortunately, many psychopharmacologists today engage in something called “polypharmacy”. In many cases there is no evidence at all that polypharmacy is helpful, in fact the APA practice guidelines do not support this method. Despite this, most likely because of industry influence, many psychiatrists prescribe multiple kinds of medications to manage their patients’ symptoms. Some are put on two or even three antidepressants at once, or several different classes of medications to treat one set of symptoms. Most of this prescribing is “off label” meaning that these medications are not approved for by the FDA or indicated for what they are being prescribed. Oftentimes this leads to an unnecessary dependence on toxic medications that cause serious side effects or even addiction in the case of controlled substances like Adderall, Xanax, Klonopin and Ambien.
Since being in practice, Dr. Megwinoff and Dr. Glazer have identified many adults and adolescents who are needlessly overmedicated by their “psychopharmacologist” and successfully detoxed them with a marked improvement in functioning and well being.
Because Dr. Glazer and Dr. Megwinoff do not meet with Pharmaceutical Representatives or “drug reps” nor do they take consultation fees or gifts from drug companies, their medication decisions are always evidence based and unbiased.
Outpatient Detox Services at Fifth Avenue Psychiatry
Our team at Fifth Avenue Psychiatry is dedicated to helping our patients succeed in addiction recovery. Our medication detox services are led by top doctors in the field of psychiatry. Let us partner with you today to find the right addiction treatment plan to get you on the road to recovery.
FAQ
When a loved one completes rehab, they are returned to their everyday lives with new tools and knowledge but are often at high risk of relapse. Offer your support and remind them they are loved. It’s important that they know others believe in them so they do not feel alone in their struggles.
The coping skills taught in rehab are designed to help identify triggers, increase mindfulness, and manage emotions that have led to substance abuse. By practicing these, individuals can prevent relapse by making choices that protect their sobriety, such as avoiding triggering situations and using new psychological tools to manage stress or intense anxiety.
The most common factors that can lead to relapse are “people, places, and things.” In other words, exposure to triggers in the form of environments or people that remind you of your drug use. Other factors include lack of social support and untreated mental health conditions. In our programs, we teach our patients how to set boundaries that protect them from relapse triggers and the importance of maintaining a support system, and we address co-occurring disorders alongside the addiction itself.
An outpatient detox allows the patient to participate in the program during the day while living at home, while an inpatient detox requires the patient to live on-site at the facility for the duration of treatment. An outpatient detox is indicated when the addiction is fairly uncomplicated, the patient is aligned and compliant with the treating doctor, and the patient has a stable home environment. Inpatient detox is recommended for complex and dangerous drug dependencies, poor social support, and patients who are at very high risk for relapse.