Drug and Alcohol Detox
Near Austin

Effective drug and alcohol detoxification can be a very important first step in the process of achieving lifelong sobriety.

For many, the uncomfortable and potentially dangerous symptoms of withdrawal can be a roadblock in their recovery. Many people may continue to misuse substances so they don’t have to deal with the effects of withdrawal.

At Ripple Ranch Recovery, the goal of our detox program is to make our clients as comfortable as possible as their body transitions to a life free of harmful substance use.

What is Drug and Alcohol Detox?

The natural process of ridding a person’s body of harmful and addictive substances is known as drug detox. At Ripple Ranch Recovery, our drug and alcohol detox program is conducted in a quiet, comfortable environment that promotes healing.

We practice what is known as medically managed withdrawal, which includes the use of certain medications and other therapies to safely manage some of the harmful symptoms that can come along with quitting drug and alcohol use.

The goal of drug and alcohol detox at Ripple Ranch Recovery is to reduce any potential physical and psychological harm that can result from quitting drugs or alcohol after a period of sustained use.

Detox is often the first step in the journey to achieving a life free of substance use and finding success in recovery. This first step serves to medically stabilize clients, manage and minimize their withdrawal symptoms, prevent the possibly dangerous effects of drug withdrawal, and help them safely transition into one of Ripple Ranch Recovery’s drug and alcohol use treatment programs.

If you or a loved one are searching for drug and alcohol detox near Austin, contact our team at Ripple Ranch Recovery today.

What Is the Standard Timeline for Withdrawal?

As soon as the body senses there is no drug/alcohol present in its system, withdrawal symptoms will begin to show themselves. Withdrawal from different substances will produce different symptoms, and the length of time a person will experience withdrawal depends on how long the drugs have been affecting the brain and body of the person.

Many factors affect the complicated process of withdrawal:

The type of substance the person is detoxing from
Length of time client has been addicted to the substance
The method of delivery (injecting, smoking, swallowing, or snorting)
The genetic makeup and other biological factors of the person
Other mental health issues or underlying unmet medical needs

Because withdrawal symptoms vary from person to person, it is very important that treatment be tailored to meet each person’s individual needs.

The Symptoms of Withdrawal

The symptoms of withdrawal occur when someone who has become physically dependent on drugs or alcohol suddenly stops using the substance. The physical and psychological effects of withdrawal can be painful, uncomfortable, and even dangerous in some cases. Because everyone who struggles with addiction is unique, their experience with withdrawal will be unique as well. Different factors can impact the severity and duration of withdrawal symptoms. Some of these factors include the substance to which they are addicted, how long they’ve been using the substance, their physical and mental health, and even their age can have an impact on the withdrawal symptoms they will experience. Withdrawal symptoms will vary depending on the substance that is leaving the person’s body. At Ripple Ranch, we specialize in medically assisted detox for the following substances:

Alcohol Detox

Alcohol withdrawal symptoms are serious and can be potentially fatal if detox is attempted without medical supervision. Severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms can include:

Extreme confusion and paranoia (fear people want to harm you)
Changes in heartbeat
Increased blood pressure
Fever and intense sweating
Nausea, diarrhea, and other abdominal symptoms
Heavy sweating and increased body temperature
Intense audio and visual hallucinations (hearing and seeing things that aren’t there)
Delirium tremens (DTs) and seizures (in severe cases of alcohol use disorder)

As is the case with most substance addictions, the length of time the detox process lasts depends on how long the person has been addicted to alcohol. Often, detox will extend beyond 48 hours, and if the addiction was severe enough, detox can last several days. A majority of the time, the most extreme symptoms will subside after just five days.

Opioid and Heroin Detox

While the withdrawal symptoms of opiates (including heroin) are not generally viewed as potentially fatal, they can be extremely uncomfortable. The prospect of this intense period of withdrawal can stand in the way of a person seeking treatment for opioid use disorder. Clients who are detoxing from opiates typically go through two phases of withdrawal. The first phase of opioid withdrawal can begin to occur within 12 hours of last opioid use. These symptoms may include:

Excessive sweating and tearing
Muscle cramping and body aches
Paranoia and anxiety
Excessive yawning
Insomnia or trouble sleeping

After the first 24 hours, the more intense symptoms of opioid withdrawal can begin to show themselves. These symptoms include:

Diarrhea and extreme abdominal discomfort
Goosebumps and body chills
Nausea and vomiting
Dilated pupils and possibly blurred vision
Rapid heart rate
Increased blood pressure

Although these symptoms can be very unpleasant and painful, they typically begin to improve after about 72 hours of medical supervision. Within a week, there will typically be a significant decrease in the acute symptoms of opioid withdrawal.

Cocaine Detox

The effects of cocaine withdrawal are not generally as physically severe as the effects of withdrawal from other substances. That being said, some of the psychological effects can be very intense and difficult to overcome on your own. The majority of cocaine withdrawal symptoms are psychological and include:

Difficulty concentrating
Slowed thinking or activity
Aggression and hostility
Anxiety and depression
Paranoia
Intrusive suicidal thoughts
Vivid dreams and nightmares
Intense drug cravings

While physical symptoms such as chills and body aches are fairly common when a person is experiencing cocaine withdrawal, they typically pass quickly. Our skilled detox specialists at Ripple Ranch Recovery will be with you every step of the way to help you cope with the severe psychological symptoms you may experience.

What to Expect from Medically Supervised Detox at Ripple Ranch

In addition to detox services, we offer a comprehensive assessment that can get to the root cause of substance use. Together, the detox and ensuing treatment plan will typically last 30 to 90 days. Our detox and treatment programs offer the following:

24-hour-a-day supervision from compassionate medical professionals
Medical management of withdrawal symptoms in a comfortable environment with semi-private rooms
Standardized psychological and psychiatric assessments
Help with understanding the underlying issues driving your substance use disorder
A unique treatment plan created to meet your specific needs
Assistance in identifying and achieving your goals in recovery

Detox doesn’t treat the underlying psychological or trauma issues surrounding addiction; detoxing only removes the physical addiction to drugs or alcohol. So, it’s important to connect with a detox center that can provide ongoing support once you’ve been medically stabilized.

Medication-assisted Treatment (MAT)

During detox at Ripple Ranch, we will use certain medications to make sure you remain comfortable while under our care. We use medications that can relieve the symptoms of withdrawal, along with behavioral therapy and holistic treatments. These have proved to be most effective in the handling of alcohol and opioid use disorders.

Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) during detox helps to stabilize the brain’s chemistry and body functions without side effects. It shuts off the euphoric or ”high” effects of opioids and alcohol and eases the body carefully away from cravings. The brain is able to relax and focus on recovery rather than the extremely uncomfortable symptoms of withdrawal. The medications used in MAT are as follows:

Naltrexone (Vivitrol)
Buprenorphine (Probuphine/Suboxone)
Disulfiram (Antabuse)
Acamprosate (Campral)
Modafinil (Provigil)
Mirtazapine (Remeron)
Lorazepam (Ativan)
Vitamin supplements and electrolytes

Call Us Today to Reclaim Your Life

Ripple Ranch offers personalized, effective, and innovative solutions for anyone struggling with substance use disorder.