The first step of treatment
Detox in South Florida
Medically supervised support through withdrawal from drugs and alcohol, with a plan for the treatment that follows.
About this program
Medical detox
Drug and alcohol detoxification — detox — prepares the body and brain for recovery by clearing substances safely while keeping the person as comfortable as possible. Detoxing alone can be life-threatening, which is why medical supervision is almost always recommended.
Detox is the first step, not the whole treatment. Withdrawal has to be followed by therapy that addresses the underlying causes of addiction — family, individual, and group work — or the same pattern tends to return. Our team plans that next stage while detox is still underway.
Detox is provided through Midwest Detox at Ambrosia in West Palm Beach. Rather than a hospital ward, medical detox here looks more like a private bedroom, with nurses and clinicians checking in to manage medications, food, hydration, and comfort.
Who needs medical detox, and for how long
Not everyone needs medical detox. After you explain what is going on, we make a personal recommendation. With alcohol or prescription drugs such as Xanax, Klonopin, methadone, or Suboxone, medical detox is necessary because withdrawal symptoms can be deadly.
Detox typically lasts 3–10 days, and the beginning is usually the most intense. For most substances, withdrawal starts within 8–12 hours of the last use; for most prescription opioids, symptoms peak within 12–48 hours and last 5–10 days. Substances do not have to be fully out of your system to move on — you need to feel well enough to focus on therapy.
What to expect during detox
Many people picture a hospital, but medical detox often looks more like a private bedroom. Nurses and therapists check in regularly, and medications counteract severe symptoms. If you had a bad experience detoxing on your own, know that medical detox is not like that. The process involves:
Assessment
A medical exam on admission identifies specific risks and shapes the detox plan and the course of treatment.
Stabilization
Medication, monitoring, and comfort care through the most intense days of withdrawal.
Support
Counseling and family involvement begin during detox, not after it.
Transition
A concrete plan for the next level of care, so detox connects directly to treatment.
Benefits of detoxing at a treatment center
Skilled medical supervision
Physicians use non-habit-forming, non-sedative medications where possible — such as Suboxone, Librium, and Serax — to minimize withdrawal symptoms.
- Medication-assisted treatment
Specific prescription medications can relieve distressing symptoms and reduce cravings, administered safely under medical oversight.
Psychological and emotional support
Withdrawal affects mental health too. Counseling and therapeutic support run alongside the medical care.
Reduced risk of relapse
A structured setting limits access to substances and puts experts nearby who can observe progress and act quickly.
Preparation for ongoing treatment
Detox is the initial phase. The team prepares each person for inpatient or outpatient treatment so the transition is smooth.
Education and skill-building
People learn how addiction works, recognize their triggers, and begin building coping strategies — with family sessions available.
Substances that require detox
Withdrawal looks different for every substance and every person. Alcohol and benzodiazepine withdrawal can be medically dangerous; opioid withdrawal is intensely uncomfortable and drives relapse without support. Common detox programs include:
- Alcohol
Symptoms can begin within hours of the last drink and escalate to seizures or delirium tremens. Alcohol withdrawal syndrome is potentially life-threatening.
- Methadone and Suboxone
Long-acting opioid treatment medications carry their own withdrawal course and deserve a medically managed taper.
- Oxycodone and other opioids
Prescription opioids are highly addictive even in short courses, with withdrawal that peaks in the first two days.
- Methamphetamine and other illicit drugs
Stimulant withdrawal is primarily psychological — depression, cravings, and suicidal ideation — and benefits from close monitoring.
What happens after detox
Our clinicians work in tandem with inpatient and outpatient programs, local and out of state, to plan the full continuum of care for each client. Detox and residential treatment often go hand in hand, so continued care is always an option.
Roughly half of people with severe mental health disorders are also affected by substance use, which is why the plan after detox often includes dual-diagnosis care — treating the mental health condition and the addiction together rather than one at a time.
Ready to talk with admissions?
Admissions is available 24/7 to answer questions about mental health and substance use treatment options.