Drug & Alcohol Detox Program in Wilmington, North Carolina

Why Choose Our Drug & Alcohol Detox Program

For many people, the first step in a substance abuse treatment program is detoxification or detox, and this process is necessary because of how a person’s body adapts to drug use.

When a person has been using a drug for a long time, his or her body changes how it functions in order to accommodate the substance. If the person then stops using that substance, his or her body needs time to readjust to functioning without the drug, and this process of readjustment is known as withdrawal. Withdrawal can be an extremely unpleasant experience and can even be fatal, so it is best handled in a detox program where a person can be monitored by a dedicated medical team.

In addition to the unpleasant side-effects, another risk of the withdrawal process is relapsing. Because withdrawal results from a person ceasing use of a substance, one of the easiest ways to deal with withdrawal symptoms is to simply use the drug again. As a result, people who are trying to quit using drugs are often unable to succeed by themselves because the pressure to use again during withdrawal is simply too great.

At Wilmington Treatment Center, we have more than 30 years of experience helping people successfully manage the withdrawal process in our detox program. The caring team at our rehab, which consists of our medical director – certified by The American Board of Preventative Medicine specializing in Addiction Medicine, Master’s level clinicians, certified substance abuse counselors, therapists,  physician’s assistants, and registered nurses, is ready to help each patient in our care through the withdrawal process.

In addition to attentive medical care and support groups, patients can also benefit from our auricular acupuncture program. Endorsed by the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association (NADA) and the American College of Addictionology and Compulsive Disorders (ACACD), auricular acupuncture uses needles and small electric micro-currents to relieve symptoms of withdrawal and helps each patient recover as fast as his or her body allows.

What To Expect During Detoxification at Wilmington Treatment Center

During detox at our rehab, medical staff check in with each person daily and administer medications as necessary to alleviate symptoms of withdrawal, and our caring, attentive nursing staff is available 24 hours per day to ensure the safety of each person entrusted into our care. As they are able, patients are encouraged to attend morning and afternoon groups and recreational activities such as yoga and music therapy.

Appropriate for individuals age 18 and older with a primary substance use disorder, detox at Wilmington Treatment Center typically lasts between 5 to 18 days depending on the length and intensity of the person’s addiction. Once a person completes detox treatment, we encourage him or her to continue treatment in our inpatient rehabilitation program so that he or she can begin to develop the skills and confidence needed for lifelong sobriety.