Aware Recovery Care’s Virtual Detox Program offers a comprehensive and personalized approach to alcohol or substance withdrawal from the comfort of your home. Our program utilizes medication management and holistic support tailored to meet your individual needs. Here are seven signs that Ambulatory Detox may be right for you:
7. You have mild to moderate withdrawal symptoms when trying to cut down or stop use.
The detox process can include a wide range of symptoms based on your length of use, frequency of use, and average consumption amount. The signs and symptoms you experienced during a prior detox can be a good predictor of how your body might experience a future detox. If you have a history of mild but uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms, including nausea, headache, sweating, cravings, diarrhea, muscle aches, anxiety, or insomnia, virtual ambulatory detox could be a good fit for you. If you’ve had withdrawal seizures, prominent confusion or hallucinations, or a hospital ICU admission when trying to stop alcohol or a substance, then an inpatient level of care might be most appropriate.
6. You have a shorter history of Addiction struggles
Longer amounts of time struggling with Addiction can often lead to more severe withdrawal symptoms that require more intensive medical care (in-person or inpatient). If you have been struggling with substance abuse for less than 3-5 years, you might be a good candidate for virtual Ambulatory Detox.
5. Your withdrawal symptoms only come from alcohol or a single substance.
Withdrawing from alcohol and/or multiple substances at the same time often leads to more pronounced withdrawal symptoms and increased risks. For example, trying to stop drinking alcohol and stop using Xanax at the same time is riskier than just stopping one or the other individually. For this reason, if your goal is to detox from alcohol or one individual substance, then ambulatory detox might very well meet your medical needs.
4. You can go without alcohol or a substance for longer than a few hours before you start to feel bad.
One of the most accurate predictors of how severe your withdrawal will be is how long you can go between periods of use before you start to feel uncomfortable. If you need to drink or use a substance every few hours versus every day or every few days to prevent withdrawal symptoms, then your detox experience is likely to start more quickly, progress more rapidly, and include more pronounced, higher-risk symptoms. If you can go for at least a day or every few days before withdrawal sets in, you could be an ideal candidate for virtual Ambulatory detox.
3. You are relatively healthy.
If you have few or limited physical or mental health needs outside of Addiction, virtual detox could be a great option. The detox period is typically a 5-7 day process that involves increased physical and mental stress on your body. If you have limited or only mild physical or mental ailments outside of Addiction, virtual detox might safely and successfully meet your needs.
2. You have access to stable housing and transportation.
To be most successful with Ambulatory Detox, it is crucial to have a stable, reliable place to live and a dependable method of transportation for medication pickup.
1. You have a family member or friend who can stay with you through the detox process.
Having a friend or family member who can stay with you through the detox process for support and medication pickup while you are not feeling well is critical. This individual can be any person important in your life who is not currently struggling with alcohol or substance abuse. This ally can interact with your addiction team and advocate for your needs during detox so you can focus on your health and recovery.
Virtual Ambulatory Detox is a safe and effective option for many folks struggling with alcohol or substance use disorder. Virtual detox allows you to complete the acute physical withdrawal period from the comfort, convenience, and privacy of your own home, surrounded by your chosen support community and guided by our expert Addiction professionals. Virtual detox is also less than one-fourth the cost of a traditional inpatient facility detox stay. It also allows you to continue uninterrupted with most work, family, and childcare obligations while taking the first step in your recovery journey. With a focus on safety, convenience, and effectiveness, Aware Recovery Care’s Virtual Detox Program provides the necessary framework for successful detoxification and the beginning of a lasting return to health. Get started today!
About the author: Dr. Lauren Grawert MD.
Dr. Grawert is a double board-certified Addiction Psychiatrist. She completed her medical school training in 2009 and a General Psychiatry Residency in 2013 at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC). She then went on to complete an Addiction Psychiatry fellowship at MUSC, which she completed in 2014. After fellowship training, Dr. Grawert served as the Chief of Psychiatry and Addiction at Kaiser Permanente of the Mid-Atlantic. She has also worked in private practice specializing in general psychiatry, substance use disorders, and medically assisted treatment (MAT). Dr. Grawert has served as an expert for the San Diego Community Response to Drug Overdose Task Force, the Addiction Committee Leader for Kaiser Permanente National Mental Health & Addiction Leadership Organization, and a Professor of Psychiatry at Penn State College of Medicine. She likes to write, travel, and spend time with her two young children in her spare time.
