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How Long Does It Take to Detox?

Providing Trusted, Evidence-Based
Treatment for Three Decades and Counting

If you or a loved one is experiencing addiction, we’re here to help.

You’re ready to stop taking Rohypnol or another benzodiazepine drug likeValium (diazepam), Ativan (lorazepam) orXanax (alprazolam). You know recovery begins with detox. You know this detox needs to be followed with treatment and therapy. While you understand the basics, you probably have some questions about the specifics. One of your first questions may be, how long will detox take?

Taking Time for Detox

You need to give yourself the time you need to heal. Detox and treatment should never be rushed. However it’s good to have a general idea of how long each stage of recovery takes. So how long should you take off work? Do you need to arrange care for family members? Treatment centers like Michael’s House help you with this planning. You don’t have to have every detail figured out on your own. We’ll help you talk with your employer, arrange travel to treatment and find childcare. No matter your concern, we’re here to help smooth the way to detox and treatment.

What Happens During Detox?

Woman in hospital bedYou have several options when it comes to detox. The best detox method will depend on your individual recovery needs. It will depend on your physical health. It will depend on your mental health and if you have any co-occurring mental health issues like anxiety, depression or bipolar disorder. If you do have one of these co-occurring concerns, detoxing the right way becomes even more important. Medscape explains, “Without appropriate discontinuation of benzodiazepines, psychiatric symptoms (ie, rebound anxiety or insomnia) may be more severe than before treatment and may persist for an extended period. Therefore, a well-planned protocol for discontinuation of benzodiazepines is paramount to minimize adverse events associated with withdrawal.”1 Detox isn’t scary or unmanageable if you get the right help. You can detox from Rohypnol in a safe, supported manner and with minimal withdrawal symptoms.

Because Rohypnol is a benzodiazepine, detox will probably involve gradually tapering use.  This ensures your health and safety and minimizes withdrawal symptoms. “In order to detox from benzodiazepines, the general approach is to gradually reduce the patient’s intake of benzodiazepines,” a writer for The Huffington Post explains. “Detoxing from benzodiazepines is typically a much lengthier process than detoxing from alcohol, often taking place over the course of weeks or several months.”2 This doesn’t mean you have to wait several months to start feeling better. You don’t have to put life or recovery on hold. You can start the real work of recovery while still gradually reducing your benzodiazepine use and working on completing your detox.

So, what is this real work of recovery? Just as your treatment provider helped you arrange everything before treatment, they’ll help you arrange everything during as well. When you choose treatment at Michael’s House, we integrate detox, addiction treatment and mental health care. Medscape explains that any detox needs more than just medical management: “Regardless of the chosen method, providers should consider augmentation with cognitive-behavioral therapy to improve the likelihood of success with tapering regimens. A comparison of the efficacy of tapering benzodiazepines plus cognitive-behavioral therapy with tapering alone showed that a combination of these two different therapies was superior to tapering alone, with benefit sustained for up to 1 year.” We include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and other proven, effective treatment methods as part of your overall treatment plan. We incorporate therapy, mental health care, physical health care and more into your treatment experience. Because you are integrating these elements of treatment, treatment is both more effective and more efficient.

We will never rush your treatment process, but we understand the importance of feeling better and getting home. Let us help you do both. Call Michael’s House to learn more about detox, treatment and recovery.


Sources

1 Melton, Sarah. “Chronic Benzodiazepine Pharmacotherapy: How Difficult to Discontinue?” Medscape. 3 Jun. 2016.

1 Merrill, Nancy. “Alcohol and Drug Detox: Do It Now and Do It Right.” 26 Jul. 2017.

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