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A patient will be asked numerous questions by a doctor or other staff member, so that they can determine if detoxification is needed or how to handle the detoxification process.

Most of the time hospitalization is not needed; instead many programs offer community settings for detoxification. The detoxification process usually takes three to seven days and patients are monitored around the clock by staff. The staff is trained in dealing with drug or alcohol detoxification and will prescribe medication that can help in the process if it is needed. Most people do not need medication though. Rest, exercise and proper nutrition are enough to help the body rid itself of the drug.

There are also numerous alternative detoxification programs. Many of these are based on the idea that medication is not needed as long as you understand the body and provide your body with the nutrients it needs to cleanse itself. It should be understood that some drugs are dangerous if they are stopped immediately. For example, some stimulants and sedatives can cause seizures, so it is always important that a health professional helps you set up a plan and monitors your progress. 

Many detoxification programs are in conjunction with a larger program that helps an individual in numerous aspects of their lives. Most substance abuse treatment specialists view detoxification as only the first step in a process that will help the individual achieve a lifestyle in which drug use will not occur again. Experts say that other help is needed because often substance abusers have what is known as a dual diagnosis. This means that while drug abuse may be the obvious problem in a person’s life, there is often another underlying problem such as depression or bi-polar disorder. So detoxification is only the first part of finding out how to treat a person so that drug use will not happen again.