Medical detox is medically supervised withdrawal care. Clinicians monitor your symptoms, use medication when it's needed, and keep you safe while substances leave your body. Recover Now connects you to medical detox at four network facilities in Georgia, Louisiana and Florida, with residential care right behind it.
If you're in crisis, call or text 988. For free, confidential treatment referrals any time, the SAMHSA National Helpline is 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
Have questions? Just reach out.
You do not need it figured out before you call. Admissions will listen, check your coverage at no cost, and tell you honestly what the right next step is, even if that step is not with us.
Key Takeaways
- Detox is step one, not the whole plan. It stabilizes your body so treatment can start; federal guidance says detox alone rarely changes long-term use.
- Four network facilities provide detox: Alapaha and Eatonton in Georgia, Abita Springs in Louisiana, and Jacksonville Beach in Florida.
- Alcohol, benzodiazepine and opioid withdrawal can turn dangerous. A seizure, hallucinations, confusion or fainting means call 911.
- Detox leads straight into residential care. At three of the four facilities, detox and residential together typically run about 30 days.
- One free, confidential call starts it. Admissions checks your benefits and matches you to the right facility.
What Is Medical Detox?
Medical detox, also called withdrawal management, is short-term care that helps you stop using alcohol or drugs as safely and comfortably as possible. The goal is stabilization, so you can move into treatment with a clear head.
It's different from quitting at home or "social" detox with friends or family. A medical setting can track withdrawal as it changes, give medication for symptoms, and respond quickly if something goes wrong.
What medical detox usually involves:
- A medical assessment of your substance use, withdrawal history, health and medications
- Regular symptom checks with standard scoring tools, such as the CIWA-Ar for alcohol and the COWS for opioids
- Medication to ease symptoms and lower the risk of complications, when clinically appropriate
- Emotional support and planning for the next level of care
Who Needs Medical Detox?
Medical detox is usually the safer starting point when withdrawal could become physically risky. A clinical assessment decides the right level of care, but these situations often point toward supervised detox:
- Heavy daily drinking or long-term binge drinking
- Dependence on benzodiazepines (prescribed or not)
- Past withdrawal seizures or delirium tremens (DTs)
- Dependence on opioids, including long-term, high-dose use
- Using more than one substance
- Pregnancy, which needs specialized medical oversight
- Serious medical or mental health conditions alongside substance use
- Older age or frailty
When to call 911
Some withdrawal symptoms are emergencies. Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room if you or someone you love has:
- A seizure
- Fainting or loss of consciousness
- Hallucinations, severe confusion or agitation
- Chest pain, a racing heart or trouble breathing
Once someone is safe, our admissions team can help plan what comes next.
| Facility | Location | Levels of care | Learn more |
|---|---|---|---|
| Green Acres Wellness by Recover Now | Alapaha, Georgia (south Georgia) | Detox and residential | Location page for Green Acres Wellness by Recover Now |
| Recover Now Greater Atlanta | Eatonton, Georgia (serving the Atlanta area) | Detox and residential | Location page for Recover Now Greater Atlanta |
| Longbranch Recovery by Recover Now, Abita Springs | Abita Springs, Louisiana | Detox and residential at this site | Location page for Longbranch Recovery by Recover Now, Abita Springs |
| Tides Edge Detox by Recover Now | Jacksonville Beach, Florida | Detox and residential | Location page for Tides Edge Detox by Recover Now |
Recover Now’s Detox Treatment Center Locations
We provide medical detox services in professional facilities across the Southeast, including:
Green Acres Wellness
15320 US Hwy 129Alapaha, Georgia 31622
Learn More about Green Acres Wellness View Map for Green Acres Wellness
Longbranch Recovery – Abita Springs
21516 LA-36Abita Springs, Louisiana 70420
Longbranch Recovery – Abita Springs Website
Learn More about Longbranch Recovery – Abita Springs View Map for Longbranch Recovery – Abita Springs
Recover Now Greater Atlanta Campus
155 Greensboro RdEatonton, Georgia 31024
Recover Now Greater Atlanta Campus Website
Learn More about Recover Now Greater Atlanta Campus View Map for Recover Now Greater Atlanta Campus
Tides Edge Detox
1597 The Greens WayJacksonville Beach, Florida 32250
Learn More about Tides Edge Detox View Map for Tides Edge Detox
Each of our residential locations is designed to feel safe, calm, and comfortable. The goal is to offer the structure you need in an environment that feels more like a retreat than a hospital. If you're unsure which location is right for you, we're here to help you find the best fit.
How Long Does Medical Detox Take?
Most acute withdrawal is measured in days, though timing depends on the substance, how long and how much you've used, and your health. Some symptoms, like poor sleep or low mood, can linger longer. The ranges below are typical, not a promise for any one person.
| Substance | When symptoms may start | When they often peak | How long acute withdrawal may last | Key safety concern |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alcohol | 6 to 24 hours after the last drink | 24 to 72 hours | For most people, acute symptoms ease within about a week | Seizures, most often in the first 48 hours; DTs usually begin 2 to 3 days in or later |
| Short-acting opioids (such as heroin) | 8 to 12 hours after the last dose | 48 to 72 hours | About 7 to 10 days | Severe discomfort; overdose risk rises after detox as tolerance drops |
| Methadone | 1 to 3 days after the last dose | Days 3 to 8 | Can persist for several weeks | Longer, drawn-out symptoms |
| Benzodiazepines | Varies by drug and dose | Varies | Gradual taper, often weeks to months | Stopping suddenly can cause life-threatening seizures |
| More than one substance | Varies | Varies | Varies | Overlapping withdrawal needs individual monitoring |
At Green Acres Wellness, Recover Now Greater Atlanta and Tides Edge Detox, detox and residential care together typically run about 30 days, with about 8 hours of programming a day. Your treatment plan sets the actual length.
Medications Used in Medical Detox
Medication choices are made by the prescribing clinician for each person. Common options named in national clinical guidelines include:
Alcohol
Benzodiazepines are the first-line treatment, often given in response to CIWA-Ar scores. Thiamine is given to help prevent Wernicke encephalopathy, a serious brain complication.
Benzodiazepines
A planned, gradual taper, sometimes after switching to a longer-acting medication.
Opioids
Buprenorphine or methadone can ease withdrawal and cravings. Lofexidine, or clonidine used off-label, can help with sweating, anxiety and a racing heart.
Comfort care
Medication for nausea, sleep and pain as needed.
Naltrexone, which blocks opioid effects, starts only after an opioid-free period, typically at least 7 days after short-acting opioids and 10 to 14 days after long-acting ones. Detox can also be the starting point for ongoing medication-assisted treatment (MAT).
What to Expect in Medical Detox
Here's how the process usually works, from your first call to your next step.
- Call or verify your insurance. An admissions specialist opens a confidential file, asks a few questions and flags anything urgent.
- Benefits check. Admissions runs a free verification so you know what your plan covers before you commit.
- Clinical screening. A clinician reviews your substance use, withdrawal history, health and medications to confirm the right level of care.
- Match and arrival. Admissions matches you to a detox facility and schedules arrival as quickly as clinical need and bed availability allow.
- Detox and stabilization. Staff monitor withdrawal, adjust medication and begin early support.
- Step into treatment. As you stabilize, the team plans your move into residential care and beyond.
What to Bring
- Photo ID and your insurance card
- Current medications in their original bottles
- Comfortable clothes and closed-toe shoes
Admissions will share the full list for your facility.
After Detox: Your Next Level of Care
Detox gets your body stable, and lasting recovery comes from the treatment that follows. Every network detox site also provides residential care, so your next step can start in the same place, with lower levels of care to step down to later.
Not sure what comes next? Admissions can help you choose the right step.
Getting started
Help for someone else
Insurance and Paying for Detox
Many insurance plans cover medically necessary detox. Our free, confidential verification tells you what your plan covers and what you may owe before you decide. You'll use a secure HIPAA intake form.
Veterans and military families can ask admissions how their benefits apply.
Why Start Detox With Recover Now
One confidential entry point.
A single call connects you to detox at four facilities across three states, with residential care behind each one.
Care that keeps going.
A full continuum means you can keep moving through care within the Recover Now network as your needs change.
Close to home in the Southeast.
Facilities in south Georgia, the Atlanta area, Abita Springs, Louisiana and Jacksonville Beach, Florida.
Whole-person support from day one.
Medical care, emotional support and family involvement, working together.
No cost to ask.
Insurance checks and assessments are free and confidential.
Stories of Hope from Real People Who Found Recovery
This place actually takes care of you and makes you feel comfortable. Best detox in the state.
- Jonathan
This place was amazing. The staff was great. The rooms were clean. They always have food, snacks, and drinks at your disposal. I would recommend this place to everybody that needs to detox from drugs or alcohol. They also set you up with proper aftercare that fits your needs. Thank you for a great experience. I feel like a new man, and I’m ready to take on life clean and sober again.
- Matt
Great facility! The staff has been phenomenal in helping through the process here as well as setting up a successful aftercare plan! Would recommend to anyone struggling.
- Savannah
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Licensure and accreditation
Each facility in the Recover Now network holds its own licensure and accreditation, published on that facility's website. Admissions can confirm the details for any facility before you arrive.
This content is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider about your specific situation. If you are in crisis, call or text 988, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
If you need someone right now
- Help for yourself
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Sources
- American Society of Addiction Medicine. The ASAM Clinical Practice Guideline on Alcohol Withdrawal Management (2020).
- American Society of Addiction Medicine. National Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder, 2020 Focused Update.
- SAMHSA. TIP 45: Detoxification and Substance Abuse Treatment.
- SAMHSA. TIP 63: Medications for Opioid Use Disorder.
- NIDA. Principles of Drug Addiction Treatment: A Research-Based Guide (3rd ed.).
- MedlinePlus (NIH). Alcohol withdrawal.
- U.S. FDA. Drug Safety Communication on benzodiazepines (2020).
- SAMHSA National Helpline.