Drug detox

If you are considering entering a drug detox facility, you are taking a very crucial first step on the road to recovery. If you are fearful about how far you may have left to travel on this journey, we wish to assure you that this decision has already put you on the right track, and you need not be alone in your recovery anymore.

At Primrose Lodge, we strive to guarantee you the most comfortable, well-equipped setting to begin your journey. Our primary concern is your safety, and for this reason, we will start by removing your body of any dangerous substances that can threaten your health. With a team determined to provide personalised detoxification services for every individual, whatever their situation, you will leave us with all the tools you need to begin your life free from addiction.

Drug-Detox-Throwing-Away-Drugs

What we provide drug detox for

You might first be wondering which drugs we detox at our facility. At Primrose Lodge, we focus our treatment on a range of substances, including, but not limited to:

Amphetamine detox

Amphetamine detox

Learn everything you need to know about amphetamine detox

Amphetamine detox →

Cannabis detox

Cannabis detox

Learn everything you need to know about cannabis detox

Cannabis detox →

Cocaine detox

Cocaine detox

Learn everything you need to know about cocaine detox

Cocaine detox →

Crack detox

Crack detox

Learn everything you need to know about crack detox

Crack detox →

Ecdtasy detox

Ecstasy detox

Learn everything you need to know about ecstasy detox

Ecstasy detox →

Heroin detox

Heroin detox

Learn everything you need to know about heroin detox

Heroin detox →

Ketamine detox

Learn everything you need to know about ketamine detox

Ketamine detox →

Meth detox

Learn everything you need to know about meth detox

Meth detox →

We also have specialised programmes for heroin and prescription drug addictions due to the complex nature of the substances involved.

How does the drug detox process work?

Detox refers to a process where your body is cleared out of addictive substances via a period of abstinence from the drug, ensuring you are physically stable enough to address the underlying causes of your addiction in a safe environment. At Primrose Lodge, we see detox as essential to recovery, and to truly begin the road to rehabilitation, we must remove all traces of addictive substances from our system. However, detox can be dangerous, and it is vital we allow our body to readjust under the supervision of trained staff.

Medical Drug Detox

Medical drug detox is usually carried out by a clinical medical team, who curate a custom detox process to control or prevent the severe side effects of withdrawal and encourage sustained recovery. In our experience, the safest way for clients to undergo treatment is at an inpatient detox centre under the supervision of a medical professional. This does not just ensure your protection but also gives you a fresh, controlled environment to refocus and start again.

Some benefits of an inpatient detox are:

  • Space away from all the variables and triggers that can make sobriety particularly difficult in the outside world.
  • Treatment from well-trained professionals means that your physical health is assured.
  • Aftercare and follow-up programmes to ensure a smooth transition into sober living and help prevent relapse.

Drug withdrawal symptoms

When you have used drugs or alcohol for a prolonged period, it influences the chemical balance in your brain. During drug detox, the chemicals your brain has come to depend on are affected, and painful withdrawal symptoms begin to occur. Every addiction is unique, and not all withdrawal is the same. While generalised descriptions of withdrawal exist, your experience may or may not involve all the associated symptoms. The occurrence and severity of symptoms also depend on your physiology and how long you’ve been addicted. Some of the common drug withdrawal symptoms include:

  • Fatigue
  • Irritability
  • Restlessness
  • Shakiness
  • Nausea
  • Difficulty sleeping

Drug-Detox-Fatigue

Length of stay at a detox clinic

The detox process itself will usually last between a week and ten days. However, everyone is different, and with a variety of factors affecting each addiction, there is no absolute time frame for detox.

It is important to remember that detoxing alone does not cure addiction. Targeting the root causes of your addiction and continuing treatment after your detox is a vital part of understanding yourself and the key to ongoing sobriety.

How drug detox can break the addiction cycle

If you have been abusing drugs for some time, you will need to break the cycle of addiction before you can move on to treat any other part of your illness. The reality is that detox is just the first part of the process. Drug rehabilitation and aftercare must follow if you are to recover permanently.

The first step of the process is quitting the drug to which you have been addicted. You must make the decision to stop and then wait until your body eliminates all remaining chemicals or toxins that have built up over time.

In the past, you may have tried to quit drugs, but when you began experiencing withdrawals, your first instinct was to go right back to the drug to make you feel better. With a drug detox, you will have to ride out the unpleasant and uncomfortable withdrawals as this is the only way to break the cycle of addiction for good.

It is important to bear in mind that while you may feel quite unwell, particularly in the first few days of the detox, you are going to eventually feel better. The symptoms will pass, and you will then be able to get your life back on track.

Misconceptions about drug detox

I can’t be addicted to something that my doctor prescribed…

A common misconception when it comes to drug use is that legal substances cannot be addictive. Unfortunately, however, the legal status of a substance is irrelevant when it comes to the danger of withdrawal symptoms. Prescription medication, for example, though used to alleviate pain or as a therapeutic tool, can still be very addictive. If you are unsure which drugs can result in withdrawal symptoms after prolonged use, the answer is essentially any addictive substance.

If I agree to a detox centre, I won’t be allowed to make my own decisions anymore…

Placing your welfare into someone else’s hands can be very intimidating, and it can feel as though your freedom is being taken away. At Primrose Lodge, we wish to stress that, as soon as you feel well enough, you are free to participate in any activities or events taking place within the facility as you see fit.

I am not a hardcore user, so I don’t need to go to a detox facility…

Wherever you are in your journey, it is important to remember that every addiction has the potential to escalate to something far more severe. The sooner that it is addressed, the sooner you can begin rebuilding your life, completely free from the substance.

I will be forced to go cold turkey and stop taking drugs immediately…

A lot of people at our facilities have said they were afraid to enter for this precise reason. However, by coming to a detox facility, the opposite is true. When choosing a medical drug detox, you are given time to slowly adjust to an alcohol or drug-free lifestyle with the help of healthcare professionals. This involves 24/7 care, medical monitoring, and drug tapering, which provides the most comfortable approach to withdrawal.

Drug-Detox-Medical-Monitoring

Starting drug detox treatment

At Primrose Lodge, we integrate the most advanced clinical, medical, and holistic treatments to ensure your comfort and safety during drug detox. By providing a serene environment that is both private and discrete, your comfort is assured, and there are specific processes in place to calm and ease your symptoms. If you are struggling to overcome drug addiction, you are not the only one, and you do not have to be alone on this path.

Get in touch with us at Primrose Lodge today to start your treatment journey and make the first steps towards recovery.

Frequently asked questions

Which is the hardest drug to detox from?
While every drug can come with different withdrawal symptoms that each individual will experience differently, it is typically recognised that benzodiazepines and opioids are some of the hardest drugs to detox from. However, while these drugs can be particularly uncomfortable to withdraw from alone, this process can be made far easier with the appropriate medical assistance.
What happens after drug detox?
After drug detox, it is vital that you take measures to tackle your psychological dependence, as breaking a physical reliance is not enough to cure addiction. Typically, it is advised that you engage with treatment at a rehabilitation centre, well-equipped to provide a medically assisted detox alongside comprehensive treatments to ensure long-lasting recovery.
close help
Who am I contacting?

Calls and contact requests are answered by admissions at

UK Addiction Treatment Group.

We look forward to helping you take your first step.

0203 553 9263