Detoxification is the physiological or medicinal removal of toxic substances from a living organism.
Clinicians at Sunny Trust use drug detoxification in order to reduce or relieve withdrawal symptoms while helping an addicted individual adjust to living without drug use. Drug detoxification does not aim to treat addiction but rather represents an early step within long-term treatment. Detoxification may be achieved drug-free or may use medications as an aspect of treatment. Often drug detoxification and treatment will occur in a community program that lasts several months and takes place in a residential setting rather than in a medical center. Drug detoxification varies depending on the location of treatment, but most detox centers provide treatment to avoid the symptoms of physical withdrawal from alcohol and from other drugs.