Detox is the medical gateway to recovery. Done right, it makes withdrawal safe and clinically supported; done wrong, it can kill (for alcohol and benzodiazepines) or send clients back to use within hours of discharge (for opioids). RECO Intensive's medical detox program in Delray Beach is built for safety and comfort, with the clinical infrastructure to manage every substance withdrawal modern addiction medicine encounters.
What detox looks like at RECO Intensive
Detox at RECO is a residential medical service — you live on-site, 24/7 nursing presence, board-certified medical leadership available around the clock, and the comfort medications that make withdrawal genuinely survivable rather than something to endure. Most clients spend 5-10 days in detox depending on the substance and clinical picture.
What detox covers per substance
- Alcohol detox: benzodiazepine taper protocol (CIWA-driven), seizure prevention, electrolyte and vitamin replacement, monitoring for delirium tremens
- Opioid detox: comfort medications (clonidine, anti-nausea, sleep aids), buprenorphine induction when MAT is part of plan
- Benzodiazepine detox: slow-taper protocol (often weeks, not days), seizure prevention, careful monitoring
- Stimulant detox: sleep medication, cardiovascular monitoring, nutritional restoration, psychiatric support for crash phase
- Polysubstance detox: coordinated multi-substance management, particularly for alcohol + benzo combinations
- Cannabis detox: sleep support, anxiety management, mood stabilization through the withdrawal weeks
How RECO's detox is different
Comfort-first philosophy
Detox doesn't have to be brutal to "work." Our medical protocols are designed to minimize suffering — appropriate medications, attention to sleep, nutritional support, gentle pacing. Comfortable detox is more clinically successful: clients are far less likely to leave AMA when they're not in agony.
Embedded in the broader treatment plan
Detox at RECO isn't a separate service you transfer out of — it's the first phase of a coordinated treatment plan. Your primary therapist meets you in detox. Your treatment plan begins forming during the first days. The transition into residential or PHP is seamless because the same clinical team carries through.
Medical and psychiatric integration
Many clients arrive at detox with complex co-occurring medical and psychiatric conditions. Our medical team handles them in-house — diabetes, hypertension, hepatic dysfunction, cardiac concerns, plus psychiatric medication continuity. No outsourcing of medical complexity.
Who detox at RECO serves
Clients with active alcohol, opioid, benzodiazepine, stimulant, polysubstance, or cannabis use whose physical withdrawal requires medical supervision. Clients with prior failed self-taper attempts. Clients with co-occurring medical conditions complicating withdrawal. Clients transitioning from a hospital ER after an overdose or substance-related event. Anyone whose continued use is medically dangerous.
What happens after detox
Discharge from detox doesn't mean discharge from RECO — clients step directly into residential or PHP-level care for the deeper clinical work. The therapeutic relationship started in detox carries through. Aftercare planning begins in detox; it doesn't wait until later.
Why RECO's approach is different
Many freestanding detox facilities are billing operations — get the client through withdrawal, discharge, and move on. We treat detox as the first chapter of a recovery, not a transactional event. The clinical continuity, medical sophistication, and comfort-first philosophy are why our detox-to-residential transition rate is among the strongest in South Florida addiction treatment.