Orange County Drug & Alcohol Detox
About Our Medical Detox Program
Orange County Medical Detox at Laguna Treatment Center
Laguna Treatment Center is an inpatient medical detox and rehab facility in Orange County, CA. Our 48-bed medical detox facility is a licensed chemical dependency recovery hospital (CDRH), allowing us to accept more complex detox cases than standard rehab centers.
What Is Medical Detox for Drugs & Alcohol?
During medical detox, patients rid their systems of drugs and alcohol under the professional supervision of nurses and doctors.
Medical detox involves around-the-clock care, access to addiction specialists, and the as-needed use of medications—all of which help ensure the process is as safe and comfortable as possible.
What Happens During Medical Detox for Drugs or Alcohol?
Upon admission to our Orange County detox facility, patients undergo a thorough biopsychosocial evaluation, where clinicians assess their mental, physical, and social health. This helps us develop an effective, customized treatment plan that best serves the patient’s individual needs.
As needed, patients at our Southern California detox facility receive individual therapy and meet with attending physicians.
Patient safety is our top priority. Depending on the substance of abuse, our treatment center can dispense various medicines to help ease and manage the symptoms of acute withdrawal.
This includes certain prescriptions (e.g., Ativan or Valium for alcohol withdrawal, or Suboxone for opioid withdrawal). These medicines can help reduce cravings, relieve symptoms, and prevent major complications.
How Long Is Drug & Alcohol Detox?
The average length of medical detox at our Orange County treatment center is 7–9 days but may be longer (10+ days) for more complex cases, such as withdrawal from benzodiazepines.
However, the drug and alcohol detox process is different for everyone, and the timeframe will vary depending on which substance(s) a person has been using and for how long. Generally, the duration and severity of withdrawal may be longer and more intense if someone has been using drugs or alcohol at higher amounts for an extended period of time.1
Patients withdrawing from alcohol, benzodiazepines, and opioids are among those who tend to have the most severe withdrawal symptoms and often directed to some form of supervised medical detox by their doctors to avoid unnecessary pain and prevent medical emergencies.1
What Happens After Medical Detox?
Medical detox is often just the first step in a full continuum of rehab care. After detox, there are multiple ways patients can stay in treatment.
At our Orange County detox facility, most patients continue addiction treatment in our residential drug and alcohol rehab program. This makes for a seamless extension of the work they’ve already been doing in detox and the classes they’ve been attending.
The recommended duration of rehab is different for everyone and varies based on a person’s individual needs. Some people may want to commit to a month-long rehab program, while others may need a longer-term addiction treatment program.
Outpatient and sober living services are available at many of our sister facilities in Nevada, Texas, Florida, Mississippi, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts.
What to Expect: Average Daily Schedule in Medical Detox
*Note: This is just a sample schedule. Daily programming is subject to change.
At our Orange County detox facility, patients are expected to engage in our programming and recovery curriculum as much as possible. This includes attending meals three times a day. (Staff will make an exception if someone is too sick to attend scheduled meals.)
Group sessions led by licensed or certified instructors vary in theme and approach. In addition to those mentioned above, topics may include the following:
- Nutrition
- Relapse prevention and refusal skills
- Family dynamics and support
- Triggers and anxiety
- Emotion regulation and coping skills
- Time management and healthy sober activities
- Mood disorders
- Resilience and protective factors
- Distress tolerance
- De-escalation skills
- Journaling and self-regulation
- Grief and loss
- Coping with shame and guilt
- Anger management
- and self-care
Upon admission, patients will be required to temporarily check in phones and electronics for a mandatory 5-day therapeutic hold that begins the first day after admission.
Patients may get their phones back at the end of programming on day 5, if they are following facility policies, treatment requirements, and attending all groups and scheduled appointments. Cell phone and other electronic use is only permitted during free time and never during groups.
Medication is dispensed 2–4 times a day, as needed. Prior to each distribution, staff members check patient vitals, and patients fill out forms indicating their anxiety and pain levels.
Patients must be cleared by a doctor to use our gym and participate in other recreational activities. This usually occurs once patients have completed detox and are ready to move into residential treatment.
How Much Does Drug & Alcohol Detox Cost in Southern California?
In Southern California, the cost of drug and alcohol detox varies greatly depending on numerous factors.
These variables include:
- Location.
- Duration.
- Whether detox is covered by insurance and if the facility is in-network.
At our Orange County detox facility, we offer different ways to pay for addiction treatment. Our admissions navigators are available 24/7 at 435-255-7054 to answer payment-related questions and give you a better estimate of cost.
Does Health Insurance Cover Medical Detox in California?
Yes, in California, most health insurance plans cover medical detox. Thanks to recent expansions in mental health benefits through federal laws like the Affordable Care Act, addiction treatment is more accessible and affordable than ever before.
At Laguna, our proximity to major Southern California cities like San Diego and Los Angeles allows us to work with many of the state’s major insurers. Our Orange County detox facility is currently in-network with the following carriers:
To learn more about using health insurance to pay for detox and find out whether we accept your insurance at our facility, fill out this simple and secure online form. We’ll email you back with details about your benefits and next steps in the medical detox and rehab admissions process.
We know the idea of going through detox can be frightening—but you don’t have to do it alone. We are here to help you through this critical first step and every other step that follows.
Call us at 435-255-7054 to get started today.
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to common questions about our medical detox program at Laguna Treatment Center.
Patients that require medical detox are admitted to a designated floor of our detox hospital in Laguna, with high staff-to-patient ratios, semi-private rooms, bathrooms, snacks, drinks, and other amenities.
Yes, private rooms are available for an additional cost.
All medical detox patients attend the same full-time, evidence-based programming offered in our residential addiction treatment program, beginning on Day 1, provided they feel well enough to attend.
At our Southern California detox facility, medications are a key aspect of our ability to provide a safe and comfortable detox experience. Depending on the substance of abuse and level of intoxication, we can dispense various medicines to help ease and manage the symptoms of acute withdrawal.
Over-the-counter or other “comfort” medicines (e.g., Tylenol, melatonin, antihistamines, and anti-nausea treatments like Zofran) are also commonly used in both mild and severe cases.
As a licensed chemical dependency recovery hospital, our drug and alcohol detox center in Orange County, CA, is uniquely equipped to handle most medical detox cases. This includes accepting patients who have a mental illness that is secondary to a substance use disorder (SUD).
Unfortunately, we are unable to admit patients with primary psych disorders, such as eating disorders and active psychosis. We also cannot accept patients on dialysis.
If you’re wondering whether you are a good candidate for our medical detox program, call us at to speak with one of our admission navigators.
Our caring and expert staff will discuss your options and work with you and your doctor to determine an appropriate course of care.
Addiction is a chronic disease that involves many areas of a person’s life. The detox process helps mentally and physically prepare patients to start comprehensive rehabilitation, which can then address the issues that underlie and trigger SUD.2
Rehab takes place in different settings, including inpatient or residential, partial hospitalization, and outpatient programs. Patients typically start with a more intensive program and step down to less-intensive programs as they progress along the path to recovery. However, patients can also step up to higher levels of care if they find they need more support.
- Center for Substance Abuse Treatment. (2015, October). Detoxification and Substance Abuse Treatment Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) Series, No. 45. Rockville, MD: Center for Substance Abuse Treatment.
- National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2020, September 18). Principles of effective treatment.
- National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2018, July 2). Media guide: glossary.
- Center for Substance Abuse Treatment. (2013, December). Substance Abuse: Clinical Issues in Intensive Outpatient Treatment. Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) Series 47. Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
- American Psychological Association. (n.d.). APA dictionary of psychological terms: automatic thoughts.
- National Institutes of Health. (n.d.). Dictionary of cancer terms.
Detox Done Right
Medical Detox
Often the first step in an addiction treatment program, medical detox can jumpstart a person’s recovery and help them prepare for more comprehensive rehab.
Residential Rehab
For those who have already completed detox, our residential or inpatient programs offer the highest level of care to help people maintain their recovery.
Admissions
Getting admitted to one of our quality programs is simple and easy. Our admissions navigators are available 24/7 to answer questions and review your options. Call us at 435-255-7054 today.