A detox center is a facility that aids individuals that are addicted to illegal drugs, pharmaceutical drugs, and alcohol. Alcohol abuse has always been at the top of the drug abuse charts; however, other drugs are now making their way on the list including prescription drugs. The use of pharmaceutical drugs, other than as prescribed, jumped a huge forty four percent from 2004 to 2006 among patients admitted to treatment centers throughout the United States.

In June of 2009, the United States Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration published a study that indicated one in five Americans between the ages of eighteen and twenty-five required drug or alcohol abuse treatment during 2008. This is a total of around 7 million individuals. In 2007, there are around 4 million individuals of all ages admitted to drug or alcohol abuse treatment centers.

Today, there are several different types of treatments available for drug and alcohol abuse. In the majority of cases, all include detox centers or suggest a person be admitted to a detox center prior to beginning their program. Whether a person receives detoxification at a hospital or a specially designed detox center, this is often the first step in receiving help for addiction.

Detox centers are needed for individuals that are abusing such drugs as cocaine, heroin, meth, Xanax, Ambien, Oxycontin, and alcohol. The main reason is all of these drugs are highly addictive while leaving behind all kinds of toxins that keep the craving prevalent in the body and mind.

A drug and alcohol detox center helps those that are addicted to drugs or alcohol remove all the toxins from their bodies as well as the drug itself. Detoxification prepares a person for treatment, counseling, and recovery. Around 20 percent of all individuals need inpatient detox centers care whereas others can manage on an outpatient basis. The main reason that some individuals need to be admitted to a detox center is that the withdrawal symptoms are often life threatening.

A detox center can help individuals cope with withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety, rapid heartbeat, sweating, nausea, vomiting, tremors, panic attacks, hallucinations, depression, and convulsions. It can take several days for a person to completely detox and rid their body of the toxins and if done at home without the help of a professional, many addicts turn back to their addiction. A detox center is very helpful in the recovery process if a person truly wants to escape the trap of drug and alcohol abuse.

Any detox center or detox program will need professional supervision to ensure that unfavorable effects are noticed immediately and treated. Some detox centers will use various medications to help relief some of the withdrawal symptoms. The major concern with medications in outpatient treatment is the lack of supervision; this is the reason that most patients are admitted to detox centers.

If you are a loved one has a drug or alcohol addiction problem, you should discuss the situation with your doctor. He/she will able to refer you to a detox center that will help with withdrawal symptoms.