Have substances taken control of your life? Are you looking for a way to gain that control back?

If this is something weighing heavily on your mind these days, you’re not alone. In 2022, 234,000 people in Kentucky received substance use disorder treatment. Many drugs/substances come with unbearable periods of withdrawal, and if you or someone you love is experiencing that, detox is almost always necessary. This crisis rarely occurs when it is convenient, so SUN solves unmet needs by offering 24/7 crisis care. We’ll get you started with drug detox whenever you decide to take that next step.

What We Treat: Substance Use Disorders

A substance use disorder is when someone frequently consumes a substance to the point where it impacts their lives, such as health, relationships, and quality of life. Substance use disorders can also be life-threatening and have a high risk of overdose. Any substance can result in the development of a substance use disorder. Common ones may include heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, or benzodiazepines, but they are not limited to those substances.

Some signs of a substance use disorder may include:

Consuming more of the substance over time
Having cravings for the substance
Spending time obtaining or consuming the substance
Not being able to stop using the substance despite an effort
Developing a tolerance for the substance
Giving up on activities to consume the substance
Experiencing withdrawal symptoms after several hours without the substance

How We Treat: Drug Detox at SUN Behavioral Health Kentucky

Drug detox is a service that allows people to clear substances from their bodies while they experience withdrawal symptoms, intending to seek recovery from a substance use disorder. Withdrawal symptoms for many substances can be dangerous, so attending a drug detox minimizes these dangers. People who are undergoing a drug detox will typically experience the following components: evaluation, stabilization, and fostering your entry into treatment.

Evaluation will involve a comprehensive assessment of your medical and psychological conditions and a screening for substances in your body. We will also work with you, your doctors, and any other assessments or treatments you have had. This evaluation allows us to determine the best treatment plan for your needs.

Stabilization helps you achieve a place where you can become stable and fully supported. This process may include medications, familiarizing you with treatment and recovery, or a combination of both. What occurs during the stabilization component of detoxification will depend on your evaluation and what you and your medical team decide is the right plan.

The final component, fostering your entry into treatment, prepares you to continue your treatment and recovery journey. This component introduces you to the importance of further treatment for a substance use disorder.

What to Expect From Drug Detox at SUN Behavioral Health Kentucky

Our substance use disorder treatment often begins with inpatient detox. We offer this service to adults 18 and older and will work with you, your doctors, your treatment history, and any assessments you have taken to determine the best care plan for your needs. Detox allows you to experience the symptoms of withdrawal in a safe and secure environment.

If you experience any complications during your detox, medical professionals will be available to help you. While attending inpatient detox at SUN Behavioral Health Kentucky, you can find stability in your life before returning home. The length of stay during detox will typically depend on the substance you are recovering from and your specific needs during detox.

Inpatient Treatment After Detox

Following detox, many people might need additional support or might feel unsafe returning home and to their daily responsibilities. Inpatient treatment can provide extra stability following detox while starting the process of treating you for a substance use disorder. During inpatient treatment, you will begin formal treatment for your substance use disorder and any co-occurring mental health conditions you might have. Generally, people will stay at our facility in inpatient treatment for 7-14 days before they move on to an outpatient program.

Testimonials

				I work very closely with this agency in more ways then one. I have sent and picked up people from here, and they have seemed to be in a better place for the community then when they got there. Brad Tolle is awesome. Thank u all for all you do.							
Robin L.
				SUN has helped many of my friends start their journey in recovery! I have worked with SUN in many aspects to help those that are suffering from mental health and substance use disorders. Top notch team, willing to go above and beyond!							
Ian W.
				I was sent here from Louisville as there were no beds available. I cannot say enough nice things about the facility and their staff. They genuinely care about their patients and strive to help you meet your goal. Billie Jo Ballard							
Jodie B.
				SUN staff is very professional and prompt with communication. SUN clinicians are knowledgeable and puts the patient first. SUN is my top choice for inpatient behavioral health in KY.							
Lindsey T.
				I've worked extensively with SUN's intake team as an outside provider with people we cant help and they've always been quick to answer and taken the time for the patient to contact us for services we can help with							
Kyle R.
				So I stayed at 🌞 for a week and a half and I will tell you this it really helped me so thank sun for being there when I needed you most so much love to the program sincerely Kenneth Webster							
Kenny W.
				The therapy was jst amazing for what I needed and jst as amazing on things I didn't know I needed! Vicki is a genius and helped me so much!							
Jeannie B.
				Thank you for the love and compassion for others. This place has been a safe haven for me and I appreciate the compassion shown.							
Jennie H.
				I was taking care of & had mental health therapy . I recamemd the services to anyone . That needs help . Just have to be dedicated to get help . & Follow sujetions							
Gregory T.
				From a provider's perspective,  SUN Behavioral Health makes it easy to have children assessed either through mobile crises assessments or through having a child assessed directly at their facility.  Their response has always been timely and helpful.  I have also appreciated the collaboration of care they provide with mutual patients.							
Lisa B.
				Super nice staff and I had a great experience and learned a lot about my situation and issues.  Would highly recommend them!!!							
Brian V.
				The facility is brand new and the staff at SUN are a Fantastic team working hard to care for the patients and addressing the needs of the community.							
Zach S.
				Sun behavioral health is something Northern Kentucky has needed for a long time. Staff are very compassionate. And they are very caring. They take care of their patients you're very professional way. I think that their standards are very high.							
Letta R.
				Being active in the AA community in NKY, SUN has brought options, partners and hope to many who have not had help before. Speaking for many members, we thank SUN for offering SERVICES.							
Matt P.
				Sun Hospital was very easy to work with. They were quick to respond and work with a client that was medically fragile. Very professional and responsive immediately. Seeing positive results.							
Margo F.
				The compassion, the caring, the helpfulness, the unbelievable niceness of every person, whom I came in contact with, has truly touched my heart. What an  outstanding staff!							
Robin A.
				Super responsive and helpful in getting kiddo's assessed. Katie has been great in ensuring mobile assessments are available when needed and helping to navigate the admission process.							
Samantha A.

Outpatient Programming at SUN Behavioral Health Kentucky

After you have completed inpatient, the next step for many people is to continue their treatment for a substance use disorder with outpatient programming. At SUN Behavioral Health Kentucky, we offer two outpatient programming levels: partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient programming. We do not provide traditional outpatient programming at SUN Behavioral Health Kentucky. How long you spend in each outpatient program depends on your treatment plan and progress. Everyone progresses through treatment at a different pace, and no two people will experience treatment the same way.

Our partial hospitalization program (PHP) is our highest outpatient level of care. This level of care continues your treatment following inpatient care as you form connections and discover skills that will allow you to find recovery. PHP runs from 9 AM until 2:30 PM, Monday through Friday. You will also participate in art or recreational therapy 3 days a week.

The lowest outpatient level we offer at SUN Behavioral Health Kentucky is our intensive outpatient program (IOP). This program meets less during the week, allowing you to transition back to your responsibilities while you continue to receive treatment and build skills and techniques. Our IOP program runs from 9 AM until 12 PM, Monday through Friday. We also offer an evening IOP group from 5:30 PM until 8:30 PM, 3 days a week. This evening group works best for those who work during the day or are otherwise unable to attend treatment during the day but can attend treatment in the evening.

Drug Detoxification Timeline

Detox is the process of naturally allowing your body to fully remove a substance or substances from its system. Different substances have their own timelines for detoxification because they often have separate half-lives. A half-life is how long it takes for the body to remove half of the dose of the substance.

The symptoms you feel during detox are your body’s response to adjusting to not having the substance in your system anymore. This is commonly known as withdrawal. Below is a chart of a few types of substances, including when the withdrawal symptoms will begin, how long they will occur, and where they are at their peak intensity.

It is essential to know that this timeline depends on the specific substance you took, how long you have been taking it, and how much of it you have taken. The above chart is the average length of time people have experienced withdrawals for that substance type. Some specific substances may take shorter or longer than the averages listed above. Being honest and discussing concerns with your medical team can give you a more accurate picture of how long detox and withdrawal will take for you.

Drug Withdrawals

Just like how different substances can have individual timelines for detox, substances can also have varying symptoms. Most people do not experience all of the symptoms possible for a given substance. They also don’t always experience the same combination. For example, if you and a friend both took the same opioids, you might not both have the same combination of withdrawal symptoms. You might have anxiety, insomnia, and muscle cramps, while your friend has insomnia, nausea, and diarrhea. Below are some of the most common substances and their symptoms.

Common opioid withdrawal symptoms:

Anxiety
Insomnia
Hot flushes
Muscle cramps
Nausea
Diarrhea

Common benzodiazepine withdrawal symptoms:

Anxiety
Restlessness
Agitation or irritability
Poor memory or concentration
Muscle aches
Insomnia

Common stimulant withdrawal symptoms:

Agitation and irritability
Depression
Increased sleeping
Increased appetite
Muscle aches
Paranoia

How Detox Helps with Withdrawal Symptoms

Withdrawal symptoms are often very uncomfortable for the people who are experiencing them. However, by attending a detox program, medical professionals will monitor you frequently, prescribe you medications as needed, or provide you with things to do that will make the process of withdrawal more manageable and comfortable.

Dangers of Detoxing at Home

Several complications can arise during withdrawal, and having medical staff available to provide you with support and medical treatment can lower the chances of those complications worsening. In some instances, you have a risk of experiencing symptoms like seizures and hallucinations, which are best managed with the help of trained medical professionals.

When you decide to detox at home, you have a higher risk of returning to use than you do when you are detoxing in a detox facility. If you return to use after not consuming the substance for a while and take the same amount you would before you started the detox, you run the risk of overdosing. This is because your body is no longer used to consuming that amount of the substance anymore.

Start Your Journey to Recovery Today at SUN Behavioral Health Kentucky

Taking the first step in your decision to leave substances behind can seem terrifying. If you have a long history with substances, you might be uncertain of who you are when you don’t have them in your life. However, taking that first step can often provide you with a sense of freedom and security. Recovery is a journey that may have many ups and downs, but it is worth it.

Kentucky Drug Detox Treatment

SUN Behavioral Health Kentucky solves unmet needs in Erlanger, KY. If you have a mental health concern in addition to a substance use disorder, we can also treat co-occurring disorders. Call us at 859-429-5188 today if you have any questions or wish to start your substance use disorder recovery. SUN Behavioral Health solves unmet needs.

859-429-5188

Drug Detox