Detoxification

We understand that the thought of living somewhere new for addiction treatment can be a scary one, let alone the added worry about what will happen and how you’ll feel during a detoxification.

Our team of experienced general nurses, nurse prescribers, mental health nurses and health care assistants really know what they are doing as many of them have provided medical care at Broadway Lodge for over 10 years. So rest assured that you will be supported by friendly, specialist clinicians who will be by your side day and night.

What is detoxification?

Physical dependence occurs when a person becomes tolerant to the effects of alcohol or a substance, and experiences unpleasant physical withdrawal symptoms when use of the substance stops. Detoxification is a medically supervised procedure that enables a person to overcome their physical dependence on a particular substance.

Not everyone who comes to Broadway Lodge will require a detox, but if you’ve become physically dependent on alcohol, or drugs such as heroin, codeine or other opiates, benzodiazepines or addictive prescribed medication then a medically managed detox within a specialist facility medically staffed 24/7, like Broadway Lodge, is the safest way to allow your body to adjust back. Other substances such as ketamine and legal highs do not produce physical dependence so don’t require a supervised detox but our clinicians will be available to support you if you do feel any symptoms as a result of stopping these substances.

What can I be detoxed from at Broadway Lodge?

alcohol
opiates including prescribed substitute medication (methadone, buprenorphine/subutex)
benzodiazepines (prescribed and illicit use)
prescribed medication e.g. pain relief

The detox duration depends on what is being consumed, the longevity and severity of the misuse and your health. An alcohol detox can usually be completed within two weeks. Detox from other drugs/prescription medication can take from one to four weeks, sometimes more. Our clinicians will be able to determine the length of detox once they know all the details.

Former client testimonial

“The detox at Broadway Lodge was the best that I’ve ever done. I felt quite stable and really, really safe in my detox which was important to me, particularly as a vulnerable woman. The level of support that I encountered was second to none. My treatment felt tailor made – all of my needs were met emotionally and in therapy. The love, care and understanding – there’s not enough words of gratitude that I could give to Broadway Lodge.”

Detox at Broadway Lodge

What happens when I arrive?

When you arrive at Broadway Lodge you’ll be met by a member of our medical team who will guide you to your en-suite room which is where you’ll stay for the duration of your detox. This will be in our five-bedroom medical suite called the Gordon Beard Unit which is located right next to the main house. One of our clinicians will settle you into your new room and when you’re ready, they will discuss your plan of care with you. A staff member will help you to unpack and you will be able to relax in your bedroom from here. Bedrooms in the Gordon Beard Unit are twin occupancy so you may be asked to share a room with a peer of the same sex for all or part of your detox.

Nurses will continually monitor your health and prescribe appropriate detox medication following approved guidelines. Usually, medication will be reduced gradually from the initial dose until the detox is complete. Once the substitute medication has stopped being administered, you will still have on-going access to medical support throughout the rest of your stay at Broadway Lodge.

What facilities do clients have access to during detoxification?

Each bedroom in the Gordon Beard Unit has WiFi access, so you’ll be able to use your phone (at permitted times) to keep in touch with family and friends and spend time using any other media device you bring (iPad, MP3 player for example). You will receive three fresh and nutritious meals each day prepared by our in-house catering team and will have access to unlimited fruit, other snacks and hot and cold beverages. There are areas in the grounds outside of the Gordon Beard Unit to relax, reflect and breathe in the fresh air. There is also a lounge in the Gordon Beard Unit where you are able to watch TV, read, chat with peers and do therapeutic work.

A counsellor will regularly check-in with you and you may meet some of your peers staying in the main house before you transition to the therapeutic treatment programme (if you stay for longer than your detox).

Click here to let Charlotte take you on a tour of the Gordon Beard Unit.

Will I receive any therapy during my detox?

You will partake in a therapeutic programme alongside your detox that includes one to one counselling, group therapy, working on Step 1 of the 12 Steps, assignments and workshops to challenge beliefs and help to change your thinking. There are also relaxing treatments available that promote healing and help to calm the mind, including massage and auricular acupuncture.

In addition to therapy, our team will ensure that you have a safe exit plan in place before you leave treatment and will provide lots of follow-on advice including relapse prevention information.

Detoxing from alcohol or a substance is usually the first step of treatment for getting well. Whilst you can come to Broadway Lodge for a detox only, we would always recommend that you stay for a longer period of time afterwards by transitioning to our full therapeutic treatment programme. This is a psychological programme where you will address the underlying causes of your addiction and improve your mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing. In therapeutic treatment you will develop tools to give you the best chance of sustaining your recovery for the long-term. Read more about our therapeutic programme here.

How will I feel during detox?

There is no one uniform answer for this as everyone is different. The withdrawal symptoms you will experience depends on your existing health, what you were using, how much of it you were consuming and for how long the substance misuse has been happening. Unfortunately, there are always unpleasant symptoms that can arise when your body is adjusting to less and less alcohol/the substance previously being used. But at Broadway Lodge, your symptoms will be monitored closely and we’ll prescribe medication to minimise the side effects, adjusting this if necessary, so that you’re as comfortable and safe as possible.

Holistic treatments such as auricular acupuncture and aromatherapy massage are offered to help you to relax and help ease any symptoms being experienced during your detox.

Below are some of the common withdrawal symptoms that people detoxing from certain substances may experience, usually lasting up to 7 days or so.

Symptoms of alcohol withdrawal
In some people, alcohol withdrawal can lead to very serious symptoms such as seizures, tremors, hallucinations, disorientation and delirium tremens (in rare cases). This why we recommend that you withdraw under expert and experienced medical supervision.

Some of the common symptoms of alcohol withdrawal include:
- Anxiety
- Sweating
- Nausea and vomiting
- Insomnia
- Headaches
- Shaking
- Irritability
- Panic attacks
Symptoms of opioid withdrawal
In the community, withdrawal from opiates can take a very long time and often with frequent relapses. It is a common experience in Broadway Lodge that opiate detox can be achieved in a much shorter period of time due to the support of peers together with the expertise and experience of the therapeutic and medical staff.

Some of the common symptoms of opioid withdrawal include:
- Muscle aches
- Agitation
- Insomnia
- Anxiety
- Yawning excessively
- Nausea and vomiting
- Stomach cramps
- Diarrhea
- Irritability
- Runny nose
- Sweating
- Racing heart
- Hypertension
- Fever
- Drug cravings
- Depression
Symptoms of benzodiazepine withdrawal
Some of the common symptoms of benzodiazepine withdrawal include:
- Feeling anxious or on-edge (this may last some weeks)
- Irritability
- Insomnia
- Hypersensitivity
- Restlessness
- Hand tremors
- Headaches
- Sweating
- Racing heart
- Hyperventilation
- Muscle aches and muscle spasms
- Nausea and vomiting
- Panic attacks
- Depression
- Visual disturbances
- Delirium
- Concentration and memory problems
- Feelings of unreality

We'd like to help

Please speak to us for support

We know that it takes a lot of courage to ask for help. We understand how you feel and are here to listen.

We’d love to help so if you’d like some advice for yourself or a loved one or would like to know more about detoxing at Broadway Lodge, please contact us in confidence.

You can call us on 01934 815515, email hello@broadwaylodge.org.uk or message us on the contact page on our website here.

Can I get funding for a detox?
If you are unable to pay for treatment privately then sometimes people are referred for residential treatment by their local drug and alcohol service. Funding isn’t always available but please speak to your local drug and alcohol service for more information about how they may be able to support you. Broadway Lodge cannot help with funding.
I want to come to Broadway Lodge for a detox. How do I proceed?
We would really like to welcome you here – please contact us by calling 01934 815515 or emailing hello@broadwaylodge.org.uk to request a treatment application form. Once this has been completed and returned, a member of our admissions team will contact you to request more information we may need or to arrange a date for an assessment with one of our clinicians to ensure Broadway Lodge will be a suitable treatment centre for you.
Will my family be able to visit?
We allow visitors once you are settled into treatment after a few weeks at Broadway Lodge, so you may be able to see loved ones if you are staying for longer than a detox-only.