If someone is getting outpatient detox they must go to the facility helping them with their detox every day or at minimum 5 days a week in most situations. Outpatient detox services are either done in the daytime or evening, which makes it ideal for someone who must keep a normal work or school routine. Certain facilities may offer ways to receive detox treatment in either normal outpatient or outpatient day treatment, to augment detox services and prevent relapse.
An average time people remain in outpatient detox is approximately a week. Some programs use medication assisted detox methods while others offer drug free detox services. There are times when medications are needed to avert life-threatening withdrawal symptoms, like with alcohol and benzodiazepine medications where seizures are sometimes an issue. Otherwise, staff at the program help individuals manage their emotional, psychological, and physical symptoms of cravings and withdrawal until they are detoxified and balanced.
While outpatient detoxification in Nova is more flexible for obvious reasons, a very serious drawback is that people are at a greater risk of relapse due to the access they maintain to drugs. Ideally, individuals will then go into a log-term or short-term recovery facility to address the causes of their addiction once outpatient or inpatient detoxification is complete.