Detox is the first step — and for most people, the hardest one. It is the moment when the body clears a substance it has grown dependent on, and it does not happen comfortably or safely without the right support around you.
At Numa Recovery Centers, we provide medically supervised drug detox in Los Angeles for people who are ready to stop — and who want to do it in an environment that is safe, private, and built by people who understand recovery from the inside.
We have three locations in Los Angeles. Our clinical team is available around the clock. And we treat the whole person — not just the withdrawal.
What Is Medical Drug Detox?
Medical detox is the process of clearing drugs from the body under the supervision of licensed physicians and clinical staff. It is not simply waiting out withdrawal. It is an active, medically managed process in which symptoms are monitored, complications are prevented, and medication is used where appropriate to reduce discomfort and protect your safety.
For many substances — opioids, benzodiazepines, stimulants — withdrawal carries genuine medical risk. Seizures, severe dehydration, cardiac complications, and psychiatric emergencies can all arise during unsupervised detox. Medical detox exists to manage these risks with clinical precision while giving your body the conditions it needs to stabilize.
At Numa, detox is not the end of the process — it is the beginning. Once the body has stabilized, we move into residential treatment and therapeutic programming that addresses the underlying causes of substance use, not just the physical dependence.
Who Needs Drug Detox?
Drug detox is appropriate for anyone who has developed a physical dependence on a substance — meaning the body has adapted to the drug’s presence and produces withdrawal symptoms when use stops or is significantly reduced.
Physical dependence develops across a wide range of substances and use patterns. You do not need to have been using for years, or to have lost everything, to need medical detox. You need it when stopping on your own is unsafe, when prior attempts without support have failed, or when withdrawal symptoms have become too severe to manage alone.
Common indicators that medical detox is the right first step:
- Prior withdrawal seizures or severe withdrawal episodes
- Daily or near-daily use of opioids, benzodiazepines, or stimulants
- Multiple failed attempts to stop without clinical support
- Co-occurring mental health conditions that complicate withdrawal
- Physical health concerns requiring monitoring during detox
- Polydrug use involving substances with overlapping withdrawal timelines
If you are unsure whether you need detox, our admissions team can help you assess your situation — confidentially and without obligation.
Drug Detox Programs at Numa Recovery Centers
We provide specialized detox protocols for a range of substances. Each program is medically supervised, individually tailored, and designed to transition seamlessly into residential treatment.
Heroin Detox
Heroin withdrawal is intensely uncomfortable and, for dependent users, nearly impossible to complete without medical support. The acute phase peaks within 36–72 hours and produces severe muscle pain, gastrointestinal distress, insomnia, and anxiety. Our heroin detox program provides 24/7 medical monitoring, medication-assisted withdrawal management including buprenorphine where clinically indicated, and seamless transition into residential treatment for the psychological work that follows physical stabilization.
Methadone Detox
Methadone’s extended half-life produces one of the longest and most grueling withdrawal timelines of any opioid — symptoms can peak at days 4–10 and persist in acute form for 3 weeks or more. Our methadone detox program is designed specifically for this extended timeline, with individually calibrated tapering protocols and clinical oversight from our medical director throughout the process.
Opioid and Opiate Detox
Whether the dependence involves prescription painkillers, fentanyl, or other opioids, our opioid detox program provides medically supervised withdrawal management using evidence-based protocols. We address the full spectrum of opioid dependence — from prescription opioid misuse to illicit opioid use — with individualized care that accounts for the specific substance, duration of use, and co-occurring health concerns.
Prescription Drug Detox
Dependence on prescription medications — including benzodiazepines, sleep medications, and stimulants — is more common than most people expect, and withdrawal from some of these substances carries serious medical risk. Benzodiazepine withdrawal in particular can cause life-threatening seizures without proper medical management. Our prescription drug detox program provides the clinical oversight that safe withdrawal from these substances requires.
What Happens During Drug Detox at Numa?
Intake and Assessment
Every client begins with a comprehensive clinical assessment that evaluates substance use history, physical health status, mental health history, and current withdrawal symptoms. This assessment drives the individualized treatment plan developed before your first night — nothing is generic, and nothing is assumed.
Our admissions team guides you through the intake process with care and without judgment. Many clients arrive having never been to treatment before. We know what that feels like, and we make the process as clear and as manageable as possible.
Medical Stabilization
Once admitted, our clinical team begins active withdrawal management. This may include FDA-approved medications to reduce withdrawal symptom severity, manage cravings, and prevent complications — administered under direct physician oversight around the clock.
Vital signs, hydration status, psychiatric symptoms, and withdrawal severity are monitored continuously throughout the acute phase. If a medical situation requires a higher level of care, we coordinate hospital transfer immediately.
Comfort and Support
Medical stabilization is necessary. Comfort matters too. Our facilities are designed to support rest, recovery, and human dignity during one of the most vulnerable experiences a person can go through. Private rooms, nutritious meals, and clinical staff who understand recovery personally — not just professionally — create an environment that makes the process as bearable as possible.
Transition to Residential Treatment
Detox addresses physical dependence. It does not address the reasons a person used, the coping patterns that developed around use, or the psychological and relational dimensions of addiction. These are addressed in residential treatment — and at Numa, the transition from detox to residential is seamless.
Our clinical team begins preparing clients for this transition during detox, so the momentum of commitment is never lost between levels of care.
Co-Occurring Disorders and Dual Diagnosis Detox
Substance use and mental health conditions are deeply intertwined. Anxiety, depression, PTSD, bipolar disorder, and ADHD all commonly co-occur with drug dependence — and in many cases, substance use began as an attempt to manage symptoms of an undiagnosed or undertreated mental health condition.
Treating detox without addressing co-occurring mental health conditions leaves the most significant drivers of substance use unaddressed — and significantly increases the risk of relapse after discharge.
At Numa, co-occurring disorders are assessed at intake and treated concurrently with addiction — not sequentially. Our dual diagnosis approach means your mental health receives clinical attention from day one, not after detox is complete.
Conditions we regularly treat alongside substance use disorder:
- Major depression and persistent depressive disorder
- Anxiety disorders including generalized anxiety, panic disorder, and social anxiety
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Bipolar disorder
- ADHD
- Borderline personality disorder
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
Why Choose Numa Recovery Centers for Drug Detox in Los Angeles?
Founded by People in Recovery
Numa was built by people who have been through addiction and recovery themselves. That is not a marketing claim — it shapes everything about how we operate, from the way our staff speaks to clients on their first day to the culture of honesty and accountability that runs through our programs. We understand what it takes because we have done it.
Three Los Angeles Locations
We operate three locations in Los Angeles — La Brea, 832 Mariposa, and 826 Mariposa — providing accessibility across the city for clients and families. Our flagship location at 826 Mariposa serves as our primary point of contact for new admissions.
Medical Director with Addiction Medicine Expertise
Dr. Ariella Morrow, MD — our Medical Director — is Board Certified in Internal Medicine with a Master’s degree in Public Health and specializes in addiction medicine in Los Angeles. Her clinical oversight ensures that our detox protocols reflect current evidence-based practice and that complex cases receive the physician-level attention they require.
24/7 Clinical Support
Withdrawal does not keep business hours. Our clinical team is present around the clock — not on call from home, but on-site and available throughout the night. If something changes at 3am, someone is there.
Custom Treatment Plans
No two people arrive at detox with the same history, the same substance, the same co-occurring conditions, or the same goals. Our treatment plans are built individually — not selected from a menu of standard protocols — and adjusted continuously as the clinical picture evolves.
Luxury Setting Without Compromise on Clinical Care
Our facilities are private, well-appointed, and designed for healing. Clients do not choose between clinical quality and a comfortable environment at Numa. They get both.
Seamless Continuum of Care
From medical detox through residential treatment and aftercare, our programs are designed as a connected continuum — not a series of handoffs between unrelated providers. Clients who complete detox at Numa step directly into our residential program with the same clinical team already familiar with their history and their goals.
Insurance and Admissions
Most major insurance plans cover medical drug detox. Our admissions team verifies coverage quickly — typically within minutes — so you have a clear picture of your options before making any decisions.
We work with most major insurance providers and offer self-pay options for clients who prefer privacy or whose coverage does not apply.
The admissions process is straightforward:
- Call or contact us — our team answers 24 hours a day
- Insurance verification — we check your coverage immediately, no obligation
- Clinical assessment — a brief intake assessment determines the appropriate level of care
- Admission — most clients are admitted within 24 hours of first contact
There is no pressure, no obligation, and no judgment. The call is confidential.
Call Numa Recovery Centers at (844) 748-4455 — available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does drug detox take in Los Angeles?
The duration of medical detox varies by substance, severity of dependence, and individual physiology. Short-acting opioid detox typically requires 5–7 days of acute medical management. Methadone and benzodiazepine detox can extend 2–3 weeks or longer depending on the dose and duration of use. Our clinical team provides a realistic timeline based on your specific situation during the intake assessment.
Is drug detox in Los Angeles covered by insurance?
Most major insurance plans cover medical detox when clinical necessity is established. This includes many PPO plans, some HMO plans, and Medicaid in applicable cases. Our admissions team verifies your specific coverage quickly and clearly — before you make any commitment.
What is the difference between detox and rehab?
Detox addresses physical dependence — it clears the substance from the body and manages withdrawal symptoms safely. Rehab — specifically residential treatment — addresses the psychological, behavioral, and relational dimensions of addiction through therapy, skills building, and peer support. Both are necessary for lasting recovery. Detox without residential treatment produces high relapse rates because the underlying drivers of addiction remain unaddressed.
Can I detox from drugs at home?
For some substances and some use patterns, home detox is possible with close medical monitoring. For opioids at high dependence levels and benzodiazepines, home detox carries serious medical risk — including seizures and cardiovascular complications — that make clinical supervision necessary. Our admissions team can help you assess whether home management is safe for your specific situation.
What drugs require medical detox?
Substances that most consistently require medical supervision for safe detox include opioids (heroin, fentanyl, prescription painkillers, methadone), benzodiazepines, and stimulants at high dependence levels. Polydrug use — dependence on multiple substances simultaneously — also typically requires inpatient medical management given the complexity of overlapping withdrawal timelines.
Will I be given medication during drug detox?
Where clinically indicated, yes. FDA-approved medications are used to reduce withdrawal symptom severity, prevent complications, and manage cravings. These decisions are made individually by our medical team based on your specific substance, history, and clinical presentation — never as a standard protocol applied to everyone.
What happens after drug detox?
At Numa, detox transitions directly into residential treatment — a structured therapeutic program addressing the psychological and behavioral dimensions of addiction through individual therapy, group therapy, family systems work, and evidence-based modalities including CBT and DBT. Our clinical team begins planning this transition during detox so the momentum of your commitment carries forward without interruption.
How do I get admitted to Numa's drug detox program in Los Angeles?
Call our admissions team at (844) 748-4455 — available 24 hours a day. We verify insurance immediately, conduct a brief clinical assessment, and in most cases can admit within 24 hours of first contact. The process is confidential and carries no obligation.
Medically reviewed by Dr. Ariella Morrow, MD, Medical Director, Numa Recovery Centers. Board Certified in Internal Medicine, MPH. Last reviewed: August 2026
References:
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). (2015). Detoxification and Substance Abuse Treatment. Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) Series 45.
- Kosten TR, O’Connor PG. (2003). Management of Drug and Alcohol Withdrawal. New England Journal of Medicine, 348(18), 1786–1795.
- American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM). (2020). ASAM Clinical Practice Guideline on Alcohol Withdrawal Management.
- National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). (2018). Principles of Drug Addiction Treatment: A Research-Based Guide. Third Edition.