Can I Leave Detox If I Want To?

Maybe you know you need detox, but there is one thought you cannot get past:

What if I get there and want to leave?

For some people, the idea of entering medical detox brings up a very real fear of losing control. You may be wondering whether someone can stop you from leaving, what happens if you change your mind, or whether walking through the door means you no longer get a say in what happens next.

At Liberty Health Services, if you choose to leave treatment before your planned discharge date, you are able to make that decision.

But leaving detox early is not treated like simply checking out of a hotel.

If you tell us you want to leave, our team will want to understand why, make sure your concerns have been heard, explain any known medical or safety risks, and see whether there is something happening that we may be able to help resolve before you make your final decision.

That conversation matters because sometimes the feeling of “I have to get out of here” can become incredibly strong during detox.

What Happens If I Tell Liberty I Want to Leave Detox?

If you decide that you want to leave Liberty before your scheduled discharge, you will participate in what is commonly referred to as the AMA/ACA process, meaning you are considering leaving against medical or clinical advice.

The purpose of that process is not to punish you or take away your choice.

It is designed to make sure your needs and concerns have been addressed and that you understand the potential clinical and medical risks of leaving treatment early.

At Liberty, the process may involve staff from several departments, including behavioral health technicians, clinical staff, medical staff and leadership.

The team may talk with you about questions such as:

• What is making you want to leave?
• Is there something happening in treatment that needs to be addressed?
• Are you worried about your children, job, home or another responsibility?
• Are you physically uncomfortable?
• Is there an unmet need the team can help address?
• Where are you in the withdrawal process?
• Are there known medical or safety concerns associated with leaving right now?

When appropriate and with the proper consent, Liberty’s clinical team may also involve one of your supportive contacts in the conversation.

Each situation is handled individually because the reason one person wants to leave may be completely different from the reason someone else does.

“I Have to Get Out of Here” Can Feel Very Real During Detox

There may be a point during detox when staying suddenly feels impossible.

You may start thinking:

I need to get home.

My kids need me.

I have too much going on at work.

I feel better now. I don’t need to be here anymore.

I just need to get out of here.

In that moment, those thoughts can feel extremely urgent.

Withdrawal can be physically and emotionally uncomfortable. Depending on the substance and the individual, people may experience restlessness, disrupted sleep, anxiety, irritability, cravings, physical discomfort or rapidly changing emotions.

When you are already uncomfortable, being away from home and outside of your normal routine can make everything feel even bigger.

Sometimes the urge to leave passes.

That is one reason Liberty staff want to talk with you before you make a quick decision to walk out the door.

If you are wondering what the beginning of treatment may actually feel like, you can also read more about what to expect when you begin getting sober.

You Do Not Have to Make Every Feeling a Decision

Wanting to leave is a feeling.

It does not always have to become an action.

You can tell a staff member:

“I feel like I need to leave right now.”

You can be frustrated.

You can miss your kids.

You can be worried about everything happening outside of treatment.

You can start feeling physically better and convince yourself that you are completely fine.

You can simply feel restless and want to run.

You do not have to hide any of that.

Sometimes the most useful thing you can do is give the feeling a little time and let someone help you figure out what is underneath it.

Maybe there is a real problem that needs to be solved.

Maybe you need reassurance about something happening at home.

Maybe you need to talk with someone you trust.

Maybe your symptoms need to be discussed with the medical team.

Or maybe you are simply having a really difficult hour.

A difficult hour does not necessarily mean you made the wrong decision by coming to detox.

Detox Can Feel Long When You Are in the Middle of It

When you are thinking about your children, job, bills, family or everything else waiting for you at home, even another day away can feel enormous.

The reality is that detox is generally a relatively short period of treatment, although the exact length of stay varies significantly from person to person.

For some people, withdrawal management may take several days or around a week. For others, it may be shorter or longer depending on the substance involved, withdrawal symptoms, medical history, response to treatment and other individual factors.

There is no universal detox timeline, and the appropriate length of stay should be based on the individual.

But when you are in the middle of detox, it can help to zoom out.

A few days away from your normal life may feel enormous while you are experiencing them. In the larger picture, it is a relatively small amount of time devoted to getting medically stable and building a safer foundation for whatever comes next.

Why Would Liberty Staff Want to Talk to Me Before I Leave?

Because sometimes “I want to leave” is the beginning of the conversation, not the whole story.

You may be missing your children.

You may be worried about your job.

You may feel uncomfortable physically.

You may have received a difficult phone call.

You may be anxious about what happens after detox.

Or you may simply want to be somewhere familiar.

Those concerns matter.

“Each situation is handled individually, with the focus on addressing concerns, reviewing safety and medical considerations, and supporting the client’s safe departure when they choose to leave.”

— Emily Earle, Associate Executive Director, Liberty Health Services

Liberty’s treatment and leadership team works across departments when someone is considering leaving early so that concerns can be looked at from more than one perspective.

That does not mean you lose the ability to make your own decision.

It means the team wants you to make that decision after your concerns have been heard and you understand the information available to you.

Can Leaving Detox Early Be Dangerous?

It can be, depending on your individual circumstances.

The risks of stopping treatment early depend on factors including the substance you have been using, how much and how often you have been using it, your medical history, your withdrawal symptoms and where you are in the withdrawal process.

Alcohol withdrawal, for example, can range from mild symptoms to serious medical complications. That is one reason medically supervised withdrawal management can be important for people who may be at risk.

If alcohol is the primary substance involved, you can learn more about Liberty’s approach to alcohol withdrawal management.

Liberty’s medical staff will review known medical and safety concerns with a client who is considering leaving treatment prematurely.

It is also why a website cannot tell you whether it is safe for you to leave detox on day two, day three or any other specific day.

Your medical team needs to consider your individual situation.

What If I Still Want to Leave After Talking to Everyone?

You may still decide to leave.

If you choose to leave after completing Liberty’s AMA/ACA process, behavioral health staff will assist with gathering and packing your belongings and safely escort you to the lobby for departure.

There is also an important logistical detail to understand:

Completing the AMA/ACA process does not mean Liberty will provide transportation for someone who chooses to leave treatment against clinical advice.

That is another reason it is helpful to talk through the decision rather than making a sudden departure.

The goal is to address concerns where possible, explain relevant medical and safety considerations, and support a safe departure if you ultimately choose to leave.

What If I Want to Leave Because Detox Is Harder Than I Expected?

Tell someone.

Seriously.

You do not have to wait until you have packed your belongings or decided you are definitely leaving.

If you are uncomfortable, angry, homesick, anxious, overwhelmed or frustrated, say that first.

There may be something the team can address.

And sometimes saying:

“I really want to leave right now.”

is very different from saying:

“I have decided to leave.”

You are allowed to have a difficult day in treatment.

You are allowed to question whether you want to be there.

You are allowed to miss home.

You are allowed to wish you could walk out the door and return to your normal life.

Those feelings do not automatically mean treatment is going badly.

They mean there is something worth talking about with your treatment team.

What If I Am Afraid to Go to Detox Because I Do Not Want to Feel Trapped?

Ask about it before you come.

This is exactly the kind of question you can ask Liberty’s admissions team.

You can ask what happens when you arrive.

You can ask what to bring.

You can ask how communication with your family works.

You can ask what a typical day looks like.

And you can absolutely ask:

“What happens if I decide I want to leave?”

You do not need to pretend you are completely comfortable with entering treatment in order to call us.

In fact, we would rather know what is making you hesitate.

Going to Detox Does Not Mean You Stop Having a Voice

Entering treatment means accepting help.

It does not mean you stop having questions, concerns, preferences or difficult moments.

At Liberty Health Services, if you begin thinking about leaving treatment early, the goal is to understand what is happening, involve the appropriate members of your treatment team, review known clinical and medical concerns, and make sure you understand the decision you are making.

And if the fear of being unable to leave is one of the things stopping you from getting help, call and ask us about it.

You do not have to commit to treatment just to ask a question.

You can talk with Liberty’s admissions team about what coming to detox looks like, what to expect during the admissions process and any concerns that may be making it difficult to take the next step.