Alcohol Detox in Los Angeles

Medically reviewed by Dr. Eric Chegouri, MD, Medical Director · Last reviewed November 7, 2026

Deciding to stop drinking is the hard part. Deciding where to do it should be simpler: somewhere safe, medically staffed, close enough that the people who love you can stay involved, and calm enough that you can actually rest. For people across Los Angeles, that place can be our detox campus on a quiet hilltop in Sun Valley.

This page explains what alcohol detox at Reggie's Recovery involves in practical terms: how to get admitted, what happens in the first 72 hours, how comfort care works, how long you stay, how insurance fits in and where you go next. If you want the medical detail on symptoms and timing, our alcohol withdrawal guide covers that separately.

Who needs medical alcohol detox?

Not everyone who wants to cut back needs an inpatient stay. Medical detox is designed for people whose bodies have become physically dependent on alcohol, which usually shows up as symptoms such as shakiness, sweating, nausea or anxiety when they go without a drink. You may be a good candidate if any of these apply:

• You drink heavily every day, or most days, and feel unwell when you stop.
• You need a drink in the morning to feel steady.
• You have had withdrawal seizures, delirium tremens or hallucinations in the past.
• You have tried to stop on your own and returned to drinking within a day or two.
• You also use benzodiazepines, opioids or other drugs.
• You have medical conditions such as liver, heart or lung problems, or mental-health symptoms that make withdrawal riskier.

A clinician makes the final call on the safest level of care. During your first call, our admissions team asks about how much and how often you drink, your health and your history with withdrawal, and uses that to recommend a starting point. If inpatient detox is not the right fit, we will tell you and point you toward what is.

How do I get admitted to alcohol detox?

Admission is built to move quickly, because the window between deciding to get help and talking yourself out of it can be short. Most people follow three steps:

1. Call (818) 355-1200. An admissions counselor answers 24/7. The confidential pre-screening covers your drinking, other substances, physical and mental health and practical concerns.
2. Verify your insurance. With your permission, we contact your plan and explain your benefits, usually within 15 to 30 minutes. You hear the results before you commit to anything.
3. Arrive and begin. You choose a time to arrive. If you need a ride, we can help coordinate transportation from anywhere in Los Angeles.

Most people complete the whole process in under two hours and are admitted the same day. You can call for yourself or for someone you love; no referral from a doctor is required. The admissions page lists what to bring and what to leave at home.

What happens in the first 72 hours of alcohol detox?

The first three days are when alcohol withdrawal is most likely to escalate, so they are also when care is most intensive. Every course is different, but a typical arc looks like this:

1. ArrivalIntake and assessment

   A nurse checks your vital signs and collects bloodwork. You complete a medical history and a mental-health screening, and the physician reviews your drinking pattern, last drink and any previous withdrawals.

2. Day 1Settling in and early symptoms

   As early symptoms appear, nurses track them at regular intervals and comfort medications are started or adjusted as the physician directs. Fluids, vitamins and light meals begin right away.

3. Day 2Watching the high-risk window

   This is the period when seizure risk is a central concern. Monitoring continues through the night, and your plan changes as quickly as your symptoms do.

4. Day 3Peak and turning point

   For many people symptoms peak around now and then begin to soften. Sleep is still patchy, but appetite and energy often start to return.

You will not be expected to attend therapy groups while you are acutely unwell. The priority in these first days is safety, sleep, hydration and nutrition. Once you are stable, light counseling begins and the team starts talking with you about what comes next.

How is alcohol detox made more comfortable?

Safety comes first, but comfort is not a luxury in detox. People who sleep, eat and feel physically looked after are more likely to finish detox and continue into treatment. Comfort care at Reggie's combines medical and practical support:

Medication choices and doses are made by your physician, based on your symptoms, health and history. That is deliberate: alcohol withdrawal changes hour by hour, and the right amount on day one is rarely the right amount on day three.

How long is alcohol detox?

Inpatient alcohol detox at Reggie's typically lasts 5 to 10 days. Shorter stays are common when withdrawal is mild and resolves quickly. Longer stays happen when symptoms are severe, when someone has also been using other sedatives, or when medical or mental-health issues need more time to stabilize.

Your team decides when detox is complete based on how you are doing, not on a calendar. In general, you are ready to move on when your vital signs are steady, the most serious withdrawal risks have passed and you are eating and sleeping well enough to take part in treatment.

Can medication help after alcohol detox?

Yes, and it is one of the most underused options in alcohol recovery. Detox medications ease withdrawal; a different group of medications can help you stay sober afterward by reducing cravings or making drinking less rewarding.

Through our medication-assisted treatment program, your physician may suggest naltrexone, which comes as a tablet taken once a day or as an injection given once a month. Other FDA-approved alcohol-recovery medications may be considered depending on your liver function, other medications and goals. These medications are not intoxicating and work best alongside therapy.

Planning for medication often starts during detox, so that the transition into residential or outpatient care does not leave a gap in support during the weeks when cravings can be strongest.

Does insurance cover alcohol detox?

Most major PPO plans include benefits for medically necessary alcohol detox and treatment. Under federal parity rules, substance use coverage generally must be comparable to coverage for other medical care, though your exact benefits depend on your plan, deductible and medical necessity.

We verify your insurance for free, usually in 15 to 30 minutes, and your employer is not notified. HMO coverage for our level of care is more limited, but if your plan will not cover care with us, we will help you find appropriate resources. We generally don't accept Medi-Cal, but if that's your coverage we'll connect you with a provider who does. Self-pay and financing options can also be discussed. To review your own benefits first, try our free Insurance Decoder or read about insurance at Reggie's.

Where is alcohol detox in Los Angeles?

Reggie's Recovery is located at 9250 Del Arroyo Dr in Sun Valley, in the northeast San Fernando Valley. The campus sits on a hilltop with views across the Valley toward the San Gabriel Mountains, which gives it a sense of distance from daily life while staying close to home.

For many families, that proximity matters. Burbank and Glendale are a short drive away, Pasadena and Hollywood are within easy reach, and people come to us from across Los Angeles County and Southern California. Being close makes it easier for family to join family sessions once you move into treatment, and easier to keep the support going after discharge.

See the communities we work with on our areas we serve page, including Burbank and Glendale.

What happens after alcohol detox?

Detox ends physical dependence; it does not end alcohol use disorder. The habits, stress, relationships and emotions tied to drinking are still there on discharge day, which is why most people move from detox straight into a structured program. At Reggie's that transition can happen on the same campus, without a gap.

Our outpatient programs are run by the same clinical team, so the people who knew you in residential care stay part of your recovery. If depression, anxiety or trauma are part of why you drink, dual-diagnosis care treats both at once.