Detox is where recovery begins and where doing it alone is most dangerous.
Alta Mira offers medically supervised detox minutes from San Francisco, in a private Sausalito setting with 24/7 clinical monitoring. Whatever substance you are stopping, our medical team keeps you safe and as comfortable as possible while your body clears it.
Medically supervised detox is the process of safely clearing drugs or alcohol from your body under 24/7 medical care. As substances leave your system, withdrawal sets in, and depending on what you have been using, that process can range from deeply uncomfortable to genuinely dangerous.
Supervised detox exists to manage that safely. A medical team monitors you around the clock, manages your symptoms, and steps in immediately if anything goes wrong.
Detox does two things:
What detox does not do: it does not, by itself, treat addiction. Clearing the substance is the first step. What comes after, addressing why the use began, is what makes recovery last. That is why our detox flows directly into residential treatment.
For some substances, quitting cold turkey is not just hard. It is dangerous.
Alcohol and benzodiazepine withdrawal can be life-threatening, carrying a real risk of seizures, dangerous changes in heart rate and blood pressure, and in severe cases, delirium tremens. These are medical emergencies, and they are exactly what medical supervision is designed to prevent.
Opioid withdrawal is rarely fatal, but it is intensely painful, and the discomfort is a major reason people relapse before detox is complete. Medical support makes it manageable and dramatically improves the odds of getting through it.
Other substances carry their own withdrawal risks, from severe depression and suicidal thinking during stimulant withdrawal to unpredictable complications when multiple substances are involved.
The safest place to detox is one where trained clinicians are watching, ready to respond. That is what we provide.
Alta Mira provides medically supervised detox for:
If you are not sure whether your situation calls for medical detox, our admissions team can help you determine that in a confidential conversation.
Detox begins with a comprehensive medical and psychological evaluation. We review your substance use history, physical health, mental health, and any co-occurring conditions, so your detox is planned around your specific situation rather than a generic protocol.
Under 24/7 monitoring, our medical team manages your withdrawal as your body clears the substance. Symptoms are treated as they arise, medication is used where appropriate, and clinicians are present to respond to anything urgent.
Detox at Alta Mira takes place in a residential setting, not a clinical ward. Private accommodations, chef-prepared meals, and a calm Sausalito environment mean you recover with dignity, not just safety.
Detox clears the substance. It does not resolve what led to the use. That is why our detox is designed to flow directly into residential treatment, so there is no gap between stabilization and the work that keeps you well.
California is home to a large population of executives, physicians, attorneys, and founders for whom the stakes of seeking treatment feel especially high. Alta Mira is built around privacy, discretion, and the clinical rigor these cases require, so getting help never means risking everything you have built.
Service members and their families face stressors civilians rarely encounter, from deployment and combat exposure to the pressures of operational culture. Our team has direct experience with this population and is in-network with TriWest.
Alta Mira provides a respectful, affirming environment where LGBTQ+ clients engage fully in treatment without additional barriers. Identity-related stress and its relationship to substance use are addressed directly as part of the clinical plan.
Young adults face identity formation, academic and early-career disruption, and a peer culture that often normalizes substance use. Our treatment planning accounts for where a young person is developmentally, not just diagnostically.
Our Sausalito campus is minutes from the city and reachable from across the Bay Area.
A confidential conversation about your situation, with honest answers and no pressure.
We verify your benefits and explain exactly what is covered before you make any decisions.
A comprehensive picture of your history and needs, so treatment is planned accurately from the start.
We coordinate travel and logistics, and welcome you to campus.
Yes. Alcohol is one of the substances where medically supervised detox matters most, since alcohol withdrawal can be life-threatening. Our medical team monitors you around the clock and manages symptoms safely.
Detoxing from certain substances, particularly alcohol and benzodiazepines, can be dangerous or even life-threatening without medical supervision. That is exactly why medically supervised detox exists. Under clinical care, the risks are managed and you are kept safe.
When it is clinically appropriate, yes. Medication-assisted treatment can ease withdrawal and reduce cravings, particularly for opioids and alcohol. Our medical team determines whether it fits your situation and manages it as part of your care.
It depends on the substance, how long and how much you have used, and your overall health. Alcohol and opioid detox often span several days; benzodiazepine detox is typically longer because it requires a gradual taper. Your medical team will give you a timeline after your assessment.
Detox stabilizes you physically, but it does not treat the addiction itself. At Alta Mira, detox flows directly into residential treatment, so you move from getting stable to doing the work that keeps you well, without a gap.
Yes, and it is a core strength of ours. We monitor mental health throughout detox and treat substance use alongside co-occurring conditions like anxiety, depression, and trauma within one integrated program.
Our Sausalito campus is roughly 15 to 20 minutes north of San Francisco via US-101 and the Golden Gate Bridge, and easily reached from throughout the Bay Area.
Yes. Detox takes place in a private residential setting with discreet accommodations, which is part of why professionals and public-facing individuals choose Alta Mira.
