What to Bring to Detox, and What to Leave at Home

First, the rule that outranks this whole list

Do not let packing delay the admission. If a bed is available today and you are ready today, go with your ID and the clothes you are wearing. Every program in New Jersey has seen people arrive with nothing, and every one of them can supply the basics or let family bring a bag later. People talk themselves out of treatment during the errand.

Documents and information

• Photo ID, and your insurance card if you have one
• A written list of every medication you take, with doses. Include vitamins, over the counter items, and anything prescribed by a specialist.
• Your pharmacy name and phone number, and your prescriber's
• An emergency contact's phone number written on paper, not only in your phone
• Any court or probation paperwork, if a program's documentation matters to your case

That last one about the phone number is not a small thing. Phones are often held during the first days, and people who cannot recall a single number from memory end up unable to reach anyone.

Medications

Bring prescription medications in their original labeled bottles. Nursing staff will inventory them, hold them, and dispense from them or substitute an equivalent from the facility's own supply. Do not bring loose pills in a bag or a weekly organizer; unlabeled medication generally cannot be given to you. If you are on buprenorphine or methadone, say so during intake and name the prescriber or clinic, so the program can continue it rather than interrupt it.

Clothing

• Three to five days of comfortable clothes; most programs have laundry
• Slip-on shoes and a pair of sneakers
• Socks, underwear, pajamas, a sweatshirt (units run cold)
• A light jacket if the program has outdoor time

Many facilities remove drawstrings from hoodies and sweatpants, and some ask you not to bring belts or shoes with laces. This is a safety practice on units that treat people in crisis, not a judgment about you. Bring clothes that work without them.

Toiletries, and the alcohol rule

Bring a toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, soap, deodorant, and any personal items you need, all unopened or clearly sealed if possible. The rule that surprises people: anything containing alcohol is usually prohibited, which includes most mouthwash, hand sanitizer, many perfumes and body sprays, and some aftershaves. Read the labels before you pack. Aerosols and razors are restricted at many programs as well.

Comfort items that actually help

• A book or two, a journal, and a pen
• Photographs of the people you are doing this for
• A phone card or a written list of numbers
• Reading glasses, contact lens supplies, a CPAP machine if you use one
• A small amount of cash for vending machines, if the program allows it

What to leave at home

• Anything valuable: jewelry, laptops, large amounts of cash
• Anything containing alcohol, and any unlabeled medication
• Outside food, drinks, and supplements
• Weapons of any kind, including pocket knives
• Clothing with alcohol or drug references on it
• E-cigarettes and vapes, which many programs prohibit even where smoking is allowed

Phones and visits

Most New Jersey detox programs collect phones at admission and return them in stages, or allow scheduled calls instead. It reads as harsh and it is one of the more protective rules on the unit: people who leave against medical advice in the first seventy-two hours very often leave in the middle of a phone call. Ask about the policy in advance so your family knows when to expect to hear from you, and give the program a name and number for the person who can be told you arrived safely.

Four things to arrange before you go

• Work. You do not have to disclose a diagnosis. Federal medical leave covers treatment for a serious health condition at eligible employers, and human resources can process it without your manager learning the details.
• Children, pets, and elders. Arrange care for the length of the stay plus a few days, since discharge dates move.
• Bills. Set autopay or hand the task to someone you trust. Coming out to a shut-off notice is a bad first day.
• The ride, both ways. Ask now who is picking you up, and where you will sleep the night you leave. That question is the beginning of your aftercare plan, and answering it before admission is one of the strongest predictors that the stay holds.

For what the days inside look like, read what happens during medical detox. If you are still deciding whether a facility is necessary at all, start with can you detox from alcohol at home.