Quitting alcohol is not as easy as saying no to the next bottle, especially for individuals whose bodies have become dependent on the substance. Reducing or quitting alcohol can lead to unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. The severity of these symptoms can range from mild ones like sweating to more serious ones like delirium tremens and seizures. It is thus advised that individuals with serious alcohol addiction seek help at a medical alcohol detox where medical practitioners can monitor them and address these withdrawal symptoms as they appear.
This blog by experts from Skyward Treatment Center is a guide on alcohol detox including what it entails, alcohol withdrawal symptoms, why one should choose medical alcohol detox over at-home detox, and common medications used during alcohol detox.
What Is Alcohol Detox?
Alcohol detox is a controlled procedure of discontinuing alcohol use and allowing the body to get rid of the toxins and the brain to rid itself of the deleterious effects of alcohol.People with an alcohol use disorder often find it difficult to quit drinking. Alcohol affects the brain by increasing dopamine levels, disrupting the brain’s normal dopamine synthesis. It impairs normal brain function, which might result in overstimulation of certain systems after the individual stops drinking. Frequent and severe drinking may cause brain damage and alcohol dependence. When someone with an alcohol dependence quits drinking, they most probably will experience withdrawal symptoms. Alcohol detox should only be performed with medical supervision because withdrawal symptoms can be deadly.
Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms
Typical alcohol withdrawal symptoms include:
- Elevated heartbeat rate.
- Hand tremors.
- Sweating.
- Nausea.
- Vomiting.
- Restlessness.
- Anxiety.
- Confusion.
- Hallucinations.
- Insomnia.
- Agitation.
- Seizures.
Depending on the individual’s drinking history, alcohol withdrawal symptoms might appear as soon as a few hours after the last drink or several days after stopping drinking. Alcohol withdrawal symptoms might last anywhere from 4 to 5 days.
When it comes to long-term alcohol addiction recovery, detox is simply the beginning. After detox, you must continue to enroll in a thorough treatment program (for instance inpatient alcohol rehab or outpatient alcohol rehab) that tackles the root reasons for alcohol addiction and teaches you how to prevent relapse.
Why Choose Medical Alcohol Detox over Home Detox?
There are several reasons why one should choose a medical alcohol detox over an at-home detox. At-home detox is specifically discouraged for individuals with severe addictions since they have a higher probability of experiencing severe withdrawal symptoms. Here are several reasons why you should choose medical detox:
- Medical assistance- Your addiction specialist at a medical detox facility can use medications to manage cravings and withdrawal symptoms and also minimize the risk of some complications. Examples of such medications include benzos, naltrexone, and acamprosate. This medication boosts the possibility of finishing detox hence boosts the likelihood of transitioning into other treatments and achieving sobriety.
- Safety– As aforementioned, some alcohol withdrawal symptoms are fatal hence having someone look after you at a medical detox can minimize the occurrence of such outcomes.
- Helps with transition to other treatment programs– Medical detox is often the initial step in an all-encompassing addiction treatment plan. Medical detox lays a good foundation for successful treatment at other stages of addiction recovery be it inpatient rehab or outpatient rehab.
Alcohol Detox Medications
As aforementioned, several drugs can be used during alcohol detox to serve different purposes. These drugs include:
- Naltrexone– Helps minimize alcohol cravings.
- Benzodiazepines- Benzodiazepines (benzos) are most often used to relieve withdrawal symptoms during the alcohol detoxification process. They are used to relax the central nervous system and may be administered to treat symptoms like anxiety, muscle spasms, and insomnia.
- Disulfiram– Disulfiram works by causing unwanted reactions upon drinking. For example, if you drink while taking disulfiram, you will experience effects such as nausea, face flushing, general body weakness, headache, and low blood pressure. The negative consequences are intended to prevent you from continuing your drinking behavior.
- Acamprosate– It also helps to curb alcohol cravings; nevertheless, it has no unwanted effects like disulfiram.
You Don’t Have to Fight This Alone! Contact Skyward Treatment Center in Houston, TX.
Seeking assistance for an alcohol addiction requires bravery and a yearning to live a fulfilling life. Alcoholism is a chronic illness that affects individuals from all walks of life, and most individuals shy away from seeking help. So, being able to seek and accept professional help is a significant achievement. A medically supervised detox program is the first step toward sobriety and recovery. Going through the detoxification process is much more secure and pleasant when done under medical supervision. After the detox, we will then decide which treatment plan is more appropriate be it inpatient alcohol rehab, outpatient alcohol rehab, intensive outpatient rehab, sober living home, etc. Skyward Treatment Center has an option for everyone. Contact us today and watch your life change!
