Alcohol Detox: Your Complete Guide

Having an alcohol addiction is troubling. Quitting can feel impossible at times. Not only do you need to realize you have a problem, but you need to have the desire to be sober if you want to recover. 

Recovery is a lifelong challenge. Managing the triggers and urges to drink will be challenging but beginning your journey to recovery with alcohol detox will help.

Detoxing from alcohol is the first physical step of the recovery process. It is a vital step that leads to an increased chance of long-term recovery. 

Entering detox can be overwhelming. You want to go into your treatment knowing as much as you can about what to expect. How will it work? What will it feel like?

Detoxing from alcohol is hard and should NEVER be done on one's own. It is easier, safer, and more likely to succeed at a detox center.

Benefits of Alcohol Detox

Alcohol may be one of the most commonly used addictive substances, but that does not take away from its harm. Even though it is legal, it is still highly addictive and dangerous.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over 95,000 people die each year due to excessive alcohol use from heavy and binge drinking. These statistics are linked to health-related issues and accidents caused by alcohol intoxication.

Freeing your body from alcohol and beginning your journey to recovery is how you prevent such effects from impacting yourself and others around you.

The sooner you quit using alcohol, the more likely you are able to prevent major health problems like cancer, damaged brain function, lowered immunity, and liver disease. These are only the physical problems that are linked to excessive alcohol use.

Alcoholism can also cause mental illnesses, relationship struggles, and financial and legal issues. Getting the proper treatment for alcoholism, starting with detox, is the best way to address these problems. When you begin your recovery by detoxing from alcohol, you improve your odds of staying sober and reducing the risk of relapse.

What Is Alcohol Detox?

Once you find a detox treatment center, the medical staff will assess you. They will determine the best plan for treatment based on your medical history, mental state, and level of intoxication. From the very beginning, they will monitor your vitals. 

Although alcohol detox will never be identical for any two people, there are common withdrawal symptoms and treatment methods. Depending on how much you have been drinking, when you took your last drink, and how long you have been addicted, your treatment plan will shift.

Your physicians and care team will explain the process to you. They will let you know what to expect from the detox process and provide emotional and medical support throughout your time at the facility.

Common symptoms of alcohol withdrawal include: 

• Nausea and vomiting
• Irritability and agitation
• Headaches
• Sweating and chills
• Visual and auditory disturbances
• Anxiety
• Tremors

Based on your symptoms, your medical team will provide necessary medications and anything else they can to provide you with comfort. Although the detox process will never be fun, the experience is temporary. Understanding that fact before entering detox can offer a sense of relief. 

Detoxing from alcohol abuse under the care of professionals gives you the best chance at recovery and the greatest chance of reducing withdrawal symptoms. This reduces your risk of relapse because you are in a facility without access to alcohol and with 24/7 support. 

Alcohol detox itself usually lasts a few days to a week. The severity of your symptoms may vary throughout this time, so constant supervision from the staff is key to your comfort.

You may feel like you have a hangover at certain times. Other symptoms could include seizures or hallucinations. This is a vulnerable time, so having trained support around you ensures you are healthy, stable, and cared for. Alleviating your symptoms will not treat the cause of addiction but will set you on the right path for further treatment at an addiction center. 

Entering Alcohol Detox

It can be overwhelming to enter an alcohol detox program. Addiction is never easy. Even when you know you have a problem, facing it is entirely different than accepting it. Seeking help for your addiction can produce a lot of emotions you may not be prepared to face.

Enrolling in an alcohol detox program that provides therapy and long-term treatment can get you started on all elements of treatment. While going through detox, you can begin to learn coping mechanisms for handling urges and facing struggles. Later, as you progress through a rehab center, you can refine these critical survival skills.

When starting treatment, it is crucial to understand that you have a team of professionals offering you support. You can lean on them and ask questions. That guidance is what can motivate you to remain in their care and continue on your recovery journey. 

Detox Is Less Uncomfortable With Professional Assistance

Detoxing from alcohol is unpleasant no matter the circumstances, but it is much less uncomfortable when you have medical support. You can reduce withdrawal symptoms, treat health problems, and decrease the risks that come with withdrawal while in an alcohol detox facility.

As you progress through the detox program, you will also be introduced to other methods of handling addiction (such as sober living) as well as facing the emotional and mental aspects of recovery. Starting your journey to sobriety with all the available help you can get is key to the rest of your recovery.

DetoxNearMe.com is the web’s largest collection of detox centers online. Finding a detox solution for you has never been easier. Search DetoxNearMe.com today and start your journey to freedom now!