Alcohol is a substance that affects everyone differently. While you may be fine having just a beer now and again in a social situation or a glass of wine with dinner twice a week, too many drinks over time may be cause for alarm. Drinking too much alcohol or being unable to stop drinking is often a sign of an alcohol abuse issue. According to experts, around 18 million teenagers and adults struggle with alcohol abuse in the United States. If you or someone you care about is part of this statistic, you may be ready to take care of the problem.
The first step when you or someone you love is addicted to alcohol is to begin the detox stage. If you are wondering how to detox from alcohol safely, read on to find out more.
Symptoms of Alcohol Withdrawal
The most crucial step of withdrawing from alcohol is to recognize the different symptoms that can and do occur during withdrawal. The most common symptoms include:
• Vomiting and nausea
• Uncontrollable sweating
• Shaking
• Dizziness
• Anxiety and depression
• Mood swings
• Irritability
• Loss of appetite
• Insomnia
You may be able to deal with these common symptoms without the need for medical assistance. However, severe alcohol withdrawal can cause the following problems to occur:
• Seizures
• Delirium tremens
• Severe vomiting
• High fever
• Hallucinations
If any of these symptoms occur, you must seek medical attention right away. If left untreated, some of the more severe symptoms can lead to death. If you have tried to detox before from alcohol and have a history of various withdrawal symptoms, you should talk to your doctor about quitting. He or she can recommend your next step.
Detoxing at Home
Your first step should be to consider whether or not it is safe to detox at home. It is technically possible to detox from alcohol on your own, away from medical staff and supervision. However, it can also be dangerous if you aren’t careful. Withdrawing from alcohol often causes intense health conditions that will require immediate medical intervention, as stated above.
If you do decide to try it on your own, you’ll want to start by slowly tapering your alcohol use over time. Cautious tapering will take a longer time than a supervised detox, but it will help if your goal is to detox on your own. Remember, you may be able to detox from alcohol at home, but you will need professional assistance to learn how to deal with your addictive tendencies.
If you are attending any kind of outpatient treatment facility, they may be able to prescribe medication that will help you with the withdrawal symptoms. You may also wish to ask your doctor for a prescription to get you through the worst of these issues.
Professional Assistance
It’s possible to detox from alcohol at home without medical intervention. Alcoholics Anonymous is one group that can give you the emotional support you need during this time. However, it is better to turn to a professional detox facility when you are an alcoholic. Treatment from a reputable detox center will give you a place to safely detox without worry. A facility will be allowed to give you a prescription for medications that ease the heavy withdrawal symptoms you may be experiencing. They will also monitor you to make sure your body is recovering the way it should be.
Choosing a Detox Facility
When you know that you aren’t ready to detox on your own, turn to a reputable detox center for assistance. If you are heavily addicted to alcohol, you will do well to check yourself into an inpatient treatment center for intense and comprehensive detox services. You’ll receive treatment for your addiction day and night in a hospital-like setting if you choose this type of specialized care. Once you are through the worst of the withdrawal symptoms, you can begin taking care of your mental health. Therapy sessions will be provided in a professional setting, a very important part of the healing process when addiction is an issue.
We Are Here to Help
When you are dealing with an addiction to alcohol, we would like to suggest professional treatment. It can be too dangerous to take on all by yourself. Our facility will provide you with medically-monitored detox services day and night. We make sure you are as comfortable as possible no matter what stage of withdrawal you are in. Please contact us today at 833-364-0736 when you want to learn more about our services.