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The Facts About Detox

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Everywhere you look, the consumption of alcohol is heavily promoted — in movies, TV commercials, and even in our communities at parties, sporting events and at social gatherings. Alcohol is readily available. As a result, millions of people around the world abuse alcohol. Many of those who do, don’t feel they have a problem.1 But for those who begin to experience the negative consequences of alcohol abuse, there is good news. When it comes to alcohol detox, there are a variety of ways to seek help.

Alcohol detox is a process where you seek out medical assistance to help with the withdrawal symptoms the body experiences without alcohol. It is important to go through alcohol detox while under the supervision of professionals and in an environment that is safe.

The Process

Woman in medical drug detoxThe purpose of alcohol detoxification is to eliminate the body completely of the substance. The individual goes to a medical practitioner that supervises them during the alcohol elimination. In addition to medical care during alcohol detox, the person typically receives education about his or her alcohol problem and its treatment.

Withdrawal Symptoms

Alcohol detox is sometimes called “alcohol withdrawal syndrome.” Withdrawal symptoms can begin two hours after a person has had their last drink and can come on rapidly.2 Every alcoholic experiences mild to moderate withdrawal symptoms during alcohol detox. Those that have withdrawal symptoms are urged to seek professional help to deal with the problems they usually cause. About five percent alcohol abusers that detox have symptoms that are very severe and require them to be hospitalized in an alcohol rehabilitation center.3

Medicated Detoxification

In some alcohol treatment therapies, alcoholics are placed on a plan that uses prescription drugs. This method is mostly used for patients with severe withdrawal symptoms. In some cases, patients who use medications may experience brain damage and/or seizures. Some of the drugs used during detox include benzodiazepines, naltrexone, and disulfiram.4 Rapid detox is another method that involves anesthesia and medications within a hospital setting. The length of this process varies by individual.

Detox Options Without Medication

There are other methods available that do not use drugs to treat patients with alcohol withdrawal. So far, the safest technique is non-medicated alcohol detoxification. In these programs, the treatment includes social support groups, one-on-one counseling, vitamin therapy (like thiamin) and nutritional diets.

Michael’s House offers alcohol detox as a part of their comprehensive addiction treatment programs. We pride ourselves on having an excellent team of medical professionals that truly care about each patient. Call our 24-hour number to speak with one of our admissions coordinators and begin the recovery process today!


Sources

1 Gupta, Dr. Sanjay. “Are You a Functional Alcoholic?” EverydayHealth.com. Everyday Health, 28 Oct. 2016. Web. Accessed 19 June 2017.

2 Taite, Richard. “Medically Supervised Alcohol Detox Aids Alcoholism Recovery.” Psychology Today. Sussex Publishers, 18 Nov. 2013. Web. Accessed 19 June 2017.

3Acute Alcohol Withdrawal.” National Center for Biotechnology Information. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 01 Jan. 1970. Web. Accessed 19 June 2017.

4 Douaihy, Antoine B., Thomas M. Kelly, and Carl Sullivan. “Medications for Substance Use Disorders.” Social Work in Public Health. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2013. Web. Accessed 22 June 2017.

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