Alcohol Detox at Home – What You Need To Know
Alcohol Detox at home is a process that some patients engage in or attempt to engage in. While it is possible to detox from alcohol at home without medical supervision, a lot of extra caution needs to be taken since there are many dangers to this approach, especially if the patient has a long-running and significant addiction to this most widely used of drugs.
In order to avoid severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms while detoxing at home, the patient should slowly and progressively reduce alcohol consumption. This itself is cause for concern since many alcoholics don’t fully understand or recognize the extent of their dependence. It is also another reason seek help from medical professionals like the doctors at New Life Medical Addiction Services.
When one is addicted to alcohol, it’s unlikely that they will be able to recover without some kind of formal addiction treatment. They may be able to detox at home and recover from alcoholism with the help of support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous, however, medically supervised detox and professional rehab are more likely to help a person who abuses alcohol to maintain long-term sobriety.
If a person has been unable to quit on their own, they should consider attending an alcohol detox and rehab center like New Life, in Marlton New Jersey. Alcoholism treatment, under the supervision of our trained staff, allows our patients to detox in a safe and affirming environment. Our counselors teach our patients healthy and productive ways to handle stress as well as techniques for overcoming the root causes of alcohol misuse and addiction. It also prepares our patients for life without alcohol.
And while patients may be able to detox at home (without medical supervision) and still attend outpatient therapy or support group meetings, they need to be aware that severe alcohol withdrawal can kill.
Alcohol relaxes the brain and the brain in turn compensates for the depressive effects of alcohol by increasing its activity. When people who are dependent on alcohol drink, they feel normal. When they quit drinking suddenly the brain continues its heightened level of activity, but the alcohol no longer suppresses the effects. This can cause seizures and DT’s (delirium tremens), which are a severe form of alcohol withdrawal that is characterized by hallucinating and seizure-like tremors. Both of these can be life-threatening. If you reduce alcohol consumption slowly or with medical supervision, the brain has time to adapt to the new situation without causing severe side effects.
The amount of time it takes to detox from alcohol depends on several factors, including whether you’re detoxing at home or with medical supervision. Detoxing at home usually takes longer because of the need to be extremely cautious in avoiding serious medical complications.
When you are detoxing from alcohol at a New Life our doctors and nurses monitor vital signs and treat complications if they occur.
Alcohol can stay in your system for several hours depending on how much you drink. Once it begins to leave your body, early symptoms of withdrawal begin.
Early symptoms of alcohol withdrawal usually start about six hours after the last drink and they can intensify for about 24 hours before starting to recede. These initial symptoms of withdrawal can include headaches, difficulty concentrating. sweating, tremors, and vomiting. Also, Seizures can occur within the first 24 hours of alcohol cessation, but seizures occur only in about 25 percent of patients, according to the NIAAA.
Late symptoms begin between two and four days after the last drink of alcohol and they can include changes in heart rate, breathing and blood pressure. Serious symptoms caused by delirium tremors include hallucination and seizure. DTs occur in about 5 percent of patients.
Most people recover from alcohol withdrawal within a week, but people with severe dependency may experience withdrawal for multiple weeks. Alcohol causes serious changes in the brain, and prolonged symptoms such as sleep problems, mood changes and fatigue may take months to overcome.
Alcohol dependence and addiction are serious medical conditions. Minor symptoms of alcohol withdrawal can be overcome with rest and at-home remedies, and it is possible for some people to taper off alcohol without supervision. However, individuals who suffer from alcohol addiction require professional rehab.
New Life’s outpatient approach can be perfect for people who want the convenience that a home rehab can provide. By working with New Life, you can maintain your job or schoolwork and spend time at home with people you love without needing to go to an expensive and time-consuming inpatient rehab.
To learn more, feel free to call us today at: 856-942-3700 or send us a Text Message.
