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Call Now (954) 953-4864What is Alcohol Detox Like?
Drug and alcohol addictions can be devastating to someone’s life and affect many of their loved ones, too. When an individual has decided to take action and seek substance abuse treatment, they can make a significant, positive change in their life. No one needs to try and deal with alcohol or drug addiction on their own. At DayBreak, we have the alcohol detox, drug detox, alcohol and drug rehab, and many specialized programs that will help you successfully begin your addiction recovery. Alcohol detox can be a big, very important step in a person’s recovery and we have the staff, treatment plans, and recovery facility that can help you reach this milestone. Call us today with any questions about our detox, relapse prevention, and any other aspects of our levels of care.
Alcohol detox is the process of ceasing to drink alcohol and allowing all of the chemicals and toxins to leave your body. Inpatient detox treatment or what is often referred to as medically supervised detox occurs in a treatment center with support staff and medical personnel. Everyone reacts to alcohol withdrawal and detox differently and this is because of several factors. Withdrawal and alcohol detox is a unique experience due to a person’s personal history with drinking, their overall physical health, how much they regularly consume, and some other specifics like age and weight. That’s why taking part in an inpatient rehab program for detox is important as staff members are always available to assist with any issues that may arise.
What To Expect During Detox?
While in a treatment facility for detox, an individual can expect a full medical history and psychological workup. It’s important for staff members of detox programs to have a good picture of an individual client’s physical and mental state so that they can assist them with their specific needs. During inpatient detox programs, patients are kept as comfortable as possible as they go through alcohol withdrawal. Treatment facility staff also makes sure simple, basic needs like proper meals and hydration, physical exercise, and sleep and rest are all being addressed and taken care of as much as possible. Depending on the client, they may receive over the counter medicines to help with some withdrawal side effects.
How Long is Detox?
Alcohol detox in total can last for up to 14 days in cases of severe alcohol addiction. Typically a person has withdrawal symptoms for four to seven days. The alcohol withdrawal symptoms can start within a few hours of a person’s last drink and often are the worst approximately three days after that time. Cravings can last much longer and this also depends on the specific person and how severe their alcohol addiction may be. It’s important that a person has all of the toxins out of their body and it is also vital that they are ready to commit to the behavior health therapy portion of substance abuse rehab. That’s why group therapy sessions are often included as part of a treatment plan while someone is going through alcohol detox.
Symptoms of Alcohol Detox
Symptoms of alcohol withdrawal and detox can vary greatly from person to person. This is why detoxing at home is never recommended as some symptoms can be life threatening, although this is rare. What is more common is for someone to experience withdrawal symptoms and given the opportunity, revert back to drinking. Inpatient detox programs also act as relapse prevention for clients. When withdrawal and detox do start, here are some of the symptoms a person can experience:
- Anxiety
- Irritability
- Mood swings
- Headaches
- Fevers
- Insomnia
- Nausea and vomiting
- Excessive sweating
- Weakness
- Changes in blood pressure/heart rate
- Low energy
- Poor appetite
- Poor coordination
- Gastrointestinal issues
- Heart Palpitations
- Physical Tremors
- Seizures
- Kidney or liver dysfunction
- Delirium tremens
Acute Detox
When a person has an alcohol addiction that is severe enough that it is life threatening, they need to go through detox as soon and as quickly as possible. This could be due to someone experiencing the most severe types of symptoms, like seizures or tremors, or having complications due to liver disease or another underlying medical issue. This can sometimes occur when a person who is addicted to alcohol is treated in a hospital for an unrelated issue and is forced to detox as well.
Sub Acute Detox
Sub acute detox is the more typical situation wherein someone commits to a treatment plan for alcohol addiction and it begins with detox protocols. In some cases during both acute and sub acute detox prescription medications are administered by medical staff personnel to help with alcohol detox. Benzodiazepines are often the recommended drugs for detoxification.
Why Choose DayBreak For Alcohol Detox
Substance abuse treatment centers are the best places to go through alcohol withdrawal and detox. Although it is possible to successfully detox at home, it is not recommended for several reasons. These include access to alcohol, not knowing the severity of withdrawal symptoms before they begin, and other medical issues that can occur. If you or one of your loved ones would like to know more about our inpatient detox programs and sober living housing in Port St. Lucie, give us a call today.