Alcohol is one of the most commonly abused drugs and is the source of many damaging and life-threatening addictions. As a result, it is critical to understand detoxing from alcohol properly. This situation can cause pain for many individuals. Thankfully, high-quality rehab specialists can provide detailed help that can make this process easier. If you are thinking about detoxing from alcohol, it is important to get professional help to guide you through the process. Read on to learn about the timeline for detoxing and ways that a professional detox to help you beat addiction.
Detoxing From Alcohol Can Take Some Time
People addicted to alcohol typically go through a lengthy withdrawal period when they are recovering. The intensity of this withdrawal is comparable to the withdrawal that you experience with opiates and other types of drugs. For some people, these symptoms might be even worse than opioid addiction. It is important to understand the timeline for detoxing and what you might experience during each stage of the process. The detoxification timeline is listed below:
- Six hours – During this period, it is possible to start developing some minor symptoms of withdrawal – others may experience seizures
- 12-24 hours – Withdrawal symptom will worsen here and may begin to peak – nausea, physical pain, emotional distress, and even hallucinations are possible
- 24-48 hours – Those with minor alcoholism may experience only slight withdrawal at this point, such as headaches and tremors – others may experience much worse symptoms, including shaking
- 48-72 hours – Some symptoms may happen out of the blue at this point – others are just starting detoxing from alcohol and may experience delirium tremens, which can cause life-threatening health issues
- 72+ hours – Many people may experience their worst symptoms around this time – after this point, they should start decreasing but the symptoms can last for as long as a month
Withdrawal symptoms that you may experience at any stage when detoxing from alcohol include anxiety, rapid heart rates, blood pressure peaks, nausea, mood swings, tremors in your extremities, high body temperatures, paranoia, and more. As a result, it is always better to work with a professional rehab facility because they can ensure that these issues do not worsen.
Ways Professional Detox Helps
Professional alcohol detox is a medical process that uses various medications and other care options to manage a person’s withdrawal symptoms. In some cases, they may eliminate these symptoms. In others, they may only decrease them. Whatever the case, a typical detox process has several steps and will:
- Assess the severity of a person’s alcoholism
- Provide replacement medication to reduce withdrawal
- Slowly decrease the number of drugs used
- Monitor a person’s withdrawal and adjust dosages, as needed
- Provide other care, such as nutritional and dietary assistance
- Transition them into a more detailed rehab facility
Detoxing from alcohol is only the first step necessary for overcoming this addiction. By going through a complete rehab program such as dual-diagnosis care, an individual can walk back from this abuse. They can get the help that they need to stay healthy without drugs or alcohol. Even if a particular center does not provide detox options, they can still give you professional help and detailed guidance on a variety of different issues that you may experience during the recovery process.
Get More Detailed Treatment
If you need the help of professionals to detox from alcohol, please contact us at Crestview Recovery right away. Though we refer patients out our detox to other facilities, we can help you after that treatment is over. Remember: managing psychological addiction requires the help of dual-diagnosis, trauma therapy, and much more. Call 866.262.0531 and verify your insurance today to get started.
Since 2016, Dr. Merle Williamson, a graduate of Oregon Health Sciences University, has been the Medical Director at Crestview Recovery, bringing a rich background in addiction medicine from his time at Hazelden Treatment Center. He oversees outpatient drug and alcohol treatments, providing medical care, setting policies, detox protocols, and quality assurance measures. Before specializing in addiction medicine, he spent 25 years in anesthesiology, serving as Chair of Hospital Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee and Chief of Anesthesia at Kaiser Permanente. This experience gives him a unique perspective on treating prescription drug addiction.
