Alcoholics view getting sober as a nightmare. It is no different for alcoholics to use alcohol to cope with how they feel, as well as to use alcohol as a way to enjoy their lives. To be able to recover from alcoholism permanently, someone who uses alcohol every day will be physically dependent, and they must go to a rehab center offering specialized alcoholism treatment programs.
Another requirement is that the person receives medications to help them detox. No person dependent and addicted to alcohol can withstand the alcohol withdrawal symptoms safely.
Among people aged 12 or older in 2020, 50.0 percent (or 138.5 million people) drank alcohol in the past month. The percentage was highest among adults aged 26 or older, followed by young adults aged 18 to 25, then by adolescents aged 12 to 17. (SAMHSA, 2020)
What is Alcohol Detox?
Alcohol detoxification is absolutely needed to stop drinking. Alcohol detox is the most basic step in helping someone who struggles with their drinking or is an alcoholic. Alcohol detox symptoms are considered serious and require medical assistance. Alcohol detox causes dangerous physical withdrawal symptoms.
Without medical attention, alcoholics can have a life-threatening seizure, stroke, or another dangerous medical emergency. Alcohol withdrawal symptoms will begin very soon after the person has stopped drinking, and cause the following:
- Nausea and vomiting
- Profuse sweating and fever chills
- Anxiety and panic
- Shaky hands and delirium tremens
- Increased blood pressure
- Heart palpitations
- Dry heaving
- Body aches and muscle cramps
- Hallucinations
- Seizures
- Insomnia
- Depression and suicidal thoughts
Does At-Home Alcohol Detox Work?
There is no doubt that the odds of an alcoholic getting sober on their own and remaining sober for an extended period of time are incredibly low. When someone is cared for at an alcohol detox center, they are given safe and effective medications that reduce anxiety and let the person rest.
Anxiety and panic attacks are serious, causing high blood pressure and hallucinations. Someone at home will not be safe or mentally and emotionally stable. It is always recommended to seek professional help if someone you know is at home trying to detox from alcohol. Their well-being is likely to suffer, and they will relapse.
What Do Experts Recommend for Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms?
Researchers from the National Institutes on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, explain how dangerous alcohol withdrawal (AW) is. They recommend hospitalization or an alcohol detox unit with medical staff and medications to oversee the individual’s progress.
Continued excessive alcohol consumption can lead to the development of dependence that is associated with a withdrawal syndrome when alcohol consumption is ceased or reduced. This syndrome comprises physical signs as well as psychological symptoms that contribute to distress and psychological discomfort. For some people, the fear of withdrawal symptoms may help perpetuate alcohol abuse. Hospital [alcohol detox] admission provides the safest setting for the treatment of Alcohol Withdrawal. (NIAAA)
Where Do I Go for Alcohol Detox Today?
The alcohol detox we recommend provides medications to reverse insomnia, anxiety, tremors, and agitation. The medications that are prescribed include benzodiazepines when appropriate and other safe doctor-prescribed medications. We will work to have you admitted within hours, not days, to an alcohol detox near you.
The medical detox centers we work with allow same-day admission and provide evidence-based inpatient, outpatient, and intensive outpatient programs for alcohol use disorders. Call us now to be rushed to detox to begin your new life without alcohol.
Medically Reviewed: November 30, 2022
All of the information on this page has been reviewed and verified by a certified addiction professional.