Because alcohol is such an accepted part of society, many people are unaware that detoxing can be dangerous for a person who has been abusing this substance. It is therefore recommended that no person attempt an alcohol detox alone and without consulting with a medical professional first.
There are basically three choices available for detoxing from alcohol - at a detox or rehab center, through an outpatient program or at home. Of these options, detoxing at a center has the greatest success rate as well as the lowest relapse rate. This is especially true when combined with a program such as Alcoholics Anonymous once detox has been completed.
Alcohol detox must be done correctly and it is not an easy thing. Whether a drunk alcoholic chooses to detox at home or at an alcohol detox center, they need to make a further choice as to whether they would like to quit using alcohol quickly or slowly. This basically means that they can choose to stop using alcohol cold turkey or be weaned off the substance slowly.
Detox centers often prefer the cold turkey method and will only really consider weaning for medical reasons. For example, a person who has been abusing alcohol for an extended period of time, in large amounts, may have suffered damage to their internal organs. A sudden removal of alcohol could cause organ failure and weaning from the substance in these cases would be recommended.
This is why it is so important to first have a medical exam before attempting any type of alcohol detoxification. It is imperative to determine what type of internal damage alcohol has had on the system and what steps need to be taken to prevent further harm being done.
No matter which course is chosen for detox, there are some facts that need to be taken into consideration. Firstly, detoxing is not a fast process. The initial phase of detoxification, where physical symptoms are present, normally lasts only a few days. These physical symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, fever, tremors, headache, weakness, insomnia, etc.
The severity and duration of these symptoms depends largely on the individual, their overall health and the period of alcohol abuse. The next stage of the detox process is intended to ensure that the person does not relapse into drinking. It has been medically determined that it takes around 28 days for a habit to be broken.
This is therefore the minimum recommended period for alcohol detox. During this period, new habits need to be formed to replace drinking as well as the other behaviors that are related to drinking. If an attempt is being made to detox at home, it is necessary for the person detoxing as well as friends and family assisting, to be aware of the length of time that the process will take.
Although this is the minimum period in a rehab center or at home that a person will detox, it does not mean that the process ends after 28 days. Living with alcoholism is a daily battle and an individual will need ongoing support and care for the foreseeable future.
There are basically three choices available for detoxing from alcohol - at a detox or rehab center, through an outpatient program or at home. Of these options, detoxing at a center has the greatest success rate as well as the lowest relapse rate. This is especially true when combined with a program such as Alcoholics Anonymous once detox has been completed.
Alcohol detox must be done correctly and it is not an easy thing. Whether a drunk alcoholic chooses to detox at home or at an alcohol detox center, they need to make a further choice as to whether they would like to quit using alcohol quickly or slowly. This basically means that they can choose to stop using alcohol cold turkey or be weaned off the substance slowly.
Detox centers often prefer the cold turkey method and will only really consider weaning for medical reasons. For example, a person who has been abusing alcohol for an extended period of time, in large amounts, may have suffered damage to their internal organs. A sudden removal of alcohol could cause organ failure and weaning from the substance in these cases would be recommended.
This is why it is so important to first have a medical exam before attempting any type of alcohol detoxification. It is imperative to determine what type of internal damage alcohol has had on the system and what steps need to be taken to prevent further harm being done.
No matter which course is chosen for detox, there are some facts that need to be taken into consideration. Firstly, detoxing is not a fast process. The initial phase of detoxification, where physical symptoms are present, normally lasts only a few days. These physical symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, fever, tremors, headache, weakness, insomnia, etc.
The severity and duration of these symptoms depends largely on the individual, their overall health and the period of alcohol abuse. The next stage of the detox process is intended to ensure that the person does not relapse into drinking. It has been medically determined that it takes around 28 days for a habit to be broken.
This is therefore the minimum recommended period for alcohol detox. During this period, new habits need to be formed to replace drinking as well as the other behaviors that are related to drinking. If an attempt is being made to detox at home, it is necessary for the person detoxing as well as friends and family assisting, to be aware of the length of time that the process will take.
Although this is the minimum period in a rehab center or at home that a person will detox, it does not mean that the process ends after 28 days. Living with alcoholism is a daily battle and an individual will need ongoing support and care for the foreseeable future.