When you undergo detox, it helps your body overcome withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms of withdrawal range from mild to severe, depending on factors such as how much alcohol you drank, how often you drank, and whether you have any co-occurring illnesses. However, for those people with a severe form of alcohol dependency or other risk factors of serious withdrawal, inpatient medical detox may be the best option. However, whether you undergo alcohol detox at home or you go to an addiction treatment center, recovery does not stop here. Detox handles the physical nature of addiction, but the mental part of it can take much more work.

Someone planning to detox should speak with a doctor about which medications are best for their specific situation before taking anything for alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Alcohol withdrawal can begin within hours of ending a drinking session. By entering an alcoholism treatment program, you’ll benefit from medical care that addresses alcohol withdrawal and any underlying co-occurring disorders you have. Several factors affect how long alcohol stays in the liver – including your age, genetics, and the quantity of alcohol consumed.

Medications for Withdrawal and Detox to Ensure you Detox Safely at Home

Be sure to stock up on food and medicine and have a variety of distracting activities available within easy reach. Prescribing acamprosate, naltrexone or disulfiram is advised to maintain abstinence after detox but should only be used with ongoing support. Once you can start eating again, it’s important to focus on eating a healthy diet. Eat foods from a variety of food groups in the right amounts to help meet your caloric needs.

Withdrawal suggests that someone’s body has become physically reliant on alcohol and can no longer function properly without it. This level of physical dependence on a substance is one of the primary indicators that someone should seek professional treatment to stop using it. Withdrawal symptoms are also one of the reasons why an alcohol detox at home can become dangerous. The first and most dangerous risk of attempting an at-home alcohol detox is the potential of serious, life-threatening withdrawal symptoms.

Alcohol Detox at Home: Is It Safe?

Detox is often the first important step in recovery for those people suffering from alcohol use disorder (AUD). Detox involves the removal of alcohol from the body after the body has adjusted to having the substance daily. The detox process can be daunting, but it can become manageable with proper medical guidance and support. Alcohol detox is usually only the first part of substance abuse treatment. Long-term recovery from AUD involves identifying the underlying causes of addiction or substance abuse and developing the skills to overcome them.

Alcohol withdrawal causes a variety of different symptoms including fatigue, anxiety, depression, loss of appetite, nausea, and vomiting. These symptoms are most severe between 24 and 72 hours after the last drink and may limit your ability to eat. The act of drinking itself can be replaced by any non-alcoholic beverage. Some people will also find How to Choose a Sober House: Tips to Focus on that they are much hungrier after stopping drinking since alcohol itself is calorically dense. But more importantly, it is vital to replace alcohol use with activities that you find meaningful and rewarding, such as exercise, hobbies, or meditation. Experiencing any of these symptoms may indicate the development of alcoholic liver disease.

What is Alcohol Detox?

The first few days after stopping a drug can be difficult and unpredictable. It is important to be surrounded by people who can help keep you physically and mentally stable. They should also know the potential warning signs to watch for in case withdrawal symptoms escalate https://www.healthworkscollective.com/how-choose-sober-house-tips-to-focus-on/ and become a medical emergency. Also known as dual diagnosis, co-occurring mental health issues can make detox at home riskier and worsen side effects. Psychiatric symptoms can worsen too, putting you at risk for increased anxiety, depression, psychosis, or self-harm.

The information we provide is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. It should not be used in place of the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare providers. The most effective way to detox from alcohol is at a medically supervised inpatient detox facility.