5 Signs You Need Alcohol Detox
What is Alcohol Detox?
An alcohol detox is a program, usually held at a facility, such as a hospital, that uses medications to aid with the withdrawals experienced by an alcohol dependent person when they suddenly stop drinking.
Withdrawal symptoms
Alcohol withdrawal is brought on by the abrupt cessation of alcohol intake by someone who is alcohol dependent. Alcohol withdrawal symptoms usually occur within 5 to 10 hours after the last drink, but can occur days later. Symptoms get worse in 48 to 72 hours, and may persist for weeks.
Common symptoms include:
- Anxiety or nervousness
- Depression
- Not thinking clearly
- Fatigue
- Irritability
- Jumpiness or shakiness
- Mood swings
- Nightmares
Other symptoms may include:
- Clammy skin
- Enlarged (dilated) pupils
- Headache
- Insomnia
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea and vomiting
- Pallor
- Rapid heart rate
- Sweating
- Tremor of the hands or other body parts
A severe form of alcohol withdrawal called delirium tremens can cause:
- Agitation
- Severe confusion
- Hallucinations
- Fever
- Seizures
Why Alcohol detox is necessary
Alcohol detox is necessary because going cold turkey from abusing alcohol can lead to a potentially fatal situation. And, the more times you have stopped on your own, the worse each set of withdrawal symptoms gets. This phenomenon is known as kindling, where repeated alcohol detoxifications lead to an increased severity of the withdrawal syndrome. For example, binge drinkers may initially experience no withdrawal symptoms but with each period of resumption of drinking followed by abstinence their withdrawal symptoms intensify in severity and may eventually result in full blown delirium tremens with convulsive seizures. Alcoholics who experience seizures during hospital detoxification have been found to be much more likely to have experienced more previous alcohol detoxification episodes than alcoholics who did not have seizures. Those experiencing previous detoxification are more likely to have more medically complicated alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Kindling can cause complications and may increase the risk of relapse, alcohol-related brain damage and cognitive deficits.
5 Signs You Need Alcohol Detox
There are both behavioral and physical signs to look for when considering alcohol detox.
5 behavioral signs that you may need an alcohol detox to help you stop drinking:
- Drinking everyday
- Drinking heavily
- Having experienced withdrawal symptoms in the past
- Hiding bottles around the house, in your car, and at work
- Spending lots of money and time on drinking
5 Physical signs you need alcohol detox, when you stop drinking you experience the following:
- Abnormal eye movements
- Abnormal heart rhythms and Rapid heart rate
- Not enough fluids in the body (dehydration)
- Fever
- Rapid breathing
- Shaky hands
The goals of alcohol detox treatment
There are three main goals of an alcohol detox treatment. First and foremost, it is used to save the person’s life. Again, withdrawing from alcohol can possibly lead to death. Also, alcohol detox relieves symptoms of withdrawal therefore making the person more comfortable while they get the alcohol out of their system. Lastly, an alcohol detox works to prevent any complications that may arise during the detoxification process through the use of medications and monitoring the patient.
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