Whether detoxing from alcohol, opioids, benzodiazepines, or other substances, it’s essential to understand that withdrawal symptoms are common and can range from mild to severe. The risks of severe alcohol withdrawal are life-threatening conditions such as delirium tremens (DTs), seizures, hallucinations, and cardiovascular complications. Delirium tremens, occurring in about 3 to 5% of individuals experiencing withdrawal, is characterized by confusion, tremors, fever, and extreme agitation, requiring emergency medical intervention. Seizures resulting from sudden changes in brain activity further increase the risk of injury or death.
Alcohol Withdrawal FAQs
Eating liver-supportive foods like leafy greens, lean protein, and cutting out added sugars can help recovery. At DeNovo Recovery, we focus on teaching practical tools and techniques to manage cravings. This helps prevent them https://www.trevigianacollanti.it/2024/02/05/what-is-wet-brain-causes-symptoms-and-treatment/ from leading to relapse and supports long-term recovery. Remember to speak with your primary care physician or substance use disorder specialist who can assess your current side effects of detox and your risk for serious symptomatology.
Outpatient detox lets individuals detox at home while attending scheduled medical appointments and counseling. It Substance abuse works for those with mild to moderate alcohol dependence and a stable home life. Yes, there are holistic and alternative approaches to alcohol detox, which focus on supporting the body and mind through natural detox methods, lifestyle changes, and mind-body therapies. While these approaches help ease withdrawal symptoms and promote overall well-being, they are used alongside medical guidance for safety and effectiveness. You can prevent relapse after alcohol detox by building a strong support system, engaging in therapy, and adopting healthy lifestyle changes. Ongoing treatment, such as counseling and participation in Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), helps address triggers and reinforce coping mechanisms.
Rediscover Life at Carolina Center for Recovery
A person can reverse or reduce alcohol-related health issues when they stop drinking. However, the extent of recovery depends on the duration of consumption, its severity, and an individual’s health status. Some alcohol-related damage may be permanent, alcohol detox side effects particularly in cases of severe, long-term consumption. Advanced liver cirrhosis, certain types of brain damage, and some cardiovascular complications may not fully reverse.
Types Of Alcohol Detox Programs
As you go through alcohol withdrawal, let your doctor know how you’re feeling, both physically and mentally. This may involve one one-on-one sessions with a social worker or therapist to help you deal with mental health issues or past traumas. At some point, it may be helpful to include your partner or family, too. Your doctor may decide to order different tests, such as blood work or a heart test. These results can help them learn how alcohol has affected your body and identify any infections, injuries, or other health issues that need treatment.
Stage III: Alcohol Withdrawal Seizures
Occurring between 24 to 72 hours, this is the most intense phase, where symptoms peak. Severe withdrawal effects, such as high blood pressure, confusion, hallucinations, and seizures, develop, requiring medical supervision to prevent life-threatening complications. There are several types of alcohol detox programs you should consider, customized to different needs. Medical detox in inpatient facilities provides 24/7 supervision for severe cases. Outpatient detox allows you to receive medical monitoring while you stay at home. Chronic alcohol use depletes key vitamins and minerals, which worsens withdrawal.
- Inpatient detox involves residing in a medical facility where individuals receive 24-hour supervision and support, ensuring safety during severe withdrawal symptoms.
- This method works best if your symptoms are mild to moderate, you have a strong support system, and no history of seizures or DTs.
- If you seek treatment for your withdrawal symptoms, there are many different treatments and medications you might receive.
- Group sessions are available in Austin and Houston and provide structured addiction treatment sessions and recovery counseling in a safe, clinical setting.
- Unfortunately, PAWS can last for months or maybe even years in severe, alcohol-related cases.
Side Effects of Detoxing
Combining alcohol’s pre-existing dehydrating qualities with withdrawal-related dehydration can easily induce seizures and may prove lethal in some cases. Withdrawal is a physically and psychologically uncomfortable experience — so much so that many heavy drinkers will continue drinking despite negative consequences just to avoid withdrawal. With continued and excessive alcohol consumption, alcohol interferes with the brain’s natural functions, disrupting neurotransmitters that send messages to the CNS. Professional medical detox is the safest option when it comes to stopping drinking.
- Our state-specific resource guides offer a comprehensive overview of drug and alcohol addiction treatment options available in your area.
- If it’s winter, you may notice fewer colds than in the past, but in warmer months, the changes may be more subtle, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t there.
- Carolina Center for Recovery works with most major insurance providers to make high-quality care accessible and affordable.
- Detox can be dehydrating to the body as it uses any means — most notably vomiting, diarrhea and sweating — to expel alcohol and its toxins.
- At Carolina Center for Recovery, we’re here to help you or your loved one take the first step toward lasting recovery and a brighter future.
This happens because when you have alcohol use disorder, your body acclimates itself to the effects of the alcohol and expects those effects regularly. Our Intensive Outpatient and Aftercare programs are designed to assist those who have graduated from our inpatient residential facility. Group sessions are available in Austin and Houston and provide structured addiction treatment sessions and recovery counseling in a safe, clinical setting. The first year of recovery can be difficult, but these support groups provide consistency, accountability, and peer support at a time when it’s needed most. During inpatient rehab, clients stay in a comfortable treatment center for a long time.
James is a traditional CBT therapist specializing in childhood events that lead to adult addictions. These effects will subside as your body adjusts to the absence of alcohol. For men, this can look like lowered libido and erectile dysfunction, as well as decreased muscle mass. For women, it can increase the risk of breast cancer, impair bone health, and lead to mood changes.
How Thiamine Can Mitigate Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms
She has extensive experience in working in the varying levels of mental health and addictions treatment as well as with diverse populations. Cortland Mathers-Suter entered the treatment space after his own battle with addiction. Cortland moved to Colorado in 2015 to start his first addiction treatment program, AspenRidge Recovery. Under his tenure, AspenRidge Recovery became a two-location, nationally accredited organization.
According to a study by the National Institutes of Health titled “Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome,” Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome is a brain disorder due to vitamin B1 (thiamine) deficiency. Supplementation with thiamine is important to prevent neurological complications such as Wernicke encephalopathy. Good Housekeeping participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. On top of that, you’re likely feeling less anxiety and are better able to regulate your emotions when life’s hiccups arise. Alcohol can also impair your ability to get restorative rest because you’re less likely to enter REM sleep, which has been shown to increase your risk of dementia.
While there aren’t many things that can reduce the thiamine levels in your body, consistent alcohol consumption is one of them. When you drink too much alcohol, your body will receive less thiamine and have difficulty using the vitamin to convert food into energy. When doctors attempt to diagnose AUD, they use the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders to determine if you have this condition and how severe it is.