Alcohol Detox

What Symptoms Are Experienced When You Have an Alcohol Addiction?

When you have an alcohol addiction, the symptoms of alcoholism can be different for all to varying degrees. However, it is not uncommon to experience physical and psychological symptoms such as perspiration, nausea, increased heart rate, anxiety, insomnia, depression, paranoia and persistent headaches.

While a number of the symptoms experienced with alcohol addiction can be alleviated within a matter of hours, more than 358,000 hospital admissions are made each year as a result of long term symptoms and health problems associated with alcohol misuse.

Although treatment can reduce the health problems associated with alcohol misuse, treatment cannot entirely alleviate chronic conditions, such as organ failure. It is, therefore, crucial you seek treatment via a detoxification and rehabilitation programme.

What are the stages of alcohol detox?

Alcohol detox is the process of removing alcohol from the body. This will be completed over a period of days, where a slow and steady approach is taken, helping to maintain safety. However, it is important to remember that within a detox programme, there are pinnacle stages, known as recovery milestones.

These milestones can be achieved with our help and each person will experience different challenges hitting these milestones. For some people will only experience mild symptoms and recover themselves without too much intervention. Others may experience stronger symptoms and need medical supervision and additional treatments.

The first stage of alcohol detox is where withdrawal symptoms will begin to present themselves. Those cravings and desires to consume further amounts will arise in the first 6-8 hours post alcohol consumption. To kickstart a road to recovery, individuals must bypass those cravings, progressing to the next detox stage.

The second stage, commonly experienced 48 hours post-consumption is where unbearable withdrawal symptoms are likely. As the central nervous system is usually fuelled by alcohol, reliance will require alcohol to function properly. As alcohol consumption will be avoided through a detox, withdrawal symptoms are likely to appear due to reduced alcohol levels.

Alcohol withdrawal symptoms include high blood pressure, nausea, anxiety, paranoia, hallucinations, delirium tremens and many more challenging side effects. When an individual drinks excessively, severe symptoms will likely present themselves, known as alcohol withdrawal syndrome. Restlessness, delirium tremens, disorientation and autonomic instability, are expected, difficult to control alone.

To help clients reach the third stage of alcohol detox, where withdrawal symptoms will begin to subsidise, and sobriety is favoured, prescription medications and alternative treatment options will be utilised through rehab.

This is very important to distract and motivate individuals through the initial and difficult stages of detox. As this degree of treatment isn’t available from home, medically supervised alcohol detox programmes will always carry greater results and safety while motivating an efficient detox process.

Why is alcohol withdrawal important?

Over time, it is very likely that a large amount of alcohol will be present in the body, especially for heavy drinkers. As tolerances build up, unhealthy levels of alcohol will circulate and control the body, along with its dangerous effects. As there is commonly a large build-up, it is important that complete alcohol withdrawal is experienced, helping to remove all sources; achievable through a detox programme.

Without slowly withdrawing from alcohol, cravings and a reliance on alcohol will continue to develop under the surface, likely to influence future relapses. Not to mention the negative effects of alcohol on the body and mind, commonly resulting in life-threatening conditions and mental health issues.

With this in mind, it is imperative that a comprehensive, safe and realistic detox programme is completed, helping to kickstart the initial stages of recovery, along with boosting further susceptibility to treatment.

Why complete an alcohol detox in a safe environment?

A further reason why medical supervision is required when completing an alcohol detox is down to the processes your body will go through. Through a safe environment, which is controlled and prepared, you’ll have the reassurance that you’re in safe hands while detoxing.

If you’ve been abusing alcohol for a long-term period, your body and mind will likely rely heavily upon the addictive tendencies of alcohol. As this level is reduced, organic reactions will happen, resulting in withdrawal symptoms. Symptoms of alcohol withdrawal can start moderately yet are likely to reach chronic effects as a detox develops.

With this in mind, to ensure that your health and safety is prioritised while slowly disconnecting from alcohol, investing in a structured alcohol detox programme is highly recommended. This is available through our referral rehab centres, offering a safe and progressive environment to complete detox successfully.

If you attempt to detox from home, please remember that this can be dangerous and difficult to control. Likewise, success rates are meagre, down to the inability to control those cravings and withdrawal symptoms. For your best chance to rehabilitate, consider a medically supervised detox programme.

Additional treatment services

Although an alcohol detox will initially help you stop drinking, addiction is a multifaceted illness requiring differing degrees of treatment. With this in mind, a psychological intervention must also be completed, commonly in therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy, and motivational sessions.

By completing detox and psychological support, this approach will prepare the body and mind for a future without alcohol while instilling maintenance tips. Without this combination, the underlying psychological influences will likely override the success achieved through a detox, kickstarting alcohol consumption.

To avoid this vicious circle of alcohol consumption and addiction, completing an initial alcohol detox programme will be advised, followed by alternative suitable treatment services. Here at Addiction Advocates, we can help source and recommend the most suitable treatment programme for you, followed by a personal referral.

For more information on how beneficial an alcohol detox can be, soon followed by psychological support, reach out to our team today.