For the occasional drinker, detoxing from alcohol means dealing with a hangover the next day after a night of drinking. You may have a headache and feel tired, but recover within a day.
However, if you are an alcoholic, detoxing from it may require professional help. It may be dangerous to do it at home. We’ll explain why that is. Continue reading to learn more.
Why Alcohol Detox Can Be Dangerous
Professional help can lead to a safe detox. For example, searching “alcohol detox Richmond, VA,” can lead you to various treatment centers that offer supervised medical detox.
Supervised treatment is advisable because alcohol detox can be dangerous.
For example, someone with severe drinking may need help detoxing from alcohol because of delirium tremens or DT(s). DT usually occurs in only people who excessively drink over a month. The symptoms from this can be so severe as to be fatal.
A medically supervised detox will help monitor the symptoms and withdrawal process to ensure the person’s safety at all times.
How To Tell You Need Help
You might not know that you need help until it’s too late. Keep an eye out for any of these signs in your behavior: slowing down at work, ignoring messages from family, increased risk-taking, difficulty coping, and sleeplessness.
If your lifestyle is not the one you want to be living, alcohol may be the problem.
Your friends and family love you and might not be able to tell you that you have a problem. You have to decide to ask for help. Getting to that point means recognizing the issue within yourself.
No two alcoholics look alike or display the same symptoms of the disease. But if your drinking is causing rifts at home and negatively affecting your daily life, it might be time for a detox.
Symptoms of When You Need Medically Supervised Detox
The choice to stop drinking can take a toll on the body.
When you withdraw from alcohol after severe drinking, you may experience delayed symptoms. However, these symptoms can be painful and last for days.
Symptoms include:
- Having a fever
- Feeling extremely agitated
- Seizures
- Feeling confused
- Having hallucinations
In the best-case scenario for most, these symptoms may drive an alcoholic to take a drink to relieve them. However, the worst-case scenario is that DT can be fatal. For example, it’s easy to pass away from a seizure or run into something deadly due to hallucinations. Thus, DT is one of the reasons why someone who is an addict could not be able to stop drinking.
When your normal state includes a drink in your hand, it always feels worse to be sober.
With that said, DT is treatable. A medically supervised detox can ensure that the DTs do not present life-threatening symptoms.
How DT Is Treated
When you go to a hospital for treatment for DT, here are some ways health professionals may treat you.
First, alcohol withdrawal can lead to dehydration, so professionals administer hydration and electrolyte treatment.
A medical professional may also use benzodiazepines for treating many DT symptoms. They may use medication to treat other symptoms as well—for example, anticonvulsants for seizures.
One may worry about treatment due to the possibility of becoming addicted to the drugs used. However, addiction specialists carefully monitor the medications they use and only use them when needed.
If you worry about drug addiction in the rehab procuress, attend a clinic. Medical professionals in a safe environment can ensure your recovery does not lead to new issues.
After the symptoms are over, you will begin your rehab journey.
Detoxing Is Just the Beginning
When you go to an alcohol detox center, you will be treated for DT and helped on your way to treating your addiction. Resisting a drink can be challenging, and relapses are possible. However, a professional will be there every step of the way to help you conquer your addiction.
Maintaining your mental health through therapy is just as essential as tending to your physical needs. Remember, now that you’ve started a detox program, you will be on it for the rest of your life.
Final Thoughts
Alcohol withdrawal is challenging to conquer without help, if not dangerous. So there is no shame in talking to a professional who can help with your detox journey.
The power to make change is within your grasp, so reach out and take it!
We wish you the best and hope you can break through to a happier and healthier future.
