Drug Addiction Treatment Blog

Alcohol Detox Information for Alcoholics and “Problem Drinkers”

When a heavy drinker abruptly stops drinking alcohol, he or she typically experiences alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Alcohol detox is an alcoholism treatment approach that focuses on managing the alcohol withdrawal symptoms in a safe environment so that the body can eliminate the alcohol that has been ingested.

Some Alcohol Detox Facts

Alcohol detox, a widely available, traditional form of alcoholism treatment, is typically done under the supervision of a medical practitioner, and it is frequently employed as the first step in an alcoholic treatment program. Due mainly to the relatively long time-frame needed for alcohol detox programs, these programs are typically part of an inpatient alcohol rehabilitation program.

Alcohol Detox and Withdrawal Symptoms

According to the research literature, it is important to treat every individual who is suffering from alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Having said this, however, it should be noted that approximately 95 per cent of the individuals who quit drinking alcohol experience mild to moderate withdrawal symptoms and can frequently be treated on an out-patient basis by a healthcare professional.

The remaining 5 per cent of the people who suffer from withdrawal symptoms, however, experience symptoms so severe that they must be treated in a hospital or in an alcohol rehabilitation facility that specializes in alcohol detoxification intervention. More than a few researchers openly claim that chronic alcoholics who cannot maintain sobriety or those who suffer from severe alcohol withdrawals should receive drug therapy to control their withdrawal symptoms. It is important to note, furthermore, that by using medications, alcohol-dependent individuals are less likely to experience possible brain damage and/or seizures.

Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms and Benzodiazepines

Recent research suggests that the drugs most likely to produce effective results when treating alcohol withdrawal symptoms are the benzodiazepines. Examples include the shorter-acting benzodiazepines such as Ativan and Serax and the longer-acting benzodiazepines such as Librium and Valium.

Traditionally, when doctors have used benzodiazepines they have employed a progressive decrease in dosage over the time-span of the withdrawal process. Moreover, since the shorter-acting benzodiazepines do not remain in the person’s system for an excessive period of time and since they allow for measurable dose reductions, many alcoholism researchers and practitioners have recommended that short to intermediate half-life benzodiazepines should be used for treating excessive alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

Doctor-Prescribed Drugs To Prevent A Relapse

Once the individual has overcome his or her withdrawal symptoms, moreover, other doctor-prescribed medications such as naltrexone (ReViaT) or disulfiram (Antabuse) may be used in an attempt to help prevent the person from returning to drinking after he or she has experienced a relapse and consumed alcohol.

For example, antabuse is a drug given to alcoholics that elicits negative effects such as dizziness, nausea, flushing, and vomiting if alcohol is ingested. For the most part, Antabuse is effective because it is such a strong deterrent. Naltrexone (ReViaT), conversely, is used in an entirely different manner in that it effectively targets the brain’s reward circuits and reduces the craving the person has for alcohol.

Non-Drug Alcohol Detox

A variety of non-drug techniques exist for treating alcohol withdrawal. Indeed, according to the current research literature, it seems that the safest way to treat mild withdrawal symptoms is without meds. Such non-drug alcohol detox programs use extensive social support and screening during the entire withdrawal process. Other non-drug alcohol detox programs, furthermore, use vitamin therapy (especially thiamin) and proper nutrition when treating mild withdrawal symptoms.

Alcohol Detox: Inpatient versus Outpatient Status

Not surprisingly, recent research findings have shown that inpatient alcohol withdrawal treatment is more effective and longer-lasting than outpatient treatment. As a general rule, therefore, the more severe the alcohol-related withdrawal symptoms, the more likely that inpatient treatment programs should be considered.

Rapid Detox

Rapid detox is an addiction detoxification approach that uses anesthesia and the administering of medications in a closely monitored hospital setting.Depending on the drug that the addict is “hooked on,” rapid detox usually takes place in a hospital or detox facility where the patient is anesthetized for 4 to 6 or even up to 48 hours—enough time to eliminate most of the drugs from the patient’s system. While under anesthesia, the addict is also given doctor-prescribed medications that speed up the physical reactions to the withdrawal process.

Rapid detox is essentially intended for detoxification efforts associated with addiction to opiates such as heroin, methadone, and morphine as well as addiction to prescription drugs such as darvocet, oxycontin, codeine, percocet, and vicodin.

In the final analysis, if rapid detox has been shown to “work,” it must be seen as one aspect of the addiction recovery process. Stated more precisely, rapid detox is a treatment approach that targets “withdrawal symptoms” and little, if anything else. If rapid detox is used as a part of a comprehensive addiction treatment and recovery procedure, maybe it can play a significant and necessary role in the treatment process. If rapid detox, conversely, is seen as the “magic bullet” of addiction detox and treatment, then its fascination as an “instant cure” will not only be misleading but perhaps more importantly, will possibly result in a fatality.

Alcohol Detox: Conclusion

Although 95% of the people who quit drinking alcohol experience mild to moderate withdrawal symptoms, every person who suffers from alcohol withdrawal needs professional alcoholism detox treatment.

The critically important message regarding alcohol withdrawal symptoms, therefore is this: when experiencing alcohol withdrawal symptoms, always see your doctor or healthcare provider immediately so that he or she can assess the severity of your withdrawal symptoms and recommend the alcohol detox treatment that will be the most effective and the most appropriate for your particular circumstance.

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With all of the alcohol rehabs scattered across the nation, it is not very often an alcohol rehab is recognized for its outstanding contribution to the alcohol rehabilitation industry. Sometimes it is not the rehab center with all the name recognition or treating the Hollywood stars that is making the greatest difference. In many cases, it is the rehab center that quietly provides outstanding care to its patients and families that make the biggest difference.

In this case, the Florida rehab center was Lakeview Health Systems, located in Jacksonville Florida. With its state of the art alcohol rehab center, capable of providing an effective medically driven drug and alcohol detox, coupled with life changing alcohol rehabilitation, Lakeview has moved a step above the rest.

Rehab for the Gay Community

In addition to alcohol rehab, Lakeview developed addiction treatment for the gay and lesbian community in a rehab called Freedom Rings. This rehab focuses on the needs of the LGBT. This gay friendly rehab center has become one of the premier LGBT rehab centers in the United States.

For additional information on this Florida alcohol rehab call 1-800-511-9225 and someone will direct you to the appropriate person.

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A month before my dad passed away, he told a close family friend that I would be dead within a year. I was only 21, and drugs had destroyed my life and my relationships. I went through four drug rehab programs and none of them worked. I always went back to drugs and caused more damage. I simply did not care. After my dad died, I spiraled down to the point where I no longer wanted to live. My dad’s premonition almost became reality.

Then, a worried friend drove me to a drug rehab program that had just been started in Florida. I don’t remember much of what was said that night, but I do remember asking the director of the Florida drug rehab, “Will I still want to use drugs if I complete this program?” I’ll never forget his response. He looked directly at me and replied, “Lora, you may always want to use drugs. But if you do this drug addiction treatment program, you won’t need to use drugs.”

Finally, someone had said something that made sense. He didn’t fill me full of unrealistic goals. He didn’t try to sell me a quick fix, something that I was craving by that point in the evening. So I did what any committed drug addict would do. I left. Two weeks later, I was in jail, sitting in a holding cell and staring at the phone on the wall. I picked up the phone and called the drug rehab – collect.

“Are you sure you’re ready,” the man on the other end of the phone asked.
I answered, “Yes,” and within two hours, my bail had been posted. I remember driving up winding road. It was dark. I was scared. I couldn’t see what was ahead of me, and I was not convinced that this drug rehab would be any different from the last. I was wrong.
I graduated from that Florida drug rehab fourteen years ago. I’ve experienced the death of my husband, received my black belt in Tae Kwon Do, lived through a life-threatening illness, gone to college, repaired my relationships with my mother and my brother, and am currently in the process of raising my, now, 13-year-old son. And I’ve done all this without the need for drugs.

The drug rehab that I went through approached drug addiction in a way that I had never been exposed to. The program focused first on drug detox. Next, the drug rehab taught me practical life skills and helped me sort through the issues that had led me to drugs in the first place. Over the years, I have stayed in contact with this drug rehab. Because of this unique Florida drug rehab, I am no longer view myself as a drug addict. My dad would be proud.

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When you begin looking a drug rehabs for addiction help it is important to make sure the addiction treatment program includes treatment for the family. Recognizing that drug addiction effects the entire family unit, a comprehensive family treatment program within an addiction treatment program plays a significant role getting addiction help.

Drug Rehabs and Family Therapy

Drug rehabs that provide effective addiction help do more than provide family therapy. Most of the reputable drug rehabs provide a four day family recovery program, rather than the typical one hour of family therapy. Family members are asked to participate in this healing process as they can end up being primary support for the patient or a trigger for relapse.

What is the Best Addiction Help?

An addiction treatment program also has the responsibility to decide what type of addiction help is best for you and your family. Is it a residential drug rehab, outpatient drug rehab or attendance of 12 step meetings. Sometimes it can be the combination of all the above. Not every person looking for help with their addiction requires the same type of treatment.

To locate the best addiction help available, call the national addiction helpline at 1-800-511-9225 or go to www.recoveryconnection.org.

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