Alcohol Detox and Alcoholism Treatment
Treatment for Alcoholism
Alcohol detox is the initial step a person must take to ensure safety during the withdrawal phase for the treatment of alcoholism. Alcohol detox should be provided in a medical detoxification setting to provide adequate medical care for the patient. Withdrawal is the term used to describe the body’s reaction to the removal of the alcohol it has become dependent upon. Detox must be the first step because until the physical dependancy issue is taken care of, no other form of alcohol treatment will work. Withdrawal will cause such craving that they will make it impossible for the patient to concentrate on their recovery. Through a combination of a detox medications and support staff, the alcohol detox process can be made safe and comfortable.
The goal of any reputable alcohol detox program is to fully prepare the individual physically and mentally so that he or she may be able to participate in the educational and therapeutic process of alcoholism treatment. Alcohol detox can be defined as a period of medically monitored treatment, where a person is helped to overcome their physical dependence on alcohol. Until the detox process is complete, someone is simply not ready for recovery. Therefore, the ultimate goal of detox is freedom from alcoholism and an evaluation for the appropriate type of alcohol treatment necessary to maintain long term recovery.
Signs of Alcohol Withdrawal
These can range from mild to quite severe. Mild reactions to alcohol detox can include tremors (the shakes), headaches, vomiting, perspiration, restlessness, lose of appetite and insomnia. More serious effects of alcohol detox can be Delirium Tremens (DT’s), autonomic hyperactivity and seizures (convulsions). It has been estimated that 1 in 4 patients are at high risk of a withdrawal seizure if not medically treated during alcohol detox. Physical addiction to alcohol occurs in consistent drinkers.
If you are looking for an alcohol detox program that will provide you with safe and effective medical detox services, you can call the national detox helpline at 1-800-99-DETOX.
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