The Blanchard Institute
Alcohol Detox
What Is Alcohol Detox?
Alcohol detox can be mild to severe. If you have been drinking heavily for weeks, months, or years, you may experience both mental and physical problems when you stop or significantly reduce your drinking. This is known as alcohol withdrawal or alcohol detox. You are unlikely to experience withdrawal symptoms if you only drink on occasion. However, if you’ve experienced alcohol withdrawal before, you’re more likely to experience it again the next time you quit. Alcohol detox usually doesn’t affect those that don’t have a drinking problem. We want to explore more into what alcoholism is and what happens if someone were to simply quit drinking after days, weeks, months, or years of drinking, what to expect when going through alcohol detox and how The Blanchard Institute can help you.
Why TBI For Alcohol Detox Treatment?
Alcoholism should be overcome under the supervision of medical professionals in a specialized treatment facility such as The Blanchard Institute. Patients who try to self-treat may end up doing more harm than good. For example, the detox phase may include highly unpleasant withdrawal symptoms that are best handled in a rehab facility.
To increase your chances of long-term sobriety, you should participate in a rehabilitation program. Treatment providers will walk you through every step of the recovery process and will assist you in setting attainable sobriety objectives. Following detox, your specialist will connect you with alcohol abuse counselors and support organizations. This can help you keep your sobriety and allow you to meet other people who have conquered alcoholism.
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What Are the Symptoms of Alcoholism?
There are several warning signs that can assist in detecting probable alcohol abuse. Some people, for example, try to conceal their alcohol abuse by drinking alone and isolating themselves from others. When this happens, many times, family and friends are not aware and don’t know there is a problem. However, this is a good sign there might be a problem.
Mild alcohol abuse is sometimes disregarded. However, what appears to be a minor condition can quickly get out of control. These early warning signs must not be overlooked. It is always best to seek help sooner rather than later. However, there isn’t any bad time for reaching out for help. If you feel that you have a problem with alcohol, we are here to offer assistance. We can help you get through your detox phase and tools to stay in recovery.
The team of experts at The Blanchard Institute is happy to speak with you regarding your problem with alcohol. Drinking alcohol is something that has become very common in recent years. In fact, there are even grocery stores that serve it while you shop. It is a part of many people’s everyday lives. But, these people don’t know that it is a slippery slope from having a glass of wine to drinking bottles each night. If this sounds like you, you may need to reach out and get assistance.
The Dangers of Alcoholism
Alcoholism can cause a variety of problems in your professional and personal life. Prolonged drinking puts you in danger of major health difficulties and can have other potentially fatal repercussions.
Denial is one of the primary reasons why millions of individuals do not obtain alcoholism treatment. Some people will try to justify their drinking habits. For example, they may blame their drinking on other people or events. When someone mentions their excessive drinking behavior, they feel defensive rather than admit their troubles with alcohol. When doing this, they are hindering themselves from leading a good, sober life by refusing to understand the harmful repercussions of alcohol.
Stop making excuses for your drinking and start getting the treatment you need. Learn about our alcoholism services and how they can help you get started on your recovery plan right away.
Alcohol Withdrawal Treatments
Unless you have a serious health problem or have experienced severe withdrawals in the past, you usually won’t require anything more than a supportive environment to get through it. This includes the following:
- Lots of fluids and healthy food
- A positive, encouraging environment
- Limited touch with humans
- Gentle lighting
- A peaceful location
Our staff will develop a customized treatment plan to help you. We will be there for your every step of the way. If you have questions or concerns regarding your treatment plan, ask! We are always happy to help. There are some medications we use to facilitate the process. Benzodiazepines are commonly used to treat symptoms such as anxiety, sleeplessness, and seizures. You may also be prescribed antipsychotics and anti-seizure medications in addition to other medications.
Importance Of Our Structured Alcohol Detox Program
Most people recover completely from alcohol withdrawal symptoms. For months, some people have had disruptive symptoms known as post-acute withdrawal, such as difficulties sleeping, tiredness, mood fluctuations, and drowsiness. Delirium tremens kill a small number of people.
Your alcohol detox will be more difficult if you have underlying medical concerns, continue to drink heavily, and/or your organs are injured. Heavy drinking harms your organs and can lead to heart disease, liver disease, and nervous system problems. This is why it is so important that you seek the help of The Blanchard Institute if you feel you have an alcohol problem.
How Does Withdrawal Work?
Many people who drink alcohol do so to reduce stress and relax. This effect is achieved by boosting the effects of GABA, a neurotransmitter responsible for sensations of calm and happiness. It also reduces glutamate, which is another neurotransmitter that causes excitability.
Heavy drinking makes it more difficult to increase GABA and decrease glutamate. Therefore more and more alcohol is necessary to achieve the same result. Your body adapts to these changes and produces more glutamate and less GABA in response.
When you stop drinking abruptly, you no longer affect these two neurotransmitters, but your body continues to overproduce glutamate and underproduce GABA. As a result, you may become shaky, restless, worried, and agitated. If you drank heavily for extended periods, your symptoms could worsen, progressing to tremors, seizures, and dangerously high blood pressure.
What Happens to Your Body When You Quit Drinking?
Alcohol withdrawal typically causes exhaustion during the first several days as your body readjusts. You may also experience mental fog, as though you are unable to fully focus or concentrate. This is why, if you’re going through alcohol withdrawal, it’s often vital to set aside days for relaxing and letting your body heal.
