If you’ve become over-reliant on alcohol and decide it’s time to quit drinking, you may experience various uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms that make it challenging to stay on track with your goal. The time it takes to detox from alcohol depends on a few factors, such as how much you typically drink, how long you have been a heavy drinker and whether you have tried detoxing before.
Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms and Timeline
What can you expect when attempting to detox from alcohol? Because of alcohol’s effects on your body and brain, you may have developed a psychological and a physical dependency on it. Your physical dependency means your brain can’t maintain its equilibrium without an influx of neurotransmitters triggered by alcohol.
If you’ve been drinking for years and suddenly stop, your system will become imbalanced. At this point, withdrawal is often the result. Your overactive nervous system can cause symptoms such as anxiety, irritability, nausea, sweating and insomnia.
Minor withdrawal symptoms could begin as early as six hours after your last drink, and progress in intensity for the next several days. In severe cases, you could experience seizures, hallucinations and an accelerated heart rate.
Can You Detox From Alcohol at Home?
Quitting drinking can be intimidating, especially when alcohol has become a crutch you use to get through each day. If you feel too embarrassed to admit you have a problem you can’t solve on your own, you might attempt to detox from alcohol without professional help or support. However, alcohol is one of the most dangerous drugs to try to quit on your own, since alcoholics who quit cold turkey are prone to experiencing a severe, potentially fatal complication called delirium tremens.
The familiarity of your home may also work against your goals by making it too easy to reach for a drink once withdrawal sets in. Even if you proactively get rid of all the alcohol in your house before attempting your at-home detox, there may be several bars and liquor stores within a convenient distance from your house, leaving you vulnerable to temptation when cravings strike. Even the most determined person can relapse back to substance abuse after struggling through days of unpleasant or frightening withdrawal symptoms.
Medically Managed Detox in Taos, New Mexico
If your goal is to end your dependence on drinking, don’t gamble with a risky at-home detox from alcohol. Medically managed detoxification, accompanied by an individual treatment plan, provides a sturdy foundation for the later stages of addiction rehab. After you are stable enough to move out of detox, you will begin working with a therapist who will help you address the root causes of your addiction and provide the skills necessary to avoid a relapse.
Vista Taos Renewal Center offers holistic programming for men and women who are determined to break the cycle of addiction. We believe chemical dependency is a disease, not a weakness. At our family-owned treatment center, you can learn to manage your illness and achieve sustained sobriety. To discover more about regaining your physical, mental and spiritual health here, please reach out today.
