Alcohol Detox Methods

An article published in the journal, American Family Physician, indicates that alcohol withdrawal symptoms range from minor, like insomnia and tremors, to severe, like seizures and delirium tremens (DTs). It is possible to detox from alcohol addiction safely and effectively. Depending on your level of addiction, you may be able to detoxify your system in an outpatient treatment program. However, if you have been drinking consistently, four or more days a week, for more than one or two years, detoxing without medical supervision could have catastrophic results.

Detoxification Facility

• There are two kinds of detox facilities. Inpatient detox requires that you commit to about seven days of residential treatment. There, a team of medical professionals will monitor you around the clock. This is recommended for patients in the stage III category of alcohol withdrawal. In outpatient detox, appropriate for patients in stages I and II, with the support of your family physician, you can detox at home and attend a daily rehabilitation facility for counseling and group therapy.

Inpatient Detox

• Although your symptoms won't start until about 72 hours after your last drink, the degree of withdrawal will be intense and possibly life-threatening. DTs are a form of psychosis that have a 2 percent mortality rate. Other symptoms include seizures, severe depression and thoughts of suicide. At an inpatient detox facility, doctors can monitor your heart rate, blood pressure and mood and treat your symptoms as they appear. This is the safest treatment option if you are at risk of having dangerous withdrawal symptoms.

Outpatient Detox

• Outpatient alcohol detoxification is becoming increasingly popular. Doctors from the University of Tennessee College of Medicine in Chattanooga found that for patients in stage I withdrawal, a category into which 90 percent of alcoholics fall, or stage II, which is characterized by slightly more severe symptoms, they can successfully detox at home with the help of a supportive friend or family member who can monitor their progress. Withdrawal symptoms will begin within 24 to 48 hours of your last drink. You might also feel depressed and anxious. Attending a treatment program during the day will provide you with the emotional support necessary for achieving sobriety.

Medication

• For those in stages I, II and III of alcohol withdrawal, doctors commonly prescribe benzodiazepines, like clonazepam or lorazepam, to help ease symptoms. Known as drug-replacement therapy, these medications are used to reduce anxiety, cause sedation and relaxation, minimize tremors, and curb cravings. In one study, published in 2005, researchers at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg found that craving was one of the leading causes of recurrent drug relapse. The hope behind drug-replacement therapy is that by minimizing your craving for alcohol, you're less likely to start drinking again.