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Alcohol Detox Steps

Alcohol detox is the first of many steps on an alcoholic's long road to recovery. During all alcohol detoxification, medical personnel should be around or visiting regularly to monitor the effects the detox is having on the patient's body, as this can be extreme and life threatening at times, based on how long the patient has been drinking and how the patient's body reacts to the absence of alcohol in his or her system.

  1. Withdrawal

    • Withdrawal is the first process an alcoholic must go through to remove alcohol from his or her body and start the recovery process. As with all addictions, the body becomes dependent on the substance it is addicted to, so exorcising these substances proves difficult and painful for the patient, as the body is trying desperately to hold on to them. When it can't--as the detox keeps the patient from ingesting alcohol--the reactions go from mild to severe. Headaches, shakes, vomiting, insomnia and delirium are common symptoms of withdrawal.

    Drugs to Relieve Withdrawal Symptoms

    • Certain drugs can be administered to detox patients to help reduce the extreme reactions caused by withdrawal symptoms. Klonopin, which helps alleviate the physical symptoms for many recovering alcoholics, is a pain killer and sadly can cause a new addiction among alcoholics if not correctly monitored. Buprenophex, an anti-convulsant, is a drug given to detox patients who are heavy drinkers in case they have seizures due to withdrawal. Most drugs are not given to patients unless they are experiencing more extreme withdrawal symptoms.

    Time Period

    • Alcohol detox patients should expect to spend anywhere from three to 14 days at an inpatient medical facility, where they will go "dry" and flush the alcohol from their systems. During this time the withdrawal symptoms will occur, and the drugs may be administered to help alleviate these symptoms, if necessary. But this is just the initial step. The hardest part for any alcoholic is staying sober for the rest of his or her life, which can only be done with real dedication and support from those around them.

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