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What Is an Alcohol Addiction Detox?

"Alcohol addiction detox" refers to the process of recovering from alcohol addiction. The first phase, or acute detox, is the phase that most people associate with the word "detox." This phase involves the actual physical withdrawal from alcohol after the body has become addicted to and dependent upon it. However, the detox process also involves learning to cope with and understand the addiction.

  1. Acute Detox

    • Acute detox for alcohol addiction usually lasts three to seven days. This process involves the body purging the toxins associated with alcohol addiction. Addiction to alcohol is both physical and mental, and people going through acute detox will crave alcohol desperately during this time. Acute detox can be done on an inpatient or outpatient basis, but either way, it is essential to manage symptoms and restrict access to alcohol.

    Symptoms of Acute Detox

    • As alcohol and its related toxins leave the body and the body goes through the withdrawal period to break its physical dependence on alcohol, many side effects and symptoms occur. These side effects vary by patient and can include nausea, sweating, vomiting, tremors, convulsions, anxiety and seizures. Patients may also be very disoriented or begin to hallucinate. Fever and hypoglycemia may occur during the withdrawal period. Above all, the body will have an almost uncontrollable craving for alcohol.

    Drug Therapy Used in Alcohol Detox

    • Drug therapies exist to help moderate some of the withdrawal symptoms associated with alcohol. Unlike certain drug therapies used in opiate addiction, these drugs do not impact alcohol's effects on the body. Instead, they simply reduce the severity of the symptoms and make the detox process less painful. These drugs include beta-blockers, benzodiazepines (such as Valium), carbamazepine, haloperidol, phenytoin and clonidine.

    Inpatient Detox

    • Alcohol addiction is often treated on an inpatient basis. When patients chose inpatient treatment, the period of acute detox is followed by a stay at a residential detox facility. This period averages about six weeks and involves addiction-management classes, group therapy and individual therapy designed to get to the root of the addiction and to manage the addiction once the patient leaves the detox facility. When choosing an inpatient facility, it is important to ensure that 24-hour medical care is available during the acute detox period, and to explore options for dual treatment (treatment for the addiction along with any accompanying psychiatric disorders), family therapy and other services.

    Goals of Alcohol Addiction Detox

    • The goals of alcohol addiction detox are twofold. One is purging toxins from the body. The second is helping the patient make the first step in a lifelong process of recovery and addiction management.

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