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Acute Alcohol Detox

Acute alcohol detox refers to the immediate withdrawal of alcohol in a detox setting. In other words, a person does not "wean down" or gradually reduce her drinking, she stops immediately. When he stops immediately, a detox begins in which the body purges the toxins associated with the alcohol over-consumption and begins to withdraw from its dependency on alcohol.

  1. Purpose of Detox

    • Detox has two main objectives: to break the body's physical dependence on alcohol and to prepare the patient for the process necessary to recover from addiction. During acute detox, a person who was drinking on a regular basis suddenly stops imbibing all forms of alcohol. Over a period of three to seven days, the body has to readjust to being without alcohol. Once this occurs, recovery and therapy can begin to help the patient begin to manage his alcohol addiction.

    Inpatient Services

    • Detox can be done on an inpatient or outpatient basis. An inpatient basis may be best for people engaging in acute detox, to help them resist the uncontrollable urge to drink as their body has begun to crave alcohol. Furthermore, there are certain medical side effects associated with acute detox that can be monitored or treated in an inpatient setting. Once the initial acute detox period is completed, the patient may remain in an inpatient facility for therapy and education. On average, patients stay in inpatient facilities for six weeks. Once they leave, they may need to continue the recovery process for life, going to regular meetings and abstaining from drinking.

    The Detox Process

    • Typically, especially for inpatient acute detox, a psychological evaluation is recommended before detox occurs. This can help to determine the extent of the dependence on alcohol and perhaps the underlying causes, which may help to give the patient a better understanding of what will go on during acute detox. Following the psychological evaluation, the acute detox period begins in which a patient is cut off from any and all sources of alcohol. This is followed by continued therapy and recovery. It is often said that alcohol addiction is a lifetime battle, and that a patient never fully leaves recovery.

    Withdrawal Symptoms

    • There are certain physical symptoms and side effects associated with acute alcohol detox. These symptoms differ depending on the patient and the extent of the addiction. Common symptoms include vomiting, nausea, sweating, tremors, anxiety, convulsions, seizures, alcohol-induced hallucinations, hyperglycemia, fever or a feeling of disorientation.

    Drug Therapy

    • Some drugs have been approved to help to lessen or relieve the symptoms associated with acute withdrawal. These drugs should only be administered under the care of a physician or counselor and/or within an inpatient setting. These drugs include phenytoin, carbamazepina, beta blockers, benzodiazepine and clonidine. The drugs may help to relieve the symptoms discussed above, including hallucinations, fever, tremors, seizures and stomach problems.

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