No one purposely sets out to become an alcoholic. It happens a little at a time, where one drink becomes many. Suddenly, your brain and body have come to depend on alcohol. It’s then that you might consider the importance of alcohol detox.
Detox is an essential step on the journey toward recovery. It flushes the alcohol from your system and gets you ready to address the dynamics that brought you to this point in the first place.
The detox process isn’t easy, but as a way of addressing the challenge of sobriety, the importance of alcohol detox can’t be overstated. Contact our experts at TruHealing Centers today by calling [Direct] or filling out our online form if you need alcohol addiction treatment. Learn more about how our alcohol detox center may be the key to your recovery.
What Is Alcoholism?
Alcoholism is the common term we use to describe an addiction to alcohol. In medical terms, it’s also described as an alcohol-use disorder. Whatever you choose to call it, the meaning is the same: excessive, unhealthy use of alcohol. Interestingly, there really isn’t an objective measure of when someone is classified as an alcoholic.
The critical threshold lies in what alcohol does to your life. Some common signals may be:
- Prioritizing alcohol overwork and family
- Exhibiting uncharacteristically anti-social behavior
- Engaging in secret drinking
- Experiencing problems with relationships or at work due to drinking
- Feeling like you need to drink to relax or fit in
If you have concerns about yourself or a loved one, it may be time to get help and enter treatment, where you will start to hear the term alcohol detox.
Importance of Alcohol Detox
An alcohol detox program is a carefully managed process during which you focus on removing alcohol from your system. Addiction counselors agree that recovery can’t move forward until you can reduce your physical dependence and overcome alcohol withdrawal symptoms.
But, that creates challenges for the body. When you have an alcohol-use disorder, your brain has grown dependent on alcohol to provide a certain “fix.” Once you remove that source, the body reacts physiologically, and sometimes it can be quite painful.
Detox is not a process to try to do yourself. It is a clinically-based program that helps you manage these physiological events under the supervision of a qualified medical team, such as the TruHealing Centers team.
Once alcohol is cleared from your system, you can begin addressing the other issues that brought you to this point.
Symptoms may develop during detox. They can be mild or severe and include:
- Difficulty sleeping
- Anxiety attacks
- Sweating
- Headache
- Nausea
- Shakes
- Seizures
Clinicians will help you manage these symptoms, keeping you comfortable to get you ready for the next step of recovery.
What to Expect During Alcohol Detox
The process of medically supervised alcohol detox will be a little different for everyone, depending on the severity of your alcohol-use disorder. But, the importance of alcohol detox is the same for everyone, which is to get alcohol out of your system so you can walk the remaining steps to long-lasting sobriety.
Detox starts with a comprehensive, medically-based assessment, including a thorough evaluation of your medical condition. From there, doctors will develop a treatment plan.
Alcohol detox is done on both an inpatient and outpatient basis. The more severe cases will likely result in a stay in a residential detox facility for a certain period. Treatment in an outpatient setting will mean regular visits to a doctor’s office for checkups.
There is no single typical path through alcohol detox. However, the importance of alcohol detox is universal.
Benefits of Alcohol Detox
Alcohol detox has proven to be beneficial for those who are suffering from addiction. Obviously, the most significant benefit is enhanced physical health, but this crucial first step in recovery has other benefits, such as:
- Professional support – Our TruHealing Centers team is dedicated to being there to support you through every step of the detox process.
- A safe setting – It is crucial to go through detox in an environment where you feel safe. At TruHealing Centers, we ensure your safety as you detox.
- Medication-assisted treatment – Our team is highly qualified to administer medication during detox, if necessary. This medication-assisted treatment can make the difference between making it through detox or relapsing into alcohol addiction.
Explore Alcohol Detox at TruHealing Centers
Excessive drinking can assume a powerful hold on your life. Breaking the addiction, and returning to a life of sobriety, is a challenge that requires commitment and professional support.
The first step is embracing the importance of alcohol detox. TruHealing Centers provide the clinical support you need to break the influence of alcohol. We also offer a full range of other treatment programs, including relapse prevention and after-care support. Don’t spend another day under the influence. Contact us today by calling [Direct] or completing our online form.