Alcohol detox is a commonly utilised treatment option, helping to remove all traces of alcohol from the internal system. It is usually the first step within a comprehensive rehabilitation programme, helping those addicted to alcohol reach sobriety.
While detoxification is a frequently used treatment option, many individuals lack understanding of its aims, of its timeline, of its structure. This can throw off many individuals while attempting to detox from alcohol.
If you’re aiming to overcome substance abuse or alcohol addiction, boosting your awareness around potential withdrawal symptoms, around expected timeframes, around the alcohol detox timeline will be recommended. Here your response to alcohol detoxification will improve, helping you bypass physical withdrawal, soon working towards psychological withdrawal.
Understandably, an alcohol detox process will differ for all clients. Some will only require a standalone detox without further addiction treatment. Others will require a prolonged detox process down to the amount of alcohol they’ve abused. Down to this, while it is advised that you do consider an alcohol detox via rehab, you must also keep an open mind and understand that differences from the below are very common.
If you’re suffering from substance abuse or alcohol addiction, contact our team at Action Rehab, helping you get clean safely via a medically assisted alcohol detox.
What is an alcohol detox?
An alcohol detox, is short, is the process of removing all toxins from the body. Those toxins will stand as alcohol in this case, where a strong build-up will usually be present when considering an addiction diagnosis.
While reducing or stopping alcohol consumption may alleviate addictive tendencies, there is a strong probability that traces of alcohol will remain, posing risk for future relapse. To reduce those risks, an alcohol detox will help to remove the influence of alcohol from the body, soon followed by the mind.
If you’re experiencing alcohol withdrawal, where significant withdrawal symptoms showcase themselves after consumption, there is a strong likelihood that you’re addicted to alcohol. Here is where your body and mind will depend on alcohol, where a tolerance has built up, resulting in alcohol cravings. Alcohol detox will be your first port of call via a reputable alcohol rehab clinic, helping to protect your physical and psychological health.
If you’re already living with an addiction diagnosis, hoping to recover, it is also likely that an alcohol detox will be recommended for you, as your first treatment option. If you’re struggling with an alcohol problem, it’s time to experience the benefits of alcohol detox, following the below timeline.
Expected timeline of an alcohol detox
The alcohol detox process will vary from client to client, yet there will commonly be 4 steps to detox, resulting in a degree of withdrawal symptoms. Those steps will take clients through the motions, helping to promote alcohol withdrawal, resulting in sobriety.
Step 1
This is the start of the detox process, usually 6-12 hours post-consumption. Here is where withdrawal symptoms are likely to begin, with a large focus on nausea, irritability, anxiety, headaches and intense cravings.
While this first step of alcohol detox can act as influential when considering further consumption, withdrawal symptoms will usually be moderate, developing into step 2.
Step 2
Around 12-124 hours post-consumption, existing withdrawal symptoms will have likely heightened, yet new alcohol detox symptoms will show themselves. Here is where challenges usually strengthen, where discomfort can be experienced down to dehydration and the imbalance of hormones.
Via a rehab clinic, your withdrawal symptoms will however be eased through alternative addiction treatment options.
Step 3
While consumption has stopped for 24-48 hours, step 3 is usually the hardest part of the alcohol detox process. While withdrawal symptoms will differ, here is where the potential of delirium tremens is high. If uncontrolled, withdrawal symptoms can become chronic and dangerous, making it very difficult to bypass the thought of alcohol consumption.
Please be reassured that medical intervention, alcohol detox medication and support services will be available at this time through rehab to protect health and safety.
Step 4
While days or even a week may have passed since alcohol consumption, withdrawal symptoms can continue. However, there is a strong likelihood that those alcohol detox symptoms will have reduced by now, making for a comfortable impending recovery process.
While the alcohol detox process can feel long-winded and challenging, it is an imperative part of addiction recovery. The body and mind must experience a significant change in order to rehabilitate. A detox offers that change through a controlled and safe process, ensuring that withdrawal from alcohol can be achieved.
How long does the alcohol detox process take?
Through the above alcohol detox timeline and its attached 4-step process, many individuals can detox within a week. However, there are a number of factors which can dictate the timing of alcohol detoxification.
Factors which dictate the length of alcohol detox include:
- – Gender
- – Age
- – Physical and psychological health
- – The amount of alcohol which has been consumed
- – Liver functioning
- – Dehydration levels
- – The consistency of consumption
- – Previous experience of alcohol withdrawal symptoms
- – The use of other addictive substances
While there are other factors which can prolong the detox process, above are common influences which can result in a long-term detox programme. In the majority of cases, both detoxification and psychological realignment will take 28 days, followed by ongoing aftercare and if necessary, further alcohol detox medication.
Additional treatment options
Completing an alcohol detox programme is very important if you are looking to recover from addiction. Yet, there will also be the need to complete additional treatment options, focusing on psychological withdrawal and realignment. Down to this, the alcohol detox timeline can last longer, by ensuring that holistic healing can be achieved.
While detoxification carries many challenges, it is necessary to kickstart the recovery process. Completing a detox programme via a rehab clinic is therefore recommended to help you overcome those challenges.
At Action Rehab, we can help you with this step by helping you get clean through a reputable rehab clinic. Reach out today to start your admission process, commonly followed by an alcohol detox programme.
Posted on Friday, October 9th, 2020 at 12:02 pm in Detox.
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