Alcohol Self-Detox Guide You Should Know
The first thing you should remember is that at-home alcohol detox can lead to severe withdrawal issues, which is why you should always be in contact with medical professionals that will help you in case you experience fatal symptoms.
When you reach a point of alcohol addiction, you will not have a break and understand the amount you consume. You will end up with numerous blacking out, waking up with a hangover without an idea about things you did beforehand.
You should check here to learn more about alcohol withdrawal.
That will ultimately disappoint your family and friends, which means that it will affect your social life. However, if you wish to stop, realizing that you have a problem is the first step toward recovery.
Everything depends on the amount of alcohol you consumed, the potency, and the timeframe of the process. Detox is the best way to deal with it, which means you should stop drinking anything.
Still, it can be perilous, which means that it can be life-threatening to do it yourself if you heavily consumed it for years. The way better option is to find a successful and prominent rehab facility, which is the safest path you can choose.
You should know that withdrawal is not as simple as it seems, which means that most people cannot handle it by themselves. Therefore, they choose professional medical supervision to prevent additional health issues that may happen.
Some people choose home-based detoxification, which can be challenging to address compared with inpatient options. Of course, we feel in control, safer, and more comfortable than being at rehab during withdrawal.However, it comes with certain risks you should understand, which may affect your overall health.
The Risks Associated with At-Home Alcohol Detoxification
Most people think that stopping alcohol consumption is as simple as it gets. It would be best if you quit consuming and everything will run its course. However, it is as dangerous as detoxing from most harmful illegal drugs.
The process may include life-threatening and severe risks that you may not be able to handle yourself. Generally, when you stop with consumption, your body will react with a wide array of withdrawal symptoms.
They can be challenging to manage, painful, and may last for a few weeks. Without proper meds, you may not be able to do it. The process can be even more challenging by going cold turkey.
A sudden stop can lead to seizures, hallucinations, and heart issues that may lead to death problems. Even though it is rare, you will never know how your body will react to it.Besides, if you consumed other substances while drinking, including cocaine, meth, prescription meds, or heroin, the alcohol detox symptoms may become unpredictable and worse than they should be.
Some people relapse because the pain reaches a threshold they cannot handle. That way, you will enter a vicious cycle of trying to quit and not due to severe symptoms you experience.
On the other hand, when you choose an inpatient treatment, you will be outside your environment, which will prevent relapse.
Another important consideration is that people who struggle with addiction are battling other medical issues, including personality disorders, depression, and anxiety. Therefore, they use alcohol as a form of self-medication, which means that the problems can worsen.
Generally, they do not understand that they are dealing with mental issues until they stop with it.
Advantages and Disadvantages of At-Home Detox
You should know that detox can be dangerous,mainly because you need to find ways to handle severe withdrawal symptoms. It features both physical and mental symptoms.
Besides, the severity depends on numerous factors, including longevity of addiction, gender, and age.
The benefits of home detox are:
- Confidentiality and anonymity
- Lack of financial obligations
- Comfort and safety
However, we can differentiate numerous disadvantages, including:
- Lack of meds that will help you reduce symptoms
- Higher chances of dangerous health issues
- Higher risks of mental health problems
- Harm to relationships due to withdrawal and discomfort
- High potential for relapse
Tips to Reduce Issues While Choosing Self-Detox
People tend to choose home detoxification, mainly because they wish to stop and do not have enough money to handle an inpatient rehab.
However, it is challenging to do it unless you have medical supervision. If you still decide to do it yourself, you should create a perfect environment to prevent potential issues, including:
- Remove Alcohol from Home –Even though it sounds obvious, you should do it as soon as you decide you are ready for detoxification. As soon as you start experiencing withdrawal issues, you will reach a point of not controlling yourself. Therefore, you should avoid temptation by getting rid of everything from your home.
- Clear Schedule – Some people cannot clear their schedules for a few weeks, but it is imperative to do it if you wish to make it successful. It means you should put aside your responsibilities and take some time off work to focus on recovery.
- Support is Important – Detoxification at home does not mean you should be alone all the time. You should find a family member or best friend to keep you safe and get medical help if you get worse than before.
Visit this link: https://www.webmd.com/connect-to-care/addiction-treatment-recovery/alcohol/alcohol-withdrawal-symptoms-timeline to learn more about alcohol detox.
- Focus on Hydration – Alcohol withdrawal will lead to loss of appetite, depression, anxiety, fatigue, vomiting, and other problems. The severity of issues will increase between the first and third day after the last drink. Therefore, you should drink plenty of fluids to get rid of toxins and rehydrate your body. We are talking about ice pops, broth, juice, water, and gelatin, perfect for reducing withdrawals.