At this stage is when we put together a comprehensive customized treatment program to help you recover and avoid relapse. Trying to muscle through alcohol detox on your own is dangerous and can lead to relapse. If you are considering home detox, it’s important to speak with a medical professional first. They can help assess your situation and determine if it’s safe for you to attempt a home detox, or if you would be better off in a supervised medical detox setting. Naltrexone is an opioid antagonist that binds to opioid receptors in the brain.

  • They might see or hear things that aren’t physically there and feel scared, but doctors don’t consider this to be a serious complication.
  • Professional treatment for alcohol withdrawal can make you more comfortable, keep you safe and help prevent relapse.
  • Due to the complexity of alcohol withdrawal syndrome, it is recommended that patients undergo the detox process under the guidance and supervision of a treatment provider.
  • You can also talk with them about the symptoms you are experiencing, as well as if you are in any pain.

Essentially, feeling “drunk” is when your liver becomes too overwhelmed to properly process alcohol, so it overflows temporarily into your bloodstream. This is what causes you to feel light-headed or tipsy after multiple alcoholic drinks. In fact, an estimated one-third of people who receive treatment for alcohol issues are sober one year later, according to the National Institute on Alcohol 5 Tips to Consider When Choosing a Sober Living House Abuse and Alcoholism. Multiple factors can affect how long it may take you to withdraw from alcohol. A doctor will consider all these factors when estimating how long-lasting and how severe your symptoms may be. Serenity House Detox & Recovery & Recovery Houston is a comfortable intimate treatment facility, offering the full continuum of care, and serving Houston, Dallas and Ft.

Services for Professionals

People may drink heavily in the normal course of one’s social engagements. Since alcohol is socially acceptable, people may not view their drinking as problematic. Alcohol addiction—also known as alcohol use disorder, alcoholism, and alcohol dependency—is unique among addictions and can be particularly dangerous. Our Recovery Advocates are ready to answer your questions about addiction treatment and help you start your recovery. There is a misconception that detox is solely the process of your body ridding a substance, like alcohol, from the bloodstream.

Individuals with a history of substance use disorder are more likely to develop the psychological symptoms of PAWS. Most detox programs conducted by treatment providers include medication, medical monitoring, and behavioral therapy. It assists recovering patients in overcoming unpleasant withdrawal symptoms without giving in to their cravings. Depending on the severity of alcohol withdrawal syndrome, the recovery process may vary from person to person.

Stage Two: 12-24 hours after the last drink

Individuals may need close monitoring and seizure prophylaxis when the risk for seizure is increased. However, treatment can increase the chance of a successful recovery for any individual regardless of how severe their symptoms are. The safest way to address alcohol abuse and begin detox is to consult with a medical professional or seek professional treatment.

Professionals can help people safely detox from alcohol and move forward with their recovery. Another reason alcohol dependence is so dangerous is that the withdrawal symptoms from alcohol can be fatal. For this reason, professional support for alcohol detox is highly recommended, particularly for those suffering from long-term alcohol dependency. Even after the most serious withdrawal symptoms have lessened, some people may experience post-acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS) – the prolonged symptoms of detox.

Factors That Affect the Alcohol Detox Timeline

The recovery can’t move forward until a person has reduced their physical dependence and overcome the alcohol withdrawal symptoms. The physiological—physical and mental—withdrawal symptoms during detox from alcohol can make you incredibly ill. More importantly, if you have struggled with a history of alcohol addiction or binge drinking, you are at risk of the dangerous side effects of alcohol withdrawal. Researches have found that people will have an increased chance of successful treatment if they undergo alcohol detoxification with the help of a medical professional. In some cases of detox, professional medical monitoring is necessary to treat life-threatening symptoms as the process progresses. For milder cases of detox, treatment can ease alcohol withdrawal symptoms so patients can focus on recovering.

  • There is no exact timeline for alcohol withdrawal because each person is different.
  • Due to the severity of some withdrawal symptoms, alcohol detox should be monitored by a medical professional.