Going through alcohol detox will be a tough trial both physically and mentally. For five to seven days, your body will be experiencing a multitude of symptoms associated with your drinking addiction. At Serenity Oaks Wellness, we try to make your detoxification treatment as comfortable and easy as possible.
Each instance of alcohol withdrawal is different. Due to your medical history, how long and how heavily you have been drinking, mental health, family history, drug use, natural stress levels and the existence of any childhood trauma, the severity and length of detox might change. At Serenity Oaks Wellness Center, our goal is to make sure that you safely and comfortably progress through your detox so that you can move on to working on your recovery.
This stage will typically be achieved when you are not trying to detox. Once you begin to feel the effects of withdrawal after drinking, you decide to have another drink. You may have heard the term “Hair of the Dog” which refers to how that extra drink in the morning will calm shakes and headaches associated with withdrawal.
Timeline:
6-8 hours since your the last drink
Symptoms: nausea, abdominal pain, anxiety, insomnia, vomiting, loss of appetite, fatigue, tremors, depression, foggy thinking, mood swings and heart palpitations
You should expect to see elevated blood pressure and heart rate during this stage. The sudden lack of alcohol in your system can send your body into shock. Heavy drinkers who have damaged their body significantly will begin to see the beginning stages of organ failure. A doctor should be present at this point in the detox.
Timeline:
1-3 days after your last drink
Symptoms: irregular heart rate, mental confusion, sweating, irritability, increased blood pressure, increased body temperature, increased respiration and heightened mood disturbances
Stage 3 is the most dangerous and requires medical treatment, especially if you are developing delirium tremens. Delirium tremens, or wet brain occurs in three to five percent of individuals with alcoholism and is a rapid onset of confusion and disorientation. While the physical side effects of alcohol withdrawal will taper off, some of the psychological ones may continue for weeks after treatment.
Timeline:
3-7 days
Symptoms: fever, seizers, hallucinations, agitation, and severe confusion
At Serenity Oaks Wellness Center, our certified and experienced professionals will take care of you as soon as you walk through the door to assure that your symptoms are managed with as much comfort as possible. We will monitor and control your symptoms through “medical detox” which uses medications to taper off nausea, dehydration, insomnia and seizures. We make sure to monitor your heart rate, blood pressure, respiration, body temperature as well as anything else unique to your medical history.
Depending on the severity of your alcoholism, we may decide to provide you with a tapering schedule that weans you off alcohol in a doctor controlled and monitored environment to avoid some of the more serious side effects. We will also provide a nutritional plan and regular sleep schedule which will significantly aid in your recovery. Please do not attempt to detox without professional help. Symptoms can pop up unexpectedly and can be too intense to manage yourself.
Many are aware of the physical symptoms of an alcohol detox, however there are many psychological and emotional issues that require professional intervention. We utilize mental health professions to help with some of the very powerful emotional side effects typical with your recovery from detox.
Depression, anxiety and thoughts of suicide are common and can be managed by a doctor through medications as well as therapy sessions. At Serenity Oaks, we use three different FDA approved medications: naltrexone, disulfiram and acamprosate. In order to prevent relapse, these medications are designed to discourage drinking and manage withdrawal symptoms in a variety of ways. Disulfiram makes you sick if your drink alcohol. Naltrexone blocks opioid receptors in the brain to reduce cravings. Acamprosate stabilizes the chemical balance in the brain that otherwise might be disrupted by drinking. Our team of doctors and experts know how to treat you. Let them do their job and help in your detox.
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According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 87% of the US adult population has had at least one drink in their lifetime. There is an estimated 15 million Americans with Alcohol Abuse Disorder and nearly 100,000 people die every year from alcohol related causes. Alcohol is a legal substance and, therefore, is a common addition to many everyday rituals and social gatherings. Its commonality lends itself to abuse in the form of binge drinking as well as regular daily use.
Alcoholism is ongoing issue in our society and, because of its commonality, there is infrastructure and solutions in place to aid in your full recovery. Serenity Oaks Wellness Center should be your first step on the road to recovery. We set you up with a customized plan for optimal results and it starts with your alcohol detox.
At Serenity Oaks Wellness Center, we pride ourselves on understanding exactly what our guests’ need for an effective, comfortable and long lasting recovery. Your detox is not something to take lightly. From developing a tapering schedule to access to vital symptom reducing medications, we utilize the best medical and mental health professionals to assure that your alcohol withdrawal is as smooth as possible. We take your addiction seriously and so should you. Asking for help can sometimes be difficult, but sometimes it takes courage to stand up and make your life better. Our hand is reached out. Grab onto it. We can guild you the rest of the way.
