It’s horrible thing to watch someone close to us live their lives caught in the cycle of alcoholism. As horrible as it is to watch, one can only imagine how horrible it must be for the addiction sufferer. They end up enslaved by a disease that’s hellbent on destroying everything in their life.
That’s why we have to hold in high regard anyone who is able to finally come to grips with the notion they have an alcohol addiction disease. As they set out to seek treatment, they are deserving of everyone’s support. It’s not easy engaging battle against a foe that’s as insidious as alcoholism.
Among the things the addiction sufferer is going to have to endure to find sobriety would include going through alcohol withdrawal and enduring the rigors of open and honest therapy. One can never underestimate just how much endurance and commitment it takes to deal with these endeavors. The proof of just how difficult is really is lies in the fact that almost 70% of all people who go through treatment a first time are going to relapse. What does that say about the commitment and fortitude of the people who don’t relapse?
Of course, most successful treatment processes are going to start with an equally successful stint in an alcohol detox program. For people new to the addiction treatment process, the mention of a detox program could be very intimidating. It shouldn’t be, but fear of the unknown is something everyone deals with at one time or another. To help create an air of comfort about the alcohol detox process, the rest of this discussion is going to focus on what clients can expect.
What Happens in an Alcohol Detox Program?
As a new client enters rehab, they will likely be subjected to an admission interview. The purpose of the interview is to help the administrative staff gather information about the client’s alcohol addiction and their personal circumstances. This information will be used to formulate a treatment strategy.
Should the client represent they have a significant drinking problem, they will most likely be placed in a medically monitored detox program. The purpose of such a program is to provide a safe environment within which clients can deal with their withdrawal symptoms. This is important because of the potential for alcohol withdrawal to cause health and psychological issues. Before we go any further, we want you to read the partial list of common alcohol withdrawal symptoms:
- Depression and anxiety
- Profuse sweating
- Nausea and vomiting
- Vivid hallucinations and delusions
- Delirium tremens or what they call the heebie jeebies
- Inability to concentrate
- Shaky hands
- Racing heart and high blood pressure
Clearly, clients face certain risks as they go through withdrawal. A good detox program will keep them safe during the entire process. Here’s how most medically monitored detox programs operate.
The client will be placed under the care of the detox facility’s medical staff for the duration of their detox process, which usually runs five to seven days. During this time, the client will be fed well and given an exercise program in the hopes the client will be able to detox without medical intervention. This will remain the standard process so long as the client doesn’t show significant signs of discomfort or distress. Should that start happening, the facility’s medical staff will be standing by with the option to prescribe relief medications. While it might sound strange to offer drugs to someone with an addiction, it’s sometimes necessary to keep a client safe and comfortable.
In the most severe cases, a client might remain in their detox program for several weeks. That would certainly be case for any client that fails to show adequate progress during the standard detox process. The ultimate goal of a detox program is to help clear the client’s mind and body in preparation for the rigors of therapy. What’s clear is the best results come from clients who got through detox in good shape and succeeded at learning to the truth about their alcoholism.
Hopefully, the information we offered above will give you some peace of mind about the alcohol detox process. What we want is for you to feel comfortable enough to contact us about our facility and addiction treatment services. You can speak directly with one of our representatives by dialing 833-820-2922. You can call us at any time, day or night. We will be here for you.