Is it Safe to Detox From Alcohol at Home? A Guide

The decision to quit drinking is a monumental, life-changing one. While it’s always preferable to undergo detox in a treatment center under the supervision of a medical professional, some people choose to undergo alcohol detox at home. For those who have seen a doctor and determined that a home alcohol detox regime is safe, there are some key precautions to take to ensure their health and safety during the process.

Options For Safe Alcohol Detox At Home

Before beginning the alcohol detox process at home, it is important to learn about the physical and emotional symptoms of withdrawal. One of the most crucial aspects of a safe home detox from alcohol is knowing ahead of time what you will experience, how to manage symptoms and when to seek medical help.

• Remedies for Home Detox: Home remedies for alcohol detox vary tremendously. Some are as simple as taking milk thistle or kudzu to help improve the body’s internal healing process. Other alcohol detox home remedies are a bit more involved and offer valuable suggestions about diet, hydration, supplements and self-care.
• Medical Kits for Home Detox: Home alcohol detox kits offer supplies to start the process of at-home detoxification. Before using an alcohol detox kit, it’s crucial to have it approved by your physician to ensure a safe process.
• Cold-Turkey Detox: Cold-turkey alcohol detox can be dangerous, particularly if your alcohol use has been going on for a long time and has involved large amounts of alcohol. The risks of stopping alcohol cold-turkey vary, and can include minimal-risk symptoms such as nausea, headache and sweating, or more severe symptoms like increased blood pressure, delirium tremens, seizures, hallucinations and heart problems. The decision to quit drinking cold turkey should be discussed with your doctor to ensure that this is a safe method for you.

Risks of Detoxing From Alcohol At Home

Alcohol withdrawal symptoms can range from nausea and headaches to more severe symptoms such as seizures and heart complications. Because of the dangers of detoxing from alcohol at home, it is crucial to obtain medical advice before beginning the process. People tend to be safer and complete detox more successfully when they undergo it under the supervision of a medical professional as part of a medical detox program.

Delirium Tremens

A significant risk of home detox is the possibility of delirium tremens (DTs). This condition can occur within a few hours to a few days of ceasing alcohol use. As the central nervous system tries to adapt to the withdrawal of alcohol from the system, symptoms such as hallucinations, seizures, confusion, cardiac issues, muscle weakness and coma are possible. Prescription medications can help with DT’s. However, a medical professional should guide this process, given the risks and possible complications.

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Treating Alcohol Addiction After Detox

After detox, the recovery process must continue for sobriety to be long-term. It is important to have the right kind of alcohol addiction treatment to continue to make ongoing progress toward a new, healthy life path. Support is crucial.

Alcohol rehab centers in Washington state and the surrounding areas are comprehensive treatment facilities that offer the professional support and treatment needed to stay on track with recovery.

If you are struggling with alcohol or drug dependence, you don’t need to face the recovery process alone. Reach out to The Recovery Village Ridgefield to learn more about treatment options and locations near you.