Alcohol Detox

Helping UK Residents through Alcohol Addiction recovery.

Detoxing within a medical facility is the safest and most comfortable way to break free from an alcohol addiction. Alcoholism can kill, so going through the detox process on your own isn’t recommended. The longer you have been addicted to alcohol, the worse the withdrawal symptoms that may arise from a detox process could be for you. Therefore, as a matter of urgency, we strongly suggest that you don’t detox from alcohol on your own, at home, without first consulting us or a medical professional for advice. Your doctor will suggest you check in to a rehab clinic for your detox. In this case, contact us to begin the detox process as quickly as possible.

The below information should answer any questions you have about going through an alcohol detox. 

What is an Alcohol Detox?

Alcohol detox is the process of becoming free of alcohol. You may have heard the term ‘clean’ in reference to drug or alcohol use. Getting ‘clean’ means to cleanse your body of alcohol or drugs so that you are free of the substance that caused your addiction.

Detox happens because your body is familiar with processing copious amounts of alcohol on a daily or weekly basis. When you stop providing your body alcohol, your body and brain will suffer from withdrawal symptoms. These perform the function of reminding you that you haven’t had a drink yet, and therefore gives the body and brain the alcohol they have been expecting.

When you stop drinking and you don’t give in to those cravings, the withdrawal symptoms will become stronger and worse until your body accepts that it will no longer get the substance it has been craving. Even once your body starts to revert back to the state it was in before you ever started drinking, it will still suffer withdrawal symptoms. These, in extreme cases, could potentially last for years.

The alcohol detox process doesn’t take long in theory, but it can also continue for the rest of your life. As long as you abstain from alcohol, you may suffer the odd pang of desire for a drink. Therapy in rehab is extremely important because it teaches you how to manage those cravings and triggers without giving in to them.

Is Alcohol Detox Potentially Dangerous?

The short answer is that alcohol detox can be dangerous. The longer answer is that the level of danger depends on how heavily you drank, how often you drank, and for how long. Heavy drinkers of 6 months or more risk serious health implications if they stop drinking without supervision. Health implications include delirium, heart attacks, hallucinations, liver damage and other health disorders.

If you have a mild alcohol addiction and only drink at weekends, you might vomit and shake and sweat for a few days. Those who drank heavily for extended periods might develop Delirium Tremens (Or “DTs”). This is a severe state of alcohol withdrawal which can kill. If you detox from alcohol alone and without medical advice or supervision, it be extremely dangerous.

What is Delirium Tremens?

Delirium Tremens is known as the DTs. This is the worst case, of alcohol withdrawal symptoms. This set of symptoms includes complete mental confusion coupled with a bodily overdrive that can end in cardiovascular collapse. If you do go through this during alcohol detox, seek medical assistance immediately. If you suspect your loved one is suffering DTs, get them straight to a hospital without delay. If you are planning detoxing from alcohol, do it in a rehab facility, where you can be monitored and medicated. It is purely a matter of safety.

What are Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms?

There are other alcohol withdrawal symptoms that even those with a mild addiction can expect to suffer with. We have listed the mild and the more severe ones below.

Mild Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms can include:

·        Anxiety and cravings

·        Nightmares or Insomnia

·        Shaking

·        Nausea

·        Appetite loss

·        Heart Palpitations

·        Sweating

Severe Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms can include:

·        Fever

·        Confusion or an altered mental state. A person who is confused will need supervision.

·        Hallucinations or delirium, including seeing images or auditory hallucinations

·        Fits and Seizures

·        High blood pressure

·        Delirium Tremens includes all the above symptoms which can lead to cardiovascular shutdown. The DTs affect between 3-5% of all alcohol dependant patients.

How Long After You Stop Drinking Does Your Body Take To Heal?

Alcohol detox can take anything from 3 days upwards. How quickly your body processes the last of the alcohol in your body will affect how long it takes to heal. From the moment you stop drinking, your body will start to change. These changes are your body trying to cope with not processing large amounts of alcohol as it has become used to doing. Eventually, your body and mind will attempt to return to their pre-drinking state, before being effected by alcohol. This can take weeks, months, or years. 

What are the Warning Signs of Liver Damage Through Alcoholism?

There are some signs that indicate liver damage. If you are a heavy drinker, you should look out for any of the symptoms listed below. If you experience signs of liver damage as an alcoholic, we suggest you contact us to talk about rehab options in the Peterborough area.

Warning signs of liver damage can include:

·        Chronic Fatigue

·        A yellowing of the skin or eyes

·        Lower abdominal pains

·        Swelling of your legs and ankles

·        Frequent nausea or vomiting

Where Can I Find a Detox Clinic Near Me?

If you live in the UK, or Europe, we can provide you with a detox facility near you.

Our UK based detox clinics can help you detox from alcohol in your own time. We offer a comfortable, relaxed facilities which will arm you with all the tools you need to quit drinking. Call us today to discuss your options for detox and alcohol rehab.