Dangers of Alcohol Detox at Home

Millions of Americans across the United States have struggled with an addiction to alcohol. Binge drinking and alcohol abuse have led to thousands of deaths across the country, cutting decades across people’s lives. Fortunately, it is possible to overcome alcohol use disorder and stop the various problematic forms of drinking, which can benefit both your long-term and short-term health. That said, alcohol detox at home can be dangerous. Those who drink heavy amounts of alcohol can become dependent on the substance, making their brains rely on it to regulate their bodies and emotions. When a person stops using the substance, they develop alcohol withdrawal systems, which can be uncomfortable and sometimes life-threatening. As such, it’s critical to begin seeking alcohol detox in Florida.

To learn about the differences between at-home vs. medical detox or about our alcohol detox services, contact BoardPrep today at 866.796.4720.

The Alcohol Detox Process

Alcohol is a depressant, which means that it activates your GABA receptors, which means that your neurons fire less often. When your neurons aren’t firing as rapidly, your brain processes slow down. These can lead to a wide array of symptoms, including slurred speech and slowed thinking and reflexes.

If you are dependent on alcohol, your brain doesn’t regulate neurons safely on its own. As a result, when you don’t have alcohol in your system, you may experience alcohol withdrawal symptoms, such as:

Insomnia
Anxiety
Shakiness and jumpiness
Irritability
Headaches
Rapid breathing and heartbeat
Confusion

If you’re addicted to alcohol, you may feel like you need to drink to feel normal. When you don’t drink, you may feel anxious and struggle to stay calm during social situations.

At-Home Vs. Medical Detox

When you attempt to detox by yourself, you put yourself in terrible danger. It’s not possible to determine how severe your withdrawal symptoms will be until you’re in the midst of withdrawal. In some cases, severe alcohol abuse can lead to severe symptoms that are often referred to as delirium tremens. Delirium tremens can lead to a range of dangerous symptoms, including:

Hallucinations
Seizures
Fever
Increased heartbeat
Shallow breathing

In addition, without anyone keeping you accountable, you can return to alcohol use. Unfortunately, if you try to start using alcohol after trying to detox, you risk overdosing. It’s critical to seek out a professional treatment center to help you through the process.

When you enroll in our alcohol detox program, the process allows your brain to relearn how to produce GABA without alcohol. With the help of our medical team, we can make the process manageable. Many people who develop alcohol addiction can recover with the help of proper medical treatment.

One of the key benefits of professional alcohol detox is the fact that it is physically safer. In many cases, people develop health problems during their withdrawal, which can go unnoticed if you’re detoxing at home. With our team overseeing the process, we can address these problems, keeping you safe from overdosing.

Detoxing at a professional treatment facility can also provide support for your mental health. In many cases, alcohol addiction begins as people attempt to self-medicate their mental health conditions. When you try to detox on your own, those symptoms may come back full force, leaving you with no tools to manage them. With our professional detox team, however, we can help you manage your mental health symptoms while you go through detox.

What Happens After Alcohol Detox?

After the initial detoxification process is complete, the next step in treatment is typically rehabilitation. Remember that it’s not enough to simply stop substance abuse. A successful recovery is going to require more than that. It will require a change in lifestyle and attitude.

Rehabilitation is designed to help with that. It can teach skills and provide support that helps individuals stay sober after they leave treatment. There are many different types of rehabilitation programs, but they all have one goal: to help people achieve and maintain sobriety.

During rehabilitation, you’ll work with therapists and counselors to address the underlying causes of your addiction. This may include exploring your family history, trauma, mental health issues, and more. You’ll also learn how to develop healthy coping mechanisms and build a support system.

Rehabilitation usually takes place in an inpatient setting, but there are also outpatient programs available. The length of treatment will vary depending on the severity of your addiction and your overall health.

After you complete rehabilitation, you’ll likely need to continue some form of treatment to prevent relapse. This might include individual therapy, group counseling, 12-step meetings, and more. The goal is to help you stay sober for the long term.