Posts Tagged ‘alcohol detox at home’

A Quick Look Into The Process Of Alcohol Detoxification

Posted in Addictions on May 18th, 2010 by Jim – Comments Off

The process of alcohol detoxification is very complex that it needs intensive planning and consistent monitoring. It is not something that can be done alone; it needs a collaborative effort between the client, the primary care givers, immediate family, and the rest of the significant others. Being a process, alcohol detox is dynamic and at the same time it requires a sufficient time span for the attainment of intended outcomes.

The very first step in detox alcohol is for the client to realize that he or she has a problem and recognize that there is an answer to that. It will then be emphasized to the client that the answer to the problem is to willfully undergo an alcohol detoxification. Once this is attained, the detoxification proper can now begin.

The concept of alcohol detoxification is the removal of alcohol from the system of the client which involves keeping the client free of alcohol. Although this sounds pretty easy, for the client, it is extremely difficult. Once alcohol is depleted from his or her system, it triggers a reaction that results to the appearance of withdrawal symptoms. Examples of these symptoms are anxiety, agitation, tremors, sweating, nausea and vomiting.

It is these symptoms that make alcohol detoxification very dangerous as it can result to injury both to the client and other people. If not promptly and properly attended to, these symptoms could even lead to death. However, there is pharmacologic part of the detoxification process that takes care of these symptoms. It employs the use of depressants to counter the increase in the client’s excitability. These drugs mimic the action of alcohol to reopen the GABA receptors and let chloride ions in to regulate the patient’s symptoms.

Aside from the pharmacological aid, emotional support should always be available to the client. Organizations like alcoholic anonymous offers assistance to this kind of problems. By the way, drugs for the treatment of withdrawal symptoms cannot be readily bought over the counter. It needs a doctor’s prescription as these drugs can also cause substance dependence and addiction, this is some of the risk of just trying to do alcohol detox at home.