This guide is provided by Alcohol detoxification
Alcohol detoxification1 - detox for short - is just a way of getting you off alcohol safely and comfortably, if you suffer from withdrawal symptoms when you stop drinking.
It's necessary - if you're physically dependent on alcohol - to avoid what can be dangerous complications of withdrawal, and to make you comfortable enough so that stopping is manageable. But it's not a treatment that's going to help you stay off alcohol.
It's important to understand this - it's just a way of stopping. Detox should only ever be a part of treatment, it should just be the start of things. It's like jacking up your car to change the wheel. Necessary, but you've got to stop driving over broken glass.
How do I know if I need an alcohol detox?
Detox is for dependent drinkers who find themselves having to drink to stop withdrawal symptoms.
Just to recap, the most common withdrawals are:
- shaking
- sweating
- nausea
- vomiting or retching
- anxiety
- agitation & restlessness
- difficulty sleeping
To measure your dependence on alcohol, try the Severity of Alcohol Dependence Questionnaire.
For severely & moderately dependent drinkers, it's not safe to stop drinking suddenly without alcohol detoxification. Withdrawal can become dangerous or even life-threatening. This is why people are often told not to stop drinking when they first ask for help with their alcohol problem.
For less dependent drinkers, it's uncomfortable but not always dangerous to stop drinking suddenly. A detox could still be the best way of stopping drinking, if you suffer anxiety, agitation, panic, fear and insomnia so much that you can't put up with it.
| Next page: | How does an alcohol detox work? |
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