How does an alcohol detox work?

As explained here, if you've been drinking steadily, every day, for many months or years, your body gets used to alcohol being ever present, dampening everything down. So your nervous system and body tissues gradually adapt and learns to work extra hard to fight against it, just to function normally.

If the alcohol suddenly isn't there any more - for example first thing in the morning - then your nervous system has nothing to push against. Until you have had your first drink, it's working at well over 100%, which is where the withdrawals come from.

Detox works by replacing drink with a drug that is similar enough to alcohol to stop any withdrawals (most commonly Chlordiazepoxide, sometimes called Librium®, is used). The dose is adjusted at the start of the detox to make you comfortable, and is gradually reduced so that your body gets a chance to return to normal. This usually takes around 7 to 10 days.

There are slight variations in the medication used, and the particular regimen, but this is the most common method.

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