Length of Alcohol Detox is determined by several factors and the severity and type of symptoms, so there is no one-size-fits-all answer.
- From how much time has he been drinking?
- What is your daily drinking routine (e.g., every day, occasional binges, etc.)?
- What other substances does he/she use alongside alcohol?
- Symptoms of long-term and heavy alcohol abuse co-exist with those of mental health disorders.
- Do you have co-occurring health issues (chronic pain, depression, chronic illness, etc.)?
How can you ensure the most comfortable and efficient experience possible? By choosing a medically monitored, 24/7 assistance and care alcohol detox program having experts in alcohol addiction treatment.
Alcohol Detox can be done in many different ways. There are many different ways to answer the question, How Long Does It Take to alcohol Detox from Alcohol? The answer depends on many factors, including the amount and frequency of Alcohol consumed health and lifestyle. In general, if the frequency and the amount of Alcohol consumed are more than the body’s systems can handle in a given period, alcohol detox is needed. This is known as alcohol withdrawal.
After alcohol detoxification, the amount of Alcohol in the body will slowly be reduced. It takes time for all the toxins in the body to be eliminated. Some of the toxins removed from the liver in alcohol detox include acetaldehyde and acetate. Alcohol passes through the liver faster than the other organs. When the liver processes alcohol, acetaldehyde is released into the bloodstream. Acetaldehyde is believed to have health risks.
If you or somebody in your household has recently become addicted to alcohol, you may be asking yourself, “How long does it take in alcohol detox?” Detoxing can be a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. If you know what you’re up against, you will be more likely to deal with the process as best as possible. In this article, we’ll discuss some common symptoms related to alcohol detox, which you should be aware of, and what you can do to treat them.
Complications Resulting from Medical Conditions
A medical emergency – which often arises unexpectedly – can lengthen the time necessary for alcohol detox. For example, an increase in BP, pulse, or respiratory rate – or slowdown in vitals – as well as tremors and other problems can occur without warning.
The person can typically be stabilized through medical intervention, and continued monitoring will make sure it doesn’t occur again.
A medical condition called Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome or delirium tremens may lead to more medical complications in cases of alcohol detox.
Issues with Mental Health
Detoxification from alcohol often involves mental health problems and withdrawal symptoms.
These Can Include:
- Paranoia
- Fatigue
- Mood swings
- Irritability or agitation
- Confusion
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Insomnia
Additionally, a powerful craving of alcohol is a consequence of alcohol detox, this craving can be hard to deal with without specialized medical treatment. If issues of mental health cause the problem, they will worsen upon removal from alcohol but can be controlled by proactive treatment.
Delirium tremens
The reason that delirium tremens occurs during alcohol detoxification is that your brain chemistry has become imbalanced. Because your brain chemistry has become imbalanced, the result may be feelings of anxiety, panic attacks, confusion, agitation, irritability, and insomnia. These feelings are normal during alcohol detoxification, but if they persist beyond a week, then you may need professional help. Because the human body can experience withdrawals even when not physically addicted, people that have been dependent for many years may continue to have withdrawal symptoms even after they have stopped drinking. Because these symptoms can last for several weeks, you must recognize the signs and seek help as soon as possible.
The symptoms described above are often associated with delirium tremens in alcohol detox. However, some other signs and symptoms may occur during alcohol withdrawal, including loss of appetite, lethargy, muscle weakness, insomnia, depression, anxiety, and vomiting.
The person may also suffer from fatigue, frequent infections, and loss of hair or brittle teeth, tremors, sweating, diarrhea, nausea, stomach cramps, and vision changes. This can all lead to a negative diagnosis and the potential for misdiagnosis. Delirium tremens should not be confused with withdrawal seizures, which can also occur during alcohol detox.
Symptoms that May Occur in Conjunction with Delirium Tremens Include:
- Agitation
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Irritability
- Memory loss
- Restlessness
- Rapid pulse and heartbeat
- High blood pressure
- Heart palpitations
- Sweating
- Nervous cramps
- Shortness of breath
- Tremors
- Hallucinations
If you are experiencing any or all of these symptoms, you should seek medical attention. Although it is uncommon for seizures to be associated with alcohol detoxification, you should be aware that the combination of these symptoms can be a serious sign that you may have a seizure disorder and not alcohol withdrawal at all. Suppose you are experiencing high blood pressure, heart palpitations, sweating, dizziness, depression, confusion, agitation, irritability, difficulty breathing, headaches, or ringing in the ears in alcohol detox. In that case, it may be wise to consult your doctor immediately.
Unfortunately, some people do not exhibit the signs and symptoms of delirium tremens until they have already begun in alcohol detox to experience all of them. While this can be frustrating because it means there is no way to tell when you are having one of these attacks, you can still take the proper precautions to stop it from occurring. For example, if you have been drinking heavily for at least three days, you should consult a doctor to begin testing for alcohol allergies, withdrawal signs and symptoms, and other signs that you may have a problem. Only after the doctor has already started testing should you begin alcohol detox.
It is important to note that some of these signs and symptoms can be attributed to other problems in alcohol detox. That is why it is so important to remember that even if your loved one only displays one or two of these symptoms, there is a chance they could be suffering from something else entirely. Some medical conditions such as seizures and delirium tremens can mimic alcoholic withdrawal in some people. Therefore, while you should begin testing for alcohol allergies as soon as possible, you should also consider other possibilities. Also, if your loved one begins to exhibit one or more of these symptoms after a few days of heavy drinking, you should consider alcohol detoxifying them to reduce their risk for future attacks. It is also essential to keep in mind that these symptoms can reappear following a rehabilitation period, so keeping an eye on their alcohol intake and behavior will be crucial in preventing a relapse.
In most cases, doctors will either begin alcohol detox treatment with anti-depressants or with anti-anxiety medications, both of which can prove to be highly effective.
However, for some individuals, especially those who suffer from severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms in alcohol detox, doctors may elect to treat benzodiazepines and other prescription medicines. These medications work to block feelings of anxiety and depression that cause you to crave alcohol, thereby reducing the cravings and allowing you to fight off temptation even when drinking is no longer an issue. Because many people who suffer from addiction choose to take this medication in addition to therapy sessions and social activities, it is not uncommon for them to need to take these medications for years in alcohol detox before complete recovery is realized. This can quickly put a terrible damper on any new start in life, so it is essential to consult with a professional about dosage and medication regimen If you are worried about acute withdrawal onset, it is essential to consult with a doctor first in alcohol detox. If you choose to use an inpatient facility, you will likely find yourself scheduled for either inpatient or outpatient care, depending on the severity of your problem.
Inpatient care allows you to receive the care and assistance you need without making any other arrangements. Still, it may take a few weeks or months until your body absorbs the medicine and begins to function normally on its own after in alcohol detox. Outpatient care is usually reserved for those who do not want to deal with the added difficulty of staying sober independently. Whatever option you choose, make sure to consult a medical professional about how long it will take for you to feel wholly cured of alcohol detoxification.
How Long Does it Take for Alcohol Detoxification?
For those that may not have any health conditions, it typically takes up to three weeks of sobriety before the body can be rid of all the toxins. Drinking while you are alcohol detoxing also speeds up the process because it increases blood flow and oxygen consumption. Some of the symptoms are similar to those of withdrawal: You may feel irritable, shaky, or anxious. Some people experience headaches, nausea, and tremors as well.
How Long Does it Take to Quit Drinking?
For alcoholics in alcohol detox, who are serious about quitting, it takes even longer. This is because the person has to deal with withdrawal symptoms such as insomnia, tremors, nausea, and shaking. It may seem like this would go away if the person is determined enough, but again, this takes a lot of determination and commitment from the person who wants to quit.
How Long Does it Take to Recover from Alcoholism?
People who suffer from alcoholism are very susceptible to relapse. However, they should never forget that it is possible to alcohol detox and go back to living their lives normally again. The key to recovery is being able to discipline oneself. The first step is to stop drinking alcohol. The second is to stay sober and do everything in one’s power, not to get back into Alcohol.
How Long Does it Take to Recover from Drug Addiction?
Unfortunately, it is a lot longer than you think because the body of an addict is very resistant to alcohol detoxification processes. A person addicted to drugs may detox from Alcohol and then go back to drinking Alcohol. It may sound counter-intuitive, but in reality, it is the body of a drug user, which is more difficult to manage after the user has stopped using them.
For people with medical health problems, the amount of time it takes to detox from Alcohol can be longer. In these cases, there could be more complications like a relapse in alcohol detox.
Also, heavy drinkers can experience alcohol withdrawal that lasts for up to five days without drinking another drink. The withdrawal could result in seizures, hallucinations, and even death. If you have any of these problems, you should seek medical help immediately. There are also many ways to alcohol detox and lessen the amount of time needed to achieve this. These include changing your lifestyle and diet, increasing the amount of exercise you get every day, and cutting back on the number of alcoholic drinks you consume for success in alcohol detoxification.
Here’s Good News
Despite the fact that alcohol use disorders, particularly alcoholism, are highly treatable, there is nothing positive about them.
There has not been a cure for this disease, however, several treatments have been developed that are proven to be effective based on the evidence available to us.
Determining the best treatment plan for each patient can be challenging. Because the patients do not have an identical alcohol detox experience, Patients should not have identical treatment plans.
Get in touch with us now by calling 844-768-1217 to connect with the program that can provide a customized plan for your loved one to overcome alcohol dependency. Don’t delay Alcohol detox.
Further Reading
- Dry Drunk Syndrome
- 7 Benefits of Seeking Professional Alcohol Treatment
- Aftercare for Drug and Alcohol Rehab
Ben Lesser is one of the most sought-after experts in health, fitness and medicine. His articles impress with unique research work as well as field-tested skills. He is a freelance medical writer specializing in creating content to improve public awareness of health topics. We are honored to have Ben writing exclusively for Dualdiagnosis.org.