Is alcohol addictive? What are common alcohol withdrawal symptoms? Does alcoholism require detox?
These are common questions to ask when you feel you or a loved one might have a problem. It is common for people to struggle with alcoholism and not realize they have a problem because of how socially acceptable alcohol consumption is. Whereas someone might monitor erratic behavior related to prescription or illegal drugs, friends and family members aren’t necessarily as vigilant or concerned about alcohol consumption.
Alcohol is used to celebrate and is widely dispersed at significant events like marriages or birthdays. Alcohol is served in most restaurants and recreational facilities, including sporting events, bowling alleys, public pools, and local festivals.
Easy access to alcohol and frequent social integration with alcohol makes it difficult to realize when there’s a problem. What’s more, it’s socially acceptable to joke about things like a hangover and to use the severity of that hangover as a form of bragging rights after the fact. But that level of social discourse masks the fact that hangovers are withdrawal symptoms, indicative of toxic buildup in your body and potential addiction.
Peninsula Health Center is a Palos Verdes drug and alcohol rehab offering outpatient and partial hospitalization treatment near Long Beach. Contact us today to learn more.
Can Alcohol Cause Withdrawal Problems?
Many people ask, “is alcohol withdrawal painful,” or “does alcoholism require detox.” Yes, alcohol causes serious withdrawal problems, and yes, it requires an alcohol detox program.
When you drink regularly and stop, your body must clear any remaining alcohol compounds from your system. This process is called detoxification or detox. Detox results in alcohol withdrawal symptoms, both physical and emotional.
Does Alcoholism Require Detox?
Yes. Many people who ask, “does alcoholism require detox” are worried about what the process might entail, how much it might cost, and whether they can get away with detoxing at home. So, while the answer to questions like “does alcoholism require detox” is yes, the long answer is yes, but it requires a supervised alcohol detox program.
Before you start an alcohol detox program, you’ll have an opportunity to talk about your experiences and situation with medical professionals. It’s important that you be completely honest with staff members about how much you drink and whether you use any other substances or have any coexisting mental health disorders. All of this information is used to develop the safest and most comfortable detox plan for you.
- With an alcohol detox program, any and all alcohol is removed from your environment, including medications or even rubbing alcohol.
- When you enter a detox facility, you won’t be tempted to quit and head to the nearest bar or reach out to your drinking buddies because you’ll be under Medical supervision.
- The facility should be calm with things like comfortable beds, soft lighting, and access to ample fluids or snacks that might help reduce cravings.
Professional alcohol detox means 24-hour supervision. You’ll have someone you trust with you the entire time you go through detox. They will be able to explain what you might expect during the detox process and monitor your alcohol withdrawal symptoms so that you get any over-the-counter medication or FDA-approved medications to ease your symptoms. This could be something as simple as Tylenol, anti-nausea medication, or an IV to help with dehydration and vomiting.
What Are Common Withdrawal Symptoms of Alcoholism?
Alcohol withdrawal symptoms can happen within a few hours after you stop drinking. They can last several days. Common symptoms include:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Sweating
- Shaking
- Anxiety
- Confusion
- Irritability
- Hallucinations
- Tremors
- Seizures
- Delirium tremens
Some of these symptoms can be so severe that you can die from alcohol withdrawal if you don’t have a medically supervised alcohol detox program.
How to Find an Alcohol Detox Program in Palos Verdes
If you need an alcohol detox program in Palos Verdes, consider Peninsula Health Center. We provide partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient, and traditional outpatient detox services. We offer medication-assisted treatment using FDA-approved drugs like Antabuse for alcoholism. In addition to other pharmaceutical interventions and ongoing therapy, the medications we use in our alcohol detox programs can help you long after your original treatment to reduce cravings and maintain your sobriety.
When you complete your alcohol detox program, we can ease you into an ongoing outpatient program with individual and group therapy and help you continue on your path to sobriety with ongoing aftercare.
If you are ready for help, let Peninsula Health Center start your alcohol detox program today.
