Alcohol detox and alcohol withdrawal is a very stressful time for most, and the idea of it can send you into a tailspin of anxiety.
The choice to detox isn’t an easy option for everyone, but maybe understanding the risks of alcohol abuse, what to expect as you detox, and withdraw, the treatments for it, and the alcohol detox timeline could ease your concerns. When feeling more confident about the detox process, you make the right choice for your health and future.
As experts in alcohol detox and withdrawal treatment in Los Angeles, CA, we’re here to help. Call us today to start your recovery.
What Happens When You Stop Drinking Alcohol?
When you stop drinking alcohol, your body goes through alcohol withdrawal. This can differ in severity and symptoms from person to person.
Within the first 24 hours, the initial mental and physical symptoms will surface from alcohol withdrawal syndrome [1]. You can experience nausea, headache, confusion, anxiety, and body chills.
After going through the detox process, you’ll start to see improvements in your symptoms and begin to heal. Normally the success rate of people recovering from alcohol use disorder is 35.9% and this is possible with supervised alcohol detox and a great rehab treatment program [4].
How long are Alcohol Withdrawals?
The beginning of alcohol withdrawal phase normally starts about six hours after your last drink and continues on to twelve hours.
Alcohol Withdrawal Stages
The peak alcohol withdrawal phase when symptoms escalate tends to be twenty-four hours to seventy-two hours after your last drink. During this time your blood pressure starts to rise, your heartbeat quickens, and you experience mental confusion.
At this point, delirium tremens (DE) can arise, which means you’ll be at risk of a medical emergency. You could experience severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms like tremors and seizures, excessive sweating, hallucinations, fever, and vomiting which can become life-threatening. This is why it’s dangerous to detox from alcohol at home and is so important to be monitored by medical professionals [2].
Some people experience persistent symptoms of alcohol withdrawal that can last up to two weeks. During this time, many mild symptoms tend to be persistent and bothersome. This can take a toll on your mental health, so being able to see a mental health professional is imperative to recovery.
On this journey, knowing how to manage alcohol withdrawal symptoms, being supported by licensed clinicians and therapists, and connecting with others going through something similar can make the journey easier.
Related: How Long Does It Take To Detox From Alcohol
What Happens When You Detox from Alcohol?
When detoxing, alcohol withdrawal symptoms are something that will be challenging to face, but you may not comprehend what else can happen during detox. Your entire body and brain are changing.
Normally, when you excessively drink alcohol, your brain chemistry becomes unbalanced. During detox, your body is working to rebalance your brain chemistry, in addition to your body functioning beginning to improve. That can include hunger and hydration cues, and how your body processes temperature.
Without the safety of having a medical professional supervising, detoxing from alcohol can be fatal. All the chemical changes happening within your body and brain can send you into a medical emergency, or possibly death.
Related: What to Expect From Alcohol Detox
Severe Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms
Some signs of severe withdrawal symptoms that require immediate medical attention are:
- Excessive vomiting
- Alcohol withdrawal seizures
- Hallucinations
- Personality changes
How Long Does It Take To Reset Your Body From Alcohol?
After detoxing, your body can take a significant amount of time to heal. For some it could be a few weeks and others as soon as 30 days. Once your body starts to recover, you’ll notice you have more energy, your appetite returns, and you get better sleep.
At the month milestone, your mental clarity will be apparent, and you’ll start to notice your body’s functioning improving week by week. The longer you stay sober, the more your body will heal itself including your organs, brain, and overall functioning.
Related: Addiction Recovery Stages: Milestones on the Path to Freedom
How Clear Behavioral Health Can Help
Clear Behavioral Health offers a comprehensive drug and alcohol detox and rehab program in the Los Angeles, CA area. At Clear Behavioral Health you’ll be able to receive alcohol withdrawal treatment in a home-like environment with 24/7 medical supervision. Once detox is complete and your severe symptoms have subsided, you’ll be moved into our rehab facility which also has constant supervision along with one-on-one therapy, group therapy, family therapy, and holistic modalities for your recovery.
Our Alcohol Detox Center in Los Angeles, CA
At Clear Behavioral Health’s detox center, we pride ourselves on having medical professionals support you every step of the way. To ensure comfort during detox, we offer medication-assisted detox if needed. This can help alleviate symptoms while having our team of experts by your side in case a medical situation arises. Safety is our priority, but so is comfort. Detoxing in a home-like environment makes the process a lot easier to manage when navigating withdrawals which normally last anywhere from five to seven days.
Related: The Glow Up Journey: Using Alcohol Detox Centers to Create Lasting Change
Does Alcohol Detox and Rehab Really Work?
Alcohol detox and rehab do work, most people experience success after treatment has been completed. According to the National Library of Medicine, 1 in 4 clients remained abstinent on average and the remaining clients reduced overall alcohol intake by 87% [3].
Treatment and Recovery Support
When going through alcohol detox and rehab, it’s important that you feel supported and that it targets multiple healing areas for your recovery growth.
Individual Therapy
At Clear Behavioral Health our therapists offer different therapeutic approaches to support your long-term recovery. During treatment, therapy modalities such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can help you tackle your beliefs and thoughts that might add to your urge to drink. Reframing your thoughts can help support your success in long-term recovery. Additionally, having one-on-one therapy can help you find the root of your urge to drink while understanding how your upbringing, experiences, and unhealthy coping tools add to it.
Group Therapy
We like to encompass multiple therapeutic avenues, another being group therapy. This creates a safe space to share your challenges with alcohol use without any judgment. During these sessions, you can socialize with others who are experiencing similar triggers, emotions, and struggles. Being with others who can relate on a certain level can offer comradery, which can develop into long-term support from your community after treatment is complete.
Family Therapy
Family therapy is another important tool that’s utilized. You need support from loved ones and it’s an opportunity to heal any trauma, or broken trust within the family dynamic. This is a space where that can finally happen, with the effort and work put in by everyone.
Related: The Role of Family in Addiction Recovery
Holistic Modalities
Another useful tool is our holistic modalities. These can be used anytime in life to help calm your nervous system while reconnecting the body and mind. We believe in healing your whole self, by integrating yoga, meditation, sound baths, and more, you can reconnect and rebuild your most important relationship, yourself.
When you are struggling with alcohol addiction, your nervous system changes and cannot regulate on its own anymore. Your body becomes disconnected from your mind, and when this happens you might be feeling something completely different than what you think you feel. This can create frustration and confusion. This is why reconnection through holistic options is imperative for your sober journey.
Recovery Support
After you have completed alcohol detox and your rehab treatment, it’s important to continue seeking professional support. Be sure to continue to go to support groups, stay connected to your sober network, and even seek outpatient treatment if needed.
Clear Behavioral Health has outpatient treatment programs that offer the same great modalities as inpatient rehab treatments and stay connected to our alumni and sober community. The main difference is you are not living at a facility so you can have some flexibility with your schedule which provides you with time to still work or go to school.
Related: 90 Meetings in 90 Days: Alcohol Recovery Support
Contact us today to find out more about alcohol detox programs in the Los Angeles, California area.
Start Your Alcohol Detox Journey Today
If you feel ready to begin your recovery, contact Clear Behavioral Health today to learn more about our alcohol addiction treatment programs throughout the Los Angeles, CA area. From alcohol detox in Redondo Beach and drug and alcohol rehab in Gardena, CA to our outpatient substance abuse programs throughout the South Bay of Los Angeles, we are ready to support you on this journey today. We make sure your path to sobriety is safe and supported, call us today.
References
- Alcohol withdrawal: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. (n.d.). https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000764.htm
- Hayashida, M. (1998). An overview of outpatient and inpatient detoxification. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6761814/
- Miller, W. R., Walters, S. T., & Bennett, M. E. (2001). How effective is alcoholism treatment in the United States? Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 62(2), 211–220. https://doi.org/10.15288/jsa.2001.62.211
- Moos, R. H., & Moos, B. S. (2006). Rates and predictors of relapse after natural and treated remission from alcohol use disorders. Addiction, 101(2), 212–222. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1360-0443.2006.01310.x
