Kicking the Habit – Alcohol Detoxification
Drinking is the simplest alternative a person turns to when he/she feels that life is getting a bit too much. Instant relaxation and a state of problem-free bliss is a bottle’s promise from the first gulp to the last drop. But finding out that a continued and increased patronage is necessary to help keep the ‘high’, in the long run, helps a person realize that instead of eliminating the problems, lifting too much liquid has, in actuality, created a bigger problem. So when the feeling of affection for alcoholic drinks escalates to a love-hate relationship, the person then decides to end the relationship altogether. And the commitment with alcohol detox begins.
Alcohol detoxification or alcohol detox is the sudden stoppage of alcohol intake. It is considered to be the most stressful and the most physically demanding part of the desired recovery from alcohol addiction. Patients who are on alcohol detox experience not only physical but also psychological withdrawal symptoms from the immediate ending of drinking alcohol.
During the drinking, the brain adjusts to the regular amount of alcohol in the body. Alcohol affects the receptors in the brain which reduce the body’s excitability. As the alcohol leaves the person’s system, the brain returns to being hyper excited. As a result, a person undergoing the initial stage of alcohol detox gets a dose of anxiety, irritability and tremors. Bad tempers, loss of appetite and shaking of the hands manifest themselves.
During the secondary phase, extreme alcohol drinkers experience symptoms that are life-threatening, if not dealt with properly. Heavy drinkers experience hallucinations and alcohol delirium. Seizures during the alcohol detoxification stage are present. Depression, extreme emotional changes, increased anxiety and excessive irritability develop.
The physical and psychological reactions encourage the mind to think of times when such pain was absent, and the person gets obsessive thoughts and cravings to reunite with alcohol, thus making the process both mentally and physically frustrating.
But the withdrawal symptoms can be eluded. When paired with cross-tolerant drugs, alcohol detoxification can be easier. Medication is prescribed to a patient by a medical professional to help ease the effects of alcohol withdrawal.
Benzodiazepines are the most common drugs taken by a person on alcohol detox. They act as sedatives (reduces irritability and excitability), hypnotics (induces sleeping), and anxiolytics (anti-anxiety), among others. Vitamins are also advised, since appetite loss is a common withdrawal symptom. Vitamins ensure that the body’s need for nutrients are still taken care of.
If a person chooses to do without the drugs, some basic care steps have to be remembered. Alcohol detoxification withdrawal symptoms will bring about diarrhea, vomiting and sweats so fluids and electrolytes must be always present. Keeping the body hydrated will help prevent the severity of some withdrawal symptoms
Undeniably, alcohol detox is not a walk in the park. It’s an attempt at being a better person while being in the middle of a situation when the inclination to continue to be just the way you are is often the easier choice. It’s a heroic feat, seeing as it will be a hard battle. With the help of the people who love you best, and with the constant self-reminder that you can be better, alcohol detox is, in the end, a war that can be won.
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