Alcohol Detox- The First Step to Recovery
Whenever someone gets stressed, sometimes he or she resorts to drinking wine to take the edge off, especially after coming home from a hectic day at work. However, if one does this on a regular basis, the result could very well be that that someone has built a dependency on alcohol. There are those who realize this and would want to break free from such a habit and as such, undergo alcohol detox.
Alcohol detox is the process of removing alcohol from an alcohol-dependent’s body. It is done when one refrains from taking in any more alcohol, drinks medication in order to help refrain from it and changing the food a patient eats. It is improbable for detox to happen without the support of family, friends and loved ones as well as the commitment of a patient.
Both the live as well as the kidneys function as the body’s detoxification organs but when it comes to those considered as “severe” alcoholics, a different form of detoxification is needed. There are person who do volunteer work at detox facilities for those who suffer from alcoholism. These persons include doctors and nurses among others.
During most situations, home detoxification could be done but this can only happen when there is only a moderate amount of alcohol being consumed. However, if the case involves severe withdrawal symptoms, the misuse of other substances and hallucinations, then a patient must be admitted to a detox facility.
When cases are severe, in order to detoxify those who drink heavily, medicine is then utilized. In this phase, a patient is cautioned that he or she might go through anxiety as well as insomnia for about two days. Usually, alcohol detoxification drugs such as a benzodiazepine is used. Diazepam is used commonly as well. However, it could be lethal to the patient if this drug is mixed with large amounts of alcohol. Because of this, diazepam as a detox agent requires supervision.
The detoxification process lasts from five to about six weeks. A patient’s diet should consist of food rich in protein and fiber. Aside from these, a patient should also drink huge amounts of water the whole day through. Drinking tea also helps in stimulating the kidneys process in eliminating alcohol from the body.
This type of detox is done inside a rehabilitation facility. These facilities are often located near or within the lesser-populated places in the country to give patients more space as well as quiet time to think things over. There are likewise enough personnel to attend to each person’s needs.
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