Alcohol Detox: Understanding the Process & Safety

When people become physiologically addicted to alcohol--that is, when their bodies are physically dependent on alcohol--they develop symptoms when they attempt to stop drinking. Alcohol is rare as an intoxicant because the detoxification process can be fatal if not properly monitored.

The Facts

• When toxins accumulate in the body faster than they can be eliminated, as in the case of chronic over-consumption of alcohol, the elimination process gets backed up and the body then needs to detoxify. With alcohol toxicity, this process needs to be monitored by a doctor because it can be severe or even fatal.

  The liver, lymph glands, colon, urinary system and skin are involved in detoxification. A person who needs to detoxify from alcohol should be monitored by a doctor. The process includes being given one of several drugs such as barbiturates, ethanol (alcohol) in low doses and benzodiazepines to help treat the anxiety, insomnia and agitation that can accompany alcohol withdrawal.

Features

• Alcohol detoxification can result in serious side effects if not closely monitored and controlled. The detoxification process needs to happen slowly. As the person is weaned off alcohol, vitamins, minerals and essential nutrients need to be reintroduced to the body. Thiamine and folic acid are crucial to the success of detoxification. In fact, without these supplements, brain damage can result.

  Symptoms can include tremors, hallucination, seizures, disorientation, nausea, anxiety and convulsions. Genetics, age, how long the person has been drinking to excess and how much the person has been drinking recently contribute to how severe the symptoms are, as well as how many times a person has had to be detoxified from alcohol.

Function

• Alcohol detoxification serves to eliminate the excess alcohol in the body and relieve the symptoms, including the physical addiction cycle related to chronic over-consumption of alcohol. It is a short-term solution to the physical problems, but it does not address the behavioral, psychological and social issues related to alcohol addiction.

Prevention/Solution

• Detoxification eliminates the toxins that have built up, replaces nutrients and restores the body to a basic functional level. Alcohol detoxification can be physically exhausting. Symptoms of alcohol withdrawal can last up to six months or longer and include insomnia, headaches, muscle trembles, sexual problems, anxiety, depression, mood swings, irritability and poor concentration and memory. Because of this, the best prevention of a relapse is to immediately begin substance abuse treatment. Treatment programs vary in length, cost and success rates.

Considerations

• During the short term of detoxifying the body, people should drink plenty of water as well as soothing warm milk to deal with insomnia, cranberry juice to help flush the urinary tract and or soothing herbal teas. Exercise, a low-fat diet, and hot baths can help emotionally and physically. Long-term symptoms can last more than six months. Because the various systems in the body have been overtaxed, they need time to recover.