If you are struggling with alcoholism, it might be time you get help. But what’s the best way to detox from alcohol?
Too often, people try to go cold turkey, getting through their withdrawal symptoms without help, but this regularly leads to relapse.
Next Wind Recovery is a New Jersey outpatient rehab center. If you are interested in learning more about outpatient alcohol detox, contact us today.
What Are Common Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms?
Alcoholism brings with it a wide range of withdrawal symptoms, some of which society lightly brushes off as the quintessential “hangover” feelings, but others that can be much more severe.
6 Hours
Within the first six hours following your last drink, you will experience mild to severe symptoms that include:
- Insomnia
- Anxiety
- Headaches
- Nausea
- Sweating
- Shaking
12-48 Hours
After that, all of these same symptoms can get much more severe. But you can also experience hallucinations and seizures.
48-72 Hours
The final phase is the most dangerous. You will experience a fever, heavy sweating, confusion, and high blood pressure here. In about 5% of cases, alcohol withdrawal symptoms can result in delirium tremens, including delusions and hallucinations.
What Does an Alcohol Detox Program Entail?
An alcohol rehab in New Jersey begins with an assessment, after which you start your detox from alcohol under supervision to manage your alcohol withdrawal symptoms.
Assessment
During your initial assessment, the professionals at an alcohol detox center will ask basic questions about your alcoholism, how much you normally consume, how often, and what other substances you take. Understanding your history of substance abuse, mental health, and physical health will prepare the staff for the most effective alcohol detox program.
Alcohol Detox Program
Once you are ready, you check in at a North Jersey alcohol rehab center and start your detox from alcohol. This is the most dangerous time because it brings with it a serious risk of health complications like delirium tremens.
With an alcohol detox center, you get 24-hour supervision from medical professionals who can provide you with over-the-counter and prescription medications as necessary to alleviate the severity of your withdrawal symptoms. Alcohol withdrawal symptoms, as mentioned, can be incredibly painful, uncomfortable, and potentially harmful to your overall health.
Professionals at a Northern Jersey alcohol detox center can, for example:
- Give you an IV to help regulate your fluids and prevent you from getting dehydrated
- Provide over-the-counter anti-nausea or pain medications to control things like muscle spasms, headache, fever, nausea, and vomiting
- Monitor your symptoms and adjust your medications as needed
Aftercare
After completing your alcohol detox program, you can start the long-term aspect of your rehab with inpatient or outpatient care programs at the same North Jersey alcohol rehab center.
What is the Best Way to Detox From Alcohol?
The best way to manage your alcohol withdrawal symptoms is to work with a New Jersey alcohol rehab center for your detox.
Medication-Assisted Treatment
Medication-assisted treatment is the best way to detox from alcohol. This type of alcohol detox program involves not just supervision and medication management during your initial withdrawal symptoms but to help you manage ongoing cravings.
Contact Next Wind Recovery to learn more about our medication-assisted treatment in New Jersey.
For example, many FDA-approved medications to manage ongoing cravings change how your body responds to alcohol, so you no longer get the same happy drunk feeling, or alcohol consumption might make you violently ill. These changes can help you modify the way your brain might otherwise positively view alcohol consumption.
Ongoing Rehab
Getting through your withdrawal symptoms is only the first step. The best way to detox from alcohol is to transition from your detox program into ongoing rehabs, like inpatient or outpatient programs which include group therapy, individual therapy, and 12-step programs.
How to Find Alcohol Detox Programs in North Jersey
If you are ready to get help, turn to Next Wind. Our North Jersey alcohol rehab center offers a comprehensive alcohol detox program complete with medication-assisted treatment to manage your alcohol withdrawal symptoms and ongoing cravings, group therapy, individual therapy, and 12-step programs. Contact us today to learn more about our addiction treatment programs in New Jersey.