Alcohol Detox Centers: Don’t Quit Without Help
Are you looking to give up alcohol and are convinced that you don’t need the help, expertise and expense of an alcohol detox center? Do you think you can get through the withdrawal process on your own? Surely you could always quit whenever you wanted to – what could possibly go wrong? While it is very tempting to save some money, stay in the relative safety and comfort of your home and simply quit cold turkey, the ugly truth is that you could be engaging in one of the most dangerous decisions of your life.
The hazards of suddenly quitting alcohol are vast and not something to be taken lightly. Hence, alcohol detox centers are around for a good reason. These detox centers provide a safe, secure environment with trained professionals on hand to assist you with your detox. Detoxing isn’t easy and doing it alone can be hazardous not only to your health but to those around you. The more severe psychological effects include insomnia, irrationality, lack of appetite and a lower pain threshold.
Withdrawal can be extremely severe and the symptoms and stresses it places on your body won’t go away in a short period of time. In severe cases you could experience anxiety, shakiness and vomiting. These afflictions can worsen without treatment and progress into seizures or something known as delirium tremens, which could ultimately result in your death.
There is also a strong possibility of a relapse if you quit cold turkey. While detox centers and programs guide, monitor and motivate you, quitting cold turkey generally means you have no support system. Family and friends are a strong support bases for a lot of recovering addicts but they don’t have the required training to ensure that you’re mentally, emotionally and physically stable. You also run the risk of going into relapse as you struggle to suffer through withdrawal.
There are 5 things you can do to assist with kicking your addiction to the curb:
- Take care of yourself
- Have a support group on hand
- Find new activities or interests
- Learn to handle stress properly; and most importantly
- Go to therapy with your family or group therapy sessions
Don’t try and do something as serious as kicking your addiction to the curb without the appropriate level of care or treatment. You need to find an alcohol detox treatment plan that not only caters to your specific needs but also serves its purpose and helps you, help yourself.
There are different treatment options available:
1. Residential Treatment or Inpatient Treatment:
This is a live in treatment plan. Where you have 24/7 support and guidance from trained professionals.
2. Partial Hospitalization:
This is a treatment plan for people who have stable home environments but need to be monitored. They will go in 3 – 5 days a week to meet for therapy sessions.
3. Outpatient Treatment:
This is not a live in program like the residential treatment plan but requires major commitment. They generally meet 3 days a week for therapy sessions and focuses on relapse prevention. They are not as invasive as inpatient treatment programs since they work around your job or schooling schedule.
You need to remember that these treatment center options are viable safe ways for you to stop your addiction and will help you get on the road to a safe and successful recovery.