Why Medical Detox is the Best Way to Detox from Drugs and Alcohol
Why Medical Detox is the Best Way to Detox from Drugs and Alcohol
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSA) most recent annual survey reported that 46.3 million people aged 12 or older met the criteria for a substance use disorder in 2021. Of those 29.5 million people were classified as having an alcohol use disorder and 24 million people were classified as having a drug use disorder.
Unfortunately for those who want to achieve sobriety, it can be a long road to recovery especially when they try to detox on their own which often leads to relapse due to the severity of the withdrawal symptoms they experience. However, those who decide to complete a medical detox, have a much better chance of maintaining long-term sobriety due to the support they receive during the detox process.
Why Alcohol Withdrawal Can Be Dangerous
Why Alcohol Withdrawal Can Be Dangerous
Even though consuming alcohol is legal in contrast to drugs like heroin or methamphetamines, it can still be dangerous to detox from. This is certainly the case if someone has been consuming large amounts of alcohol for several years and has built up a tolerance to it.
Most people with a severe alcohol addiction will detox over 72 hours and could experience the following side effects after consuming their final drink:
- 6 to 12 hours – early withdrawal symptoms begin including headache, anxiety, insomnia, small tremors, nausea and gastrointestinal issues.
- 12 to 24 hours – visual or auditory hallucinations can occur.
- 24 to 72 hours – seizure risk is highest from 24 to 48 hours after drinking. Withdrawal delirium tremors (DTs) may appear from 48 to 72 hours after drinking. While uncommon the DTs have a mortality rate of