This is so your doctor can monitor your condition and manage any complications. You may need to get fluids intravenously, or through your veins, to prevent dehydration and medications to help ease your symptoms. If you drink daily, your body becomes dependent on alcohol over time. When this happens, your central nervous system can no longer adapt easily to the lack of alcohol. If you suddenly stop drinking or significantly reduce the amount of alcohol you drink, it can cause AWS.
- This balances out the overstimulation and helps these receptors function normally when alcohol is present.
- Alcohol causes serious changes in the brain, and prolonged symptoms such as sleep problems, mood changes and fatigue may take months to overcome, according to the U.S.
- The main ways to prevent alcohol withdrawal are to avoid alcohol altogether or to get professional help as soon as possible if you think you’re developing alcohol use disorder.
Depending on the level and duration of alcohol use, home remedies for alcohol withdrawal can be too dangerous. If you are even slightly at risk for severe withdrawal symptoms, professionals recommend medical detox at a hospital, rehab facility or detox center to manage symptoms. For people who experience mild alcohol withdrawal symptoms, there are safe ways to detox at home.
Medication for Alcohol Withdrawal
Finding a therapist can also be a great starting point if you’re uncomfortable opening up to your healthcare professional. You may not need to completely reinvent your life to quit drinking, but making a few changes in your surroundings to help avoid alcohol triggers can make a big difference. Dietary guidelines recommend that if you drink, men limit daily drinking to two drinks or less per day and women limit their drinking to one drink or less per day.
As symptoms occur, your detox team will provide medications and treatments to help relieve them. Medical alcohol detox is a program where you are supervised by health care professionals who monitor your progress and provide medications and treatments as needed. This method of detox is the safest, as it allows for early intervention and treatment before complications turn into bigger issues. This method is also the most comfortable, as unpleasant symptoms can be treated and managed using IV medications. Alcohol detox can lead to potentially fatal complications, especially in severe cases of alcohol dependence. Someone who may experience moderate to severe alcohol withdrawal should seek medical supervision during detox.
Alcohol Withdrawal Treatment
Alcohol causes serious changes in the brain, and prolonged symptoms such as sleep problems, mood changes and fatigue may take months to overcome, according to the U.S. The amount of time it takes to detox from alcohol depends on several factors, including whether you’re detoxing at home or with medical supervision. Detoxing at home usually takes longer because you should be cautious to avoid serious complications. If you’ve been unable to quit on your own, you should consider attending an alcohol rehab center. Alcoholism treatment allows you to detox in a safe environment. It teaches you healthy ways to cope with stress and techniques for overcoming the underlying causes of alcohol addiction.
The higher the number, the worse a person’s symptoms are and the more treatments they likely need. If your doctor thinks you might be going through alcohol withdrawal, they’ll ask you questions about your drinking history and how recently you stopped. They’ll want Alcohol Detox to know if you’ve ever gone through withdrawal before. Behavioral health treatment for alcohol problems is often (but not always) covered by insurance. In the United States, most states have low-cost or free rehabilitation programs for those who are uninsured.