There are times when quitting alcohol can be dangerous. During severe withdrawal, life-threatening medical complications can arise that will require the help of a medical professional to keep the patient safe. Alcohol is a chemical toxin that attaches to internal organs and the brain. When alcohol metabolizes or breaks down, it leaves a toxin called acetaldehyde. This toxic substance can impair or damage DNA, key proteins, and enzymes. Alcohol detoxification is the process of eliminating these toxins from the body.
Over time, alcohol abuse can lead to addiction. If you are struggling with alcohol addiction, you know that quitting on your own is difficult and that you might go back to drinking even if you do not want to. However, a detox center near Dayton can help you rebuild your life. At Ethan Crossing, we offer an alcohol addiction treatment program and detox programs designed to help you heal.
What Is Medically-Assisted Detox?
Medical detox from alcohol is a preliminary treatment that occurs before the person enters alcohol rehab. This type of detox program uses specific medical processes and/or equipment to prepare the individual for a formal alcohol addiction treatment program. The goal is to not only address the physical symptoms of detoxing the body of alcohol but to also deliver the person ready to move forward with clear thinking and a reduction in withdrawal symptoms.
Medical detox will also include close monitoring of the person’s vitals such as temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, and motor movements. Alcohol withdrawal can cause these body functions to dangerously spike.
Finally, the purpose of medical detox is to prevent fatalities due to delirium tremens or DTs. Delirium tremens is a severe side effect of alcohol withdrawal that may start 2-3 after the person stops drinking. It can be fatal with symptoms that include hallucinations, fever, shaking, confusion, and high blood pressure. It is believed that about 5% of people in alcohol withdrawal get DTs that may require immediate medical attention.
Other Symptoms of Alcohol Withdrawal
Support is necessary patient enters an alcohol detox center near Dayton because other symptoms that are less deadly than DTs may be enough to cause a newly sober person to seek relief with a drink of alcohol. When the body no longer receives a steady stream of alcohol, it will naturally go into a phase of both mental and physical cravings along with a host of psychological challenges.
Depending on how long and how much alcohol the person has consumed, these other symptoms of alcohol withdrawal can be enough to cause an early relapse back to drinking:
- Anxiety
- Sweating
- Nausea
- Insomnia
- Headaches
A medically-assisted alcohol detox center will also be able to give psychological support and strength to those experiencing cravings.
Benefits of Alcohol Rehab
Consider the benefit of going to a rehab that also has a drug detox center like Ethan Crossing, an addiction recovery center located near Dayton. Certainly, there are the physical benefits of having a medical team ready to help the patient through this very challenging time. Since alcohol detoxification can be life-threatening, anyone considered a heavy drinker, a binge drinker, or is at end-stage drinking should seriously consider this option before entering alcohol rehab.
But, after the challenging days are over and the patient has their appetite back and is out of medical danger, there is an emotional component to alcoholism that can start being addressed. The physical cravings and the mental obsession may start to kick in. Ethan Crossing provides medication-assisted alcohol detox that helps manage both the physical and psychological symptoms that can often result from drug and alcohol withdrawal.
Reach Out to Ethan Crossing Today
Contact Ethan Crossing today at 833.691.0736 if you are ready to learn more about our drug and alcohol detox and inpatient drug rehab programs.
