Alcohol withdrawal symptoms are uncomfortable. However, in certain cases, they are potentially fatal. Safely managing withdrawal may require medical supervision. No two people are the same, and the severity of symptoms varies. However, those with severe alcohol use disorder should consider a medically supervised alcohol detox in Tennessee.
Detoxing is the body’s process of readjusting as alcohol leaves the bloodstream. It’s a necessary part of the recovery journey, but it can be mentally and physically difficult.
Some people who need treatment for alcohol abuse avoid entering rehab because they fear withdrawal, but medical detox helps alleviate symptoms and helps clients start treatment with more energy and enthusiasm. As always, the team at Promises Behavioral Health is here to help.
What Causes Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms?
Chronic alcohol use disorder changes brain chemistry. Because alcohol is a depressant, the brain produces more stimulating chemicals, such as gamma-aminobutyric acid and dopamine, to counterbalance the depressant effect. As tolerance grows, it takes more alcohol to produce the desired effects, which means the brain produces more stimulating neurotransmitters.
When the supply of alcohol shuts off, it takes time for the brain to readjust its chemical production. An overload of stimulating chemicals creates biological reactions known collectively as “alcohol withdrawal symptoms.”
Common Alcohol Abuse Withdrawal Symptoms
Alcohol withdrawal symptoms can be mild, severe, and even life-threatening. Typically, the most discomfort is experienced within the first 72 hours after alcohol cessation, but other factors also play a role. A person’s general health, any co-occurring conditions, and whether they use other drugs all impact the withdrawal process.
A possible list of symptoms includes:
- Flu-like symptoms, including nausea and loss of appetite
- Irritability
- Mood swings
- Restlessness
- Night sweats
- Nightmares
- Brain fog (difficulty thinking)
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Tremors
- Severe alcohol cravings
Delirium tremens, also known as the “DTs,” is a rare but serious complication of alcohol withdrawal. It can cause fever, hallucinations, and seizures. Delirium tremens is a potentially fatal medical emergency. Medically supervised detox can prevent delirium tremens and other severe symptoms.
How Does Medical Detox Help?
Undergoing medical detox means a person is in a supervised medical setting with detox specialists monitoring their health. The specialists provide care in the form of medication, counseling, and support. The goal of medical detox is to manage and minimize withdrawal symptoms.
For example, buprenorphine may be used to ease alcohol cravings, and benzodiazepines may be recommended to reduce the severity of alcohol detox symptoms. With medical supervision, severe and life-threatening symptoms can be treated before they become an emergency.
As effective as medical detox is in managing alcohol withdrawal, the process offers more than physical and emotional safety. Medical detox helps prevent relapse. Because clients are in a supervised setting, they don’t have access to alcohol as they would if they were detoxing at home.
Because medical detox also helps clients avoid or recover more quickly from symptoms like brain fog, nausea, and anxiety, they are able to begin participating in recovery therapies more quickly.
Even people with a long history of alcohol abuse can feel better faster. They can begin rebuilding their alcohol-free life without suffering the sickness and emotional upheavals associated with detox.
Take Charge of Your Health With Alcohol Detox in Tennessee at Promises Behavioral Health
Making the decision to enter a treatment program for alcohol use disorder is one of the most courageous things you or your loved one will ever do. Changing your life is difficult. Shouldn’t detoxing be as easy as possible?
Medically supervised detox helps keep clients as safe and comfortable as possible. It enables them to focus more clearly on their long-term health goals and participate fully in evidence-based therapies. To learn more about our medical detox program, call Promises Behavioral Health at 844.875.5609. We can also be reached by using our online contact form.