Some people mistake symptoms of dehydration for symptoms of alcohol withdrawal. When detoxing at home, drink plenty of water to replenish your body. Typically, alcohol withdrawal symptoms happen for heavier drinkers. Alcohol withdrawal can begin within hours of ending a drinking session. Gradually tapering your alcohol use helps ease withdrawal symptoms and reduce alcohol cravings. Tapering increases the length of the detox process, but it might be better for you in the long run.
- They often will minimize your addiction by telling you it’s not that big of a deal.
- When the alcohol level suddenly drops, your brain stays in this keyed up state.
- On the other hand, shallow breathing limits oxygen intake and can lead to anxiety.
You are also more likely to neglect eating healthily due to the distraction of withdrawal symptoms. Staying hydrated, and eating healthy foods during detox, however, can improve your overall health and ability to cope with the strain that withdrawal places on your body. Drinking plenty of water and avoiding sugary or processed foods is likely beneficial. But if you’re living with alcohol use disorder, drinking is more than a habit. People with alcohol use disorder can’t stop drinking even when it causes problems, like emotional distress or physical harm to themselves or others. Generally, you may need treatment for alcohol misuse when you can no longer control the amount you drink or how long you drink.
If there are any symptoms at all that are even slightly concerning, the best thing to do is to seek professional help. Experiencing PAWS does not mean recovery has failed; in fact, alcohols effects on the brain experiencing PAWS indicates that recovery is progressing normally. Also, don’t get caught off guard thinking that since one craving has stopped, another one won’t come quickly.
How to Embrace a Detox from Alcohol
Also known as DTs, an estimated 2% of people with alcohol use disorder and less than 1% of the general population experience them. Talk to your doctor or a drug treatment specialist about what to expect as you experience alcohol withdrawal. Identify a family member or friend who you can call on to provide emotional support.
How is alcohol withdrawal diagnosed?
Try to mentally connect your alcohol consumption to pain, not pleasure or relief. Making alcohol difficult to access can help you avoid temptation and increase the chances of a successful detox. The detoxification timeline varies based on the severity of the alcohol addiction. One of the best things about giving up alcohol is that you may find yourself feeling happier overall.
Maintaining a calm and comfortable environment, staying hydrated and avoiding stimulants like caffeine is also helpful. If you have the shakes, medical intervention is typically necessary, as shakes can be a sign of more serious withdrawal complications. While you may not feel like exercising during withdrawal, a small amount of exercise is a great tool for coping with alcohol withdrawal. Exercise releases endorphins into your brain, creating natural happy feelings within a person. Not only is exercise one of the most effective natural remedies for alcohol withdrawal, but it’s also good for your self-confidence and recovery.
More time to meet new people, catch up with old friends and try new things. Keep it interesting and varied with sparkling water, virgin cocktails (also known as mocktails), fruit juices, low-fat milk, or kombucha. alcohol use disorder diagnosis and treatment Remove all alcohol from your home or ask a friend or family member to do it for you. This includes beer, wine, and liquor, as well as products that contain alcohol such as rubbing alcohol and vanilla extract.
When you talk to your doctor about symptom relief, it’s a good idea to discuss treatment for alcohol abuse or dependence. When you’re detoxing in an inpatient or outpatient detox treatment facility, they’ll usually prescribe medications to help ease withdrawal symptoms of alcohol. But there are some vitamins and minerals you can take that are often beneficial and help remove toxins. Some of these include B vitamins, multivitamins, vitamin C, vitamin E, and calcium. Alcohol detox isn’t easy and not everyone can do it on their own.
– Eat a balanced diet that includes healthy fruits and vegetables.
Although an at-home detox can be intense, there are ways to mitigate severe side effects. However, it’s important to contact medical professionals when an emergency occurs. Self-detox is an individualized approach without professional or medical support. Because of this, it’s important to plan around the alcohol detoxification process carefully. Overall, the process can take weeks, and you might still feel withdrawal symptoms for months.
Many involve a combination of group psychotherapy (talk therapy) and medications. When you stop consuming alcohol after prolonged, heavy use, your CNS can’t respond or regulate itself fast enough. It becomes overexcited because there’s no more alcohol to slow it down.
People can partake in some natural remedies and activities to keep their minds occupied and help pass the time as withdrawal symptoms fade. Some of these remedies can be useful during withdrawal itself, and some are more helpful as you cope with cravings. After three days, you will likely start to feel more like yourself. Treating alcohol withdrawal is a short-term fix that doesn’t help the core problem.
Our team of experts will address each aspect of your recovery and help you get on the road to lifelong recovery. It’s much better to focus on something you enjoy than to focus on the discomfort of your withdrawal symptoms. Addiction tends to make everything else in life seem less enjoyable. Music you used to love may no longer have the same draw while you are using alcohol. You may find a renewed interest in music during your detox and should pursue the distraction it offers from cravings or withdrawal symptoms.