When a person has become physically dependent or addicted to a substance such as alcohol, their body will begin to crave it.  When they are not able to drink or when they attempt to quit they will often have severe withdrawal symptoms. It is important for persons to get past this when they are trying to get sober. If they do not, they will always have physical cravings that will make it hard to quit.  One option that a person with a severe alcohol addiction has is to go through alcohol detox.  Often times, this is an inpatient treatment facility which requires the individual to stay until the detoxification process is finished.

Alcohol detox program counselors will walk individuals seeking help through the detox process. They will explain to the patient what to expect and how long the process should take.  Being adequately informed should help him or her understand what their body will be experiencing so that they don’t panic or quit because they think something is terribly wrong.

Alcohol detox helps individuals deal with the vomiting, shakes, headaches, insomnia and restlessness that will likely to occur once they stopped drinking.  Convulsions are also common.  To help ease these, an alcohol detox center may offer the individual receiving treatment certain medications.  Anti-convulsion meds such as buprenophex and benzodiazepines are used quite often to help withdrawal symptoms. 

The amount of time that it takes for alcohol detox to be completed will depend on individual and how long they had been addicted to alcohol. However, anywhere between three days and two weeks is considered pretty standard.

After alcohol detox, a person will need to enter some type of rehabilitation program. Alcohol detox is not the end of the matter but instead is often just the beginning. A person has to learn how to avoid drinking again and will need to deal with any underlying issues that contribute to their alcoholism.

 An individual may need to enroll in a residential program if their addiction is severe or if they don’t feel like they will be able to continue with their sobriety if they go back home or into their regular environment. Outpatient treatment may be a good option for those whose addictions are moderate or just beginning to become problematic. These individuals may be able to follow up alcohol detox with some type of outpatient program.

In order for a person that suffers from alcoholic addiction to successfully stay sober after alcohol detox, it is important that they are ready to stop drinking. Understanding that they have a problem and that alcoholism is a disease is also imperative. Individuals must get rid of any alcohol that they have in their home and commit to no longer drinking. They also need to stay away from persons who refuse to stop drinking in their presence.  Counseling, rehab and a strong support system that includes people around the recovering alcoholic who want to see them do well and stay sober is also important.