Alcohol Detox

alcohol detox hope for tomorrow

About half of people with an alcohol use disorder experience alcohol withdrawal when they stop or cut back on drinking. That’s around 28,000 West Virginians every year.

Are you part of that number? Do you have a loved one who fits into this category?

Alcohol withdrawal is uncomfortable and annoying at best, and life-threatening at worst. From shaky hands to seizures, it presents with a wide variety of symptoms and impacts everyone differently.

One thing is for certain, though: alcohol withdrawal can greatly interfere with someone’s life.

Alcohol detox is the first step to overcoming that obstacle. Hope for Tomorrow’s alcohol detox program might be exactly what you need to kickstart your journey to a life free from alcohol withdrawal. 

We recommend calling us if you think you need detox. Alcohol detox can be physically harmful so it is important to work with medical professionals during the process. 

What We Treat: Alcohol Withdrawal and Alcohol Use Disorder

Alcohol withdrawal is the headache after a night of drinking. It’s sweating and waking up in the middle of the night. It’s that unexplained anxiety that keeps you on edge for days – and it can be much more.

It happens for a reason. It’s different from a hangover, which results from dehydration, your body’s inflammatory response, and other factors. Alcohol withdrawal happens because alcohol slows down your central nervous system – the way your brain and body communicate. If you drink alcohol consistently, your body adjusts to speed things back up. When alcohol isn’t in your system anymore, your body is still in the excited state necessary to balance out alcohol’s depressant effects. This causes the withdrawal symptoms you’re familiar with, such as anxiety,  nausea, sweating, seizures, and more.

Withdrawal symptoms can be painful and difficult to live with. Often, more alcohol feels like the easiest fix. While it’s true that drinking makes withdrawal symptoms go away, more drinking leads to worse withdrawal symptoms in the long run, along with many other potential health complications. But when you have an alcohol use disorder, that pull and “easy fix” is hard to resist.

If you experience alcohol withdrawals, you don’t need to manage them alone. Relief and recovery are possible. It doesn’t matter who you are, or where you’ve been – you deserve to heal. Hope for Tomorrow’s alcohol detox program can help.

How We Treat: What to Expect From an Alcohol Detox Program at Hope for Tomorrow

When you first walk through our doors, you’ll be welcomed by our kind and passionate staff. After you complete your intake forms, you’ll undergo an assessment by a doctor so we know the state of your health and what kind of treatment will suit you best.

Then, you’ll enter our detox program, where you’ll have 24/7 access to medical care. We’ll ensure you have everything you need to manage unpleasant symptoms and detox safely. That may include medication, or it might just involve a lot of rest with nurses on standby to help you anytime. You’ll be in a safe and comfortable environment and will be treated with respect and compassion every step of the way.

why is alcohol detox important

Why Is Alcohol Detox Important?

The largest benefit of alcohol detox is the safety it provides. Alcohol withdrawal can be unpredictable, and at times, dangerous. In a detox program, you’ll have access to medical staff whenever you need them. They’ll carefully watch over you and your condition to make sure everything is happening as it should. If you run into any complications along the way, you’ll be in the best possible place and will be well taken care of. It’s much better and safer than managing alcohol withdrawal alone or alongside a loved one without the medical knowledge needed to handle severe symptoms.

It’s also the vital first step toward recovery from alcohol use disorders. Withdrawal so easily locks people in a cycle of pain and loss that only spirals further and further out of control. Alcohol detox provides the life preserver that will prevent you from drowning in your drinking habits. You might be exhausted, and swimming might feel impossible, but recovery is within reach. Grabbing onto it will change your life.

How Do You Know if You Need Alcohol Detox?

If you think you have an alcohol use disorder, it’s a good idea to participate in an alcohol detox program as your body gets rid of the alcohol in your system. This is especially true if you’ve had withdrawal symptoms like fever, seizures, high blood pressure, hallucinations, or high body temperature before. It’s always better to be safe because some alcohol withdrawal symptoms are dangerous. If you’re in an alcohol detox program like Hope for Tomorrow’s, you and your loved ones can rest assured that you’ll be safe and in good hands as you begin the healing process.

The Alcohol Detox Timeline and What It Looks Like

Alcohol detox will look different for everyone, depending on factors like your weight, age, drinking habits, and general health. That means how long you stay in an alcohol detox program will vary too. Typically, you’ll be able to move on to a different program once your withdrawal symptoms have subsided.

How long will it take for symptoms to subside? See the chart below for a general idea.

Time Potential Symptoms Explanation
4-12 hours Anxiety, irritability, mild tremors, loss of appetite, nausea, headache, insomnia Symptoms will start within this timeframe, and be mild. They’ll progressively worsen.
12-24 hours All previous symptoms, depression, nightmares, mood swings, confusion, vomiting, seizures Symptoms might stay mild for some but worsen for many. More severe symptoms will start during this time.
24-48 hours All previous symptoms, hallucinations, vivid dreams Symptoms are usually at their worst. Seizure risk is highest during this timeframe.
48-72 hours All previous symptoms, delirium tremens (rapid mood and general mental health changes, delirium, fatigue, significant tremors, whole-body seizures While symptoms may start subsiding for many, some might develop delirium tremens during this time. This is a life-threatening condition. If you or your loved one experience symptoms of delirium tremens, get medical help right away.
72+ hours Insomnia, mood changes, fatigue The detox process is typically finished. Some people may experience withdrawal symptoms long-term, but it’s rare, and medical detox makes them significantly less likely.
treatment after alcohol detox with hope for tomorrow

Treatment After Alcohol Detox With Hope for Tomorrow

Once you complete your alcohol detox program, we highly recommend transitioning to another program.

Hope for Tomorrow offers multiple to meet a variety of needs. 

If you think it would be best to take some time away from home altogether to focus on your recovery from your alcohol use disorder, residential treatment might be a good choice for you. If you have responsibilities you need to tend to, something with a more customizable schedule might work for you, like an intensive outpatient or general outpatient program.

If you choose to trust Hope for Tomorrow with your care, we’ll make therapy and resources available to you as long as you need them – even if that’s long after you leave one of our programs. We’re serious about supporting our patients long-term, and we’ll be here whenever you need us.

That means we’ll be here whenever you’re ready to take the first step toward conquering your alcohol use disorder, too. Coming to a facility for alcohol rehab is a big step, but it’s worth taking it. We hope you will!

Hope for Tomorrow is an addiction recovery center located in Point Pleasant and Beckley, WV. We pride ourselves on serving everyone in our community, no matter who they are. We don’t turn anyone away for having additional medical conditions, and we happily welcome veterans, couples, and pregnant women. We’d love to meet you and learn your story. Call us at 877-679-8162 to get started.

Treatment today for a brighter tomorrow.