Anyone physically dependent on alcohol will need to proceed through an alcohol detoxification process before rehabilitation treatment can begin. If unmedicated, alcohol withdrawal symptoms can be dangerous, but with appropriate treatment and medication the process is much safer and far more comfortable.
People who are physically dependent on alcohol will experience alcohol withdrawal symptoms when they stop drinking (virtually all alcoholics are dependent on alcohol). The severity of alcohol withdrawal symptoms will depend on:
- How long you’ve been drinking
- How much you’ve been drinking
- Your genetics
- Your overall health
Alcohol withdrawal can be very dangerous, even lethal, and so people experiencing moderate to severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms require medical observation and medication for safety and comfort.
Some symptoms of alcohol withdrawal can include:
- Shakiness
- Alcohol cravings
- Anxiety, irritability and depression
- Insomnia
- Headache
- Lethargy
- Delirium tremens (DTs)
- Convulsions
- Seizures
- Death
Severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms typically subside with a week or so, although some symptoms of withdrawal, such as insomnia, can endure for months.
Because alcohol withdrawal symptoms require medical care, and in some extreme cases emergency medical intervention, alcohol withdrawal typically occurs in a medical detox clinic.
People in a medical detox clinic receive medications, such as benzodiazepines, that can reduce the severity of withdrawal symptoms and increase the comfort of the period. Detox ends when you are stabilized and all physical risk has passed – when you are ready to begin the rehabilitation phase of alcohol treatment.
Detox is not considered addiction treatment, only a necessary preparation stage that readies a person to participate in addiction treatment. People that leave treatment after a medical detox are virtually certain to relapse back to drinking.
Although some larger alcohol rehab facilities may offer alcohol detox on-site, in most cases, you will need to detox prior to entry into a rehab facility. All alcohol rehabs have relationships with area detox clinics, which helps to facilitate a smooth entry into detox and an easy transition into rehab.1
Medications Used in Alcohol Rehab
In addition to medications used during a medical detox, doctors at an alcohol rehab may prescribe drugs that can help to ease the longer-term withdrawal symptoms and/or to reduce cravings.
Medications that are currently FDA approved for the treatment of alcoholism include:
- Acamprosate (Campral)
- Disulfiram (Antabuse)
- Naltrexone (Vivitrol)
page last update Aug 30, 2010
