How is the alcohol detoxification process?

Alcohol detoxification services are among the most demanded by patients in addiction therapy centers, and it is no wonder. The use of this type of addictive substances is very widespread in practically all Western countries, and professional help is needed to stop using them.

Now, what does this type of therapeutic intervention consist of? In this article you will find a summary of how the alcohol detoxification process works, and the basic information to keep in mind about this topic.

• Related article: The 14 most important types of addictions

Alcohol addiction: a problem to be dealt with urgently

There are many reasons why alcoholism is a serious problem that must be taken seriously from the start.

One of them is, for example, that it is one of the drugs that produces the most damage to third parties, not only to those who consume it and develop dependence. It has a very high impact causing accidents (not all of them related to driving) and also in intimate partner violence.

On the other hand,

alcohol is one of the most addictive substances, which means that it greatly limits the decision-making of those who begin to develop a disorder of this type; at the same time, it greatly increases the risk of developing pathologies beyond the addiction itself: cancer, neurological diseases, etc. It also greatly increases the risk of developing addictions to other substances.

Finally, receiving alcohol detoxification treatment as soon as possible is also very important because without professional help it is very difficult “Disengage” from drinking, among other things because its use and abuse is very normalized in our society: on a daily basis, people Addicts are exposed to many situations that lend themselves to having a single drink, which in a matter of minutes is usually transformed into a succession of them. Relapse is very common, and you have to prepare in the best way possible with the help of addiction experts.

Alcohol detox: elements involved

These are the most relevant aspects of alcohol detoxification from professionals.

1. The first hours are key

As with many drugs, the hardest thing when it comes to overcoming addiction comes in the first few hours by stopping using that substance.

Alcohol withdrawal, which is normally known as "mono", presents its peak of discomfort two or three days after the last consumption., and lasts in a softer and more bearable version for a few weeks. During this first stage it is very easy to relapse if professional support is not available. This is, in many ways, the purely detox part, as this is the time when most of the alcohol leaves the body.

However, keep in mind that detoxification is not the only part of a process of overcoming an addiction, for two reasons. In the first place, because even after these days, the body still presents changes produced by the habit of consuming alcohol, and these predispose the person to continue drinking.

Second, because beyond the neurological aspects of alcohol dependence, there are a whole series of habits and consumption routines from which you also have to "unhook". This is the purely psychological element that contributes to the maintenance of addictions and that should not be underestimate, because it may be the one that leads to relapse months after having had the last sip of alcohol, such as we will see.

• You may be interested in: "These are the 9 effects that alcohol has on the brain in the short and long term"

2. Training in stress management techniques

Continued exposure to stressful experiences increases the risk of consuming alcohol and deepens the development of addictions. That is why, in the treatment process against dependence on alcoholic beverages, Health professionals address this area by helping people use stress and anxiety management resources.

3. It is important not to exchange addictions

In the alcohol detoxification phase, people often try to alleviate their discomfort by taking other drugs. This must be avoided at all costs, because in those moments of vulnerability, you are more vulnerable to the development of new addictions: that is to say, one does not start from 0, as would someone who has never taken any psychoactive with addictive potential.

4. You have to accept a certain level of discomfort and discomfort

To successfully overcome the detox portion, it is important not to try to totally block the feelings of physical and psychological discomfort produced by withdrawal. Doing this only leads to frustration, since the simple fact of being alert to eliminate possible negative thoughts and feelings from consciousness causes us to attract those experiences to our mind.

It is much better to develop habits of acceptance of discomfort and of managing the attention focus, so as not to give them more importance than necessary and to be able to focus on other things.

5. In habits is the key

As we have seen, the fight against addiction is not something that should be carried out only from introspection; It is also reflected in the behavior, the way in which the patient relates to the environment and to others. In addition, this is also true in the first days of quitting, that is, during the alcohol detox.

Thus, elements of medical assistance and elements of psychotherapeutic assistance coexist in a therapeutic process against alcoholism, to adopt new habits and routines that serve to stay away from situations in which it would be too easy to relapse.

Looking for alcoholic beverage addiction treatment?

If you have developed an addiction to alcohol, it is very important that you take measures quickly to overcome it and stop using it, with the help of health professionals. On CITA Clinics we are specialized in the treatment of addictive disorders, and we have both services outpatient assistance as well as the possibility of entering our residential module in full nature. You can find us in Barcelona and in Dosrius (Mataró); To see more information about how we work or access our contact information, you can go to this page.

Bibliographic references:

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• Nutt, D.J.; King, L.A.; Phillips, L.D. (2010). Drug harms in the UK: a multicriteria decision analysis. The Lancet, 376 (9752): pp. 1558 - 1565,
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