Most people who enter alcohol and drug rehab need alcohol or drug detox. It’s normal for people to continue drinking or taking drugs up to the day they enter drug or alcohol treatment. This is not only because they enjoy the effect, but also because by the time someone goes into alcohol or drug rehab the withdrawal symptoms are likely to be bad enough to encourage them to keep using.

Alcohol and Drug Detox Options

Some alcohol and drug detox centers offer more options than others. Some will have their own state-licensed facilities while others may contract with private companies or hospitals to provide medical detox.

Medical detox generally uses a mild form of medication to safely ease a person off of alcohol or drugs with as little discomfort as possible. Going through detox from alcohol or benzodiazepines can result in severe withdrawal symptoms, such as hallucinations or life-threatening seizures. It is always advised that someone coming into alcohol and drug rehab with these addictions receive a medical detox. Some alcohol and drug detox centers also offer holistic therapies during this process, such as acupuncture and massage, to stimulate the body to help release toxins and minimize withdrawal symptoms.

It is never recommended that individuals go “cold-turkey” off alcohol or drugs. As mentioned, this could result in life-threatening withdrawal symptoms. Some likely symptoms for withdrawal from alcohol, benzodiazepines and opiate-based drugs (codeine, hydrocodone, morphine, oxycontin, heroin) include headaches, nausea, body-aches, night sweats, night terrors, restlessness, insomnia, hallucinations and in extreme cases, convulsions. Withdrawal from stimulants such as cocaine, crack and methamphetamines generally results in heavy fatigue, depression and in severe cases, suicidal thoughts. A lot of rest is required in the initial days of detox. Medical detox serves as the safest form of withdrawal from drugs and alcohol for most drugs.

Alcohol and Drug Detox for You

Inquire about the best alcohol and drug detox for you prior to deciding on a treatment center. Some facilities may require that you arrive at check-in already detoxed. Others may offer a state-licensed facility on site. Find out what kind of detox options they have and make sure you’re comfortable with it. Remember, alcohol and drug detox is the first step toward a healthy new life in sobriety. Don’t short-change yourself and suffer through the withdrawal process if you don’t have to. It could make all the difference between staying sober and falling back into alcoholism or drug addiction.

Alcohol depresses the Central Nervous System (CNS), which has a central role in the coordination of activity and control of behavior. This is why excessive alcohol intake results in impaired judgment, movement and behavior. Ceasing the presence of alcohol by going “cold turkey” after a prolonged period of drinking can cause the CNS to rebound too quickly, resulting in anxiety, nervousness, tremors, shakes and life-threatening seizures. Alcohol detox should always be medically supervised in order to ensure a safe withdrawal.

The process of going through alcohol detox results in a variety of symptoms that range from mild to severe. Mild withdrawal symptoms include typical hangover symptoms of headache, nausea, vomiting, perspiration, restlessness, agitation, loss of appetite and insomnia. But for the alcoholic who has been drinking heavily and consistently for a long period of time, severe withdrawal symptoms can include night sweats, night terrors, auditory or visual hallucinations, convulsions and the DTs (dilirium tremens). Fear of alcohol detox and the accompanying symptoms keeps many alcoholics drinking long after they know they need to stop. There are three types of alcohol detox available:

Cold Turkey

Cold turkey derived its name from the goose bumps that arise during the process of withdrawal from alcohol, drugs or nicotine.  You just stop drinking alcohol and white knuckle through the withdrawal symptoms as they come. It’s estimated that 1 in 4 people are at risk for a seizure if they choose to go cold turkey rather than receive medical care during alcohol detox.

Medical Detox

The safest form of alcohol detox is a medical detox. Individuals receive mild prescription medication to help ease them through the most dangerous phase of alcohol detox where the potential for seizure is greatest. Hospitals or drug rehab centers state-licensed for medical detox offer these services. Individuals undergoing medical detox receive medication in tapering amounts until their body is physically stabilized and they are able to enter an inpatient alcohol rehab program. This is the most prevalent and comfortable form of alcohol detox available.

NeuroTransmiter Restoration Therapy (NTR)

NeuroTransmiter Restoration Therapy (NTR) is a relatively new alcohol detox process offered by only a few select drug and alcohol rehabs in the United States. NTR utilizes an all-natural amino acid and mineral solution that coats the brain’s neurotransmitter receptor sites where most of the damage from drug and alcohol abuse occurs. This process stimulates the body’s cells to shift into repair mode, easing withdrawal symptoms, cravings and the fogginess that can accompany alcohol detox. In spite of its benefits, NTR is generally combined with medical detox as prescription medication is often necessary to ease alcoholic individuals past the danger stage when life-threatening convulsions can occur.

Okay, so now you’ve looked it in the eye and realize that you have an alcohol problem. You’ve decided what you need is help and you’ve decided to go to one of the alcohol detox centers in your community. This is a wise choice and I applaud your courage. Choosing to make a positive change in your life isn’t easy, but the fact that you’ve looked into alcohol rehab centers means you’re serious about sobriety.

When you check in to an alcohol rehab center, the first thing that will happen will be a medical checkup to make sure that you will get the medical support you need. You might have been drinking heavily enough to need a full detox program and the doctors at alcohol rehab centers know just how to help. Of course, you’ll stop drinking alcohol, and you might be given medications to help make your detox process more comfortable. After breaking the physical addiction, you will go on to the counseling process to learn coping skills and habits to support you in your new sobriety. Experienced counselors will facilitate both group and individual therapy to support you in your sobriety journey and help you on with your new, alcohol free life.

Alcohol Rehab Centers are the First Step

Once you’ve gone through your program at one of your alcohol rehab centers, you will often be recommended for an outpatient program or support group. These meetings are a great way to help ensure that you stay sober and are a good way to meet people with the common goal of sobriety. Every bit of support helps, so when an alcohol rehab center recommends a support group for you when you have been successful in the program, don’t be shy about following up. You want to remain sober and they are there to help.

Alcohol problems can be difficult and scary to overcome. However, a good alcohol recovery center can offer a great chance at hope to overcome the addiction and get into the road to recovery. If you want to break your alcohol addiction and get the help you need, an alcohol recovery center can help you. These centers have caring professionals who understand your needs and will be able to help you.

An alcohol recovery center might seem and overwhelming idea when you first consider it, but you’ll find that the caring, helpful environment and professional counselors committed to helping you heal will overcome any initial intimidation. Finding an alcohol recovery center where you feel comfortable and secure will go a long way to helping you break your alcohol addiction. Many people need medical supervision to help you break the physical addiction. A doctor at your alcohol recovery center will examine you to see what course of treatment you will need during the detox process. After breaking the physical addiction, you will go through a counseling process. Good counselors will be available for both group and individual therapy to ensure that you build the habits and develop the coping skills you need to stay sober and enjoy your alcohol and drug free life.

An Alcohol Recovery Center Will Help You Break Your Addiction

Overcoming an alcohol addiction isn’t easy, but when you’ve been through the process, it feels great to have achieved sobriety and know that you are able to go on with your life. An alcohol recovery center is geared to helping you stay sober and have a fulfilling life.

Choose the Right Alcohol Rehab Hospital for your needs

Do you or a loved one have a problem with alcohol addiction? Have you been looking into finding an alcohol rehab hospital? If so, good move! An alcohol rehab hospital offers a great place to heal, keeping safe while you or your loved one breaks the alcohol addiction.

Some people, when they are considering an alcohol rehab hospital, feel intimidated at the idea. We may have watched one too many movie about what rehab can be like. The average alcohol rehab hospital is a place where people really care about the patients and understand well what you or your loved one is going through. There are doctors on staff to deal with the potential detox issues, counselors to help through the mental processes necessary to break addictive behaviors and even counselors that will help as you move from the alcohol rehab hospital back into the world.

An alcohol rehab hospital will offer both group and individual counseling. You or your loved one will be able to talk to people who have been through the addiction and detox process, so know what’s going on. Mutual support is often a source of great strength when breaking an addiction and in an alcohol rehab hospital, there is always a helping hand available.

An Alcohol Rehab Hospital Prepares You for Life

Once you’ve been through the program offered at the alcohol rehab hospital, sometimes they will offer a transition program where you’ll be able to participate in life out in the world again while still having the support of a structured program. Many people find this useful as they’re going on the journey in sobriety. When you talk to your counselors, you’ll be able to discover what works best for you.