Excessive alcohol use caused over 140,000 deaths between 2015 and 2019. If you’re struggling with alcohol addiction, consider learning how to detox from alcohol safely right away. Otherwise, your addiction could cut your life short.
An alcohol detox will remove the toxins from your body, allowing you to start treatment for your addiction. However, you shouldn’t start an alcohol detox without medical supervision. Instead, visit a treatment center to detox safely.
Here are a few tips that can help you complete a medical detox without additional complications.
Monitor Symptoms
A health practitioner will assess your health throughout each phase of your alcohol detox. For example, they’ll likely track your:
- Physical condition
- Vital signs
- Sleep
- Hydration
- Emotional status
Completing your detox under medical supervision can help you avoid complications. Your medical professional will also monitor the severity of your alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Your symptoms will likely range in severity during the first few days.
Within the first 24 hours, you could experience mild to moderate symptoms, including:
- Sweating
- Insomnia
- Vomiting
- Nausea
- Headaches
- Anxiety
- Shaky hands
You could begin hallucinations between 12 to 24 hours after you stop drinking.
The symptoms might become more severe between 48 and 72 hours, especially if you experience delirium tremens (DTs). The more severe symptoms include delusions and hallucinations. About 5% of people experiencing alcohol withdrawal encounter these symptoms.
Between 48 and 72 hours, you might also experience heavy sweating, high blood pressure, racing heart, confusion, and fever.
Make sure to communicate with your medical practitioner if you begin experiencing more severe symptoms. They might prescribe medications to help ease your symptoms. Some common medications include gabapentin, carbamazepine, phenobarbital, and benzodiazepines.
Maintain a Healthy Diet
As you detox from alcohol, it helps to maintain a healthy diet.
Drinking puts a strain on your body (as does detoxing). Alcoholism can also affect your body’s ability to get the nutrients it needs to ensure you’re in optimal health. Eating nutritious, healthy meals could help you cope with the strain detoxing puts on your body.
Try eating:
- Fruits and vegetables
- Whole grains
- Foods rich in vitamin B
- Omega-3 fatty acids
Fruits and vegetables are rich in fiber. Your body will digest these foods slowly, which can regulate your hunger and blood sugar levels.
Many people also crave sweets while completing an alcohol detox. Fruits can help fulfill your cravings without you relying on processed sugars.
Fruit is also high in antioxidants, which can help repair cellular damage.
Whole grains like whole wheat bread, brown rice, and oats are high in fiber, which can benefit your gut health. Fiber also supports your most important detoxing organs: the liver and kidneys. Consuming healthy carbs will also give your body energy and B vitamins.
Drinking for an extended period can deplete your body’s supply of B vitamins. You can add more to your diet with dairy, leafy greens, lentils, salmon, and poultry.
Choose proteins that are low in fat like seafood, poultry, eggs, and soy.
Otherwise, choose healthy fats like walnuts, olive oil, and chia to reduce inflammation.
If you don’t have much of an appetite, consider getting the vitamins and minerals you need through supplements. Your medical practitioner can help advise you.
Remain Hydrated
It’s also important to keep your body hydrated as you undergo an alcohol detox.
Alcohol can dehydrate the body, impacting the body’s ability to function properly. Withdrawal symptoms like excessive sweating and vomiting can lead to dehydration, too. Otherwise, remaining hydrated can benefit your kidneys, allowing them to properly filter out toxins.
Go Slow
Some people begin minimizing their daily alcohol intake before they visit a treatment center. Remain cautious if you’re beginning your detox without medical supervision.
If you’re a chronic drinker, don’t stop drinking suddenly. Instead, begin slowly by reducing the amount of alcohol you consume each day.
As you begin the detox process, it’s important not to rush. Otherwise, going cold turkey can cause more severe symptoms. Detoxing under medical supervision will ensure you create a more effective plan.
Avoid Triggers
It’s also important to avoid triggers before you visit a treatment center to begin your alcohol detox.
Try to create a strict schedule for yourself in the days before you’re admitted for treatment. Otherwise, certain triggers could lead you to drink. Your triggers might include certain places, people, or stressful situations.
Exercise
Exercising can benefit your detox, too.
For example, exercising can contribute to serotonin production, which can minimize your depression symptoms. Depression could lead you to drink if you haven’t visited a treatment center for inpatient treatment yet.
Exercising stimulates chemical production in the brain, increasing the production of norepinephrine, serotonin, endorphins, and dopamine. These neurotransmitters can improve your mood, helping you navigate stress and pain.
Exercising can also provide you with a healthy distraction, which could minimize your risk of addictive behaviors. It’s also an effective way of healing your mind and body. After all, drinking can damage your liver, brain, and other essential organs.
Exercising more has shown promise in increasing abstinence rates while reducing withdrawal symptoms, too. Meanwhile, it could help your body relax after a long day, ensuring you get the sleep you need to recover.Â
Get Sleep
Make sure you’re getting enough sleep each night as well. For some, alcohol withdrawal symptoms include insomnia. When you’re tired, you’re more likely to make impulsive decisions.
You could struggle through your alcohol detox if you’re not getting enough sleep.
You can reduce your stress levels by practicing mindfulness and meditation. Meditating could help you relax enough to get the sleep you need, too. It might also help reduce your alcohol craving symptoms.
Visit a Treatment Center: Detox From Alcohol Safely With Help
Don’t detox from alcohol alone. Instead, visit a treatment center to begin detoxing under medical supervision. With help, you can better manage your symptoms during the process.
If you’re at risk of severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms due to extensive drinking, visit a treatment center right away. We’re here to help.
Contact us today to begin your road to recovery.