Alcohol Advice

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Alcohol Detox

The following points of information on alcohol detox are prepared under the supervision of Consultant Addiction Psychiatrist Dr Bruce Trathen MBBS MRCPsych, and Senior Addictions Therapist David Goodlad FRSPH MA Dip. MBACP (Snr. Accred) UKRC NCAC CADC.

Accessing reliable and accurate information on alcohol detox can be confusing and time consuming. Triage Advisors are here to help you make fully informed and accurate decisions. Call 0845 370 0203.

Alcohol Detox

Alcohol detoxification and alcohol home detox refers to the process involved in helping a person to become completely free from alcohol. An alcohol detox program aims to minimise the danger and alleviate the unpleasantness by carefully managing the withdrawal symptoms.

In the case of alcohol detox, medical supervision is required in order for the process to be completed safely. Sudden withdrawal from alcohol can be fatal. Therefore, it is important that alcohol detox medication is available to make the process as safe as possible during alcohol detox. The medication typically used to detox someone with an alcohol addiction would be Librium, Diazepam, or sometimes a combination of the two. In cases where liver damage is present, sometimes detoxification for alcohol will include other combinations of drugs.

Physical addiction to alcohol is associated with the occurrence of alcohol withdrawal symptoms such as shakes, sweats, nausea, vomiting and delirium. Medically supervised alcohol detox minimizes the risk of such complications occurring. Alcohol detox allows the patient to stop using alcohol, and helps prevents relapse to alcohol use during these vital first few alcohol-free days.

What does alcohol detox involve?

Alcoholism detoxification uses medication to replace the effect of alcohol on the brain or body. The medication prescribed is a sedative medication, although this does not mean the patient is sent to sleep. Usually, the patient is fully awake during alcohol detox, although may be a little drowsy. Other medication is also prescribed during alcohol detox to control alcohol withdrawal symptoms as they occur, to help with sleep and to replace vitamin deficiencies which have built up over the years of drinking.

Does alcohol detox work?

Alcohol detox is about stopping alcohol use. This in itself will not be a cure for a problem with alcohol as it does not give the person time to deal with the psychological implications of the dependence. After completion of alcohol detoxing, the person must start to learn the skills necessary in order to avoid relapsing back into alcohol use. Learning these skills involves psychological treatment, which can be delivered either as an inpatient (rehab) or as an outpatient (counselling). Essentially, detox is about stopping alcohol use and rehab or counselling is all about staying stopped.

When should someone seek an alcohol detox?

Anyone who is physically addicted to alcohol can benefit from an alcoholism detox. Physical addiction occurs when the person experiences withdrawal symptoms when alcohol is not present. This can be physical symptoms such as sweating, shaking, and vomiting, or psychological symptoms such as intensely obsessing about alcohol, depression or anxiety. Alcoholic detox supports the individual in dealing with all symptoms.

Other indications and warnings signs which may suggest someone requires a detox program and treatment include noticing someone’s physical health and appearance deteriorating, noticeable changes to their normal behaviour and mood, and problems arising with their finances, employment and personal relationships as a result of their drinking.

Due to the risks of sudden alcohol withdrawal it is important to never to stop drinking suddenly without the correct medication and support (Trathen et al., 2008). If you are concerned that you or a loved one require a detox program call one of our experienced advisors now.

How long could treatment at an alcohol detox take?

The length of the detox from alcohol will depend both on the severity of the dependence and the individual's physical wellbeing. A detox will usually take between 7 and 10 days.

For the best outcome of success, a detox for alcohol should be accessed as part of a full psychological treatment programme. This is supported by the National Treatment Outcome Research Study (NTORS) in 1996 that showed those who completed a minimum of 28 days in a treatment centre were four times more likely to maintain abstinence than others.

How much does a private alcohol detox cost?

The cost of a private detox program can vary depending on the duration of treatment, facilities, accommodation standard and location of the clinics. The level of medical cover may also have an impact on the cost.

Triage Healthcare recognises that there is a deficit in the provision of affordable private treatment for addictions in the UK. High quality free advice and information is provided to all, as well as best-value private treatment to individuals with a limited budget. If you arrange treatment through Triage Healthcare you will never pay more and in some cases you will pay less for residential treatment than by booking direct with a treatment centre.

In order to find out the treatment that represents the best chance of success for all concerned, call one of our experienced advisors. Our advice is all completely free and confidential. We can offer guidance towards the best treatment options based on your individual circumstances, budget and needs.

It is also possible to access free NHS services. Whilst it would clearly be preferable to receive treatment without having to pay for it, it is important to remember that there is an imbalance between availability of addiction treatment in the NHS and the demand in the community. Therefore, there can often be long waiting lists involved when trying to access the NHS options.

Not everyone will be in a position to access residential treatment privately or be offered it on the NHS. For those in that position it can be easy to lose motivation and become frustrated with the situation. We know the challenges faced when trying to access NHS treatment. We can offer advice on alternative treatment options as well as offer support and encouragement during this time.

Where to find an Alcohol Detox Program in the UK

There are a number of different programmes available. It is important that the treatment is tailored to the individual - addiction is different for each person; there is no “one-size-fits-all solution”. In order to find out the treatment that represents the best chance of success for all concerned, call one of our experienced advisors. Our advice is all completely free and confidential.

Triage Healthcare offers an immediate response service. Our helpline is open 7 days a week, and has a 24 hour messaging service which will be responded to by one of our trained advisors as soon as possible should you call out of hours. When considering private treatment it is important to know exactly what you are getting for your money.

We are staffed by highly experienced and expert professionals in addiction medicine and counselling, who are ethically bound to give you advice according to the latest evidence of what works, and who are not allowed to advise you according to a profit motive. Rather we will find you the best value treatment given your particular circumstances and wishes.

We understand that there may be concerns regarding treatment, particularly in terms of cost, location and success. That is why we are here. We can advise you on centres running individually tailored programmes. We can help all concerned decide on a comprehensive program that is affordable to your budget. You can telephone to speak with us straight away in confidence or email us with the guarantee of a timely response.

References

NTORS The National Treatment Outcome Research Study: Summary of the project, the clients, and preliminary findings: First Bulletin. (1996). Gossop, M., Marsden, J., Stewart, D., Edwards, C., Lehmann, P., Wilson, A., & Segar, G. Department of Health: London.

Trathen et al. (2008). Guidelines for the best practice treatment of Substance Misuse. Triage Healthcare: Canterbury, UK.