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Article: Detox from alcohol at home

Alcoholism is a very hard disease to tackle, and it can be made even harder by the thought that in order to treat it you may have to leave your familiar surroundings and enter into a detox centre where you will be expected to undertake an extremely difficult task in a totally new environment.  It is true that most diseases have to be treated this way, in most cases there is no alternative.  However, with regards to alcoholism, that is not the case.  It is possible for people to decide that they would like to detox from alcohol at home, and this can be arranged.  In all cases residential treatment will be advised for safety reasons, but for some individuals an alcohol detox home based will be much more suited to their treatment needs. 

It is even the case that in Devon, home detox is becoming a more regular occurrence (BBC News, 2009).  It is slowing being recognised that for some people, being hauled out of their comfort zone to receive treatment could cause more harm than good.  As long as all of the safety measures are in place to protect an individual, detoxing at home can be extremely beneficial.   Some studies have shown that in some cases those who undergo a home detox have better long term outcomes than those who undergo detox at a hospital outpatient facility Allen, Smith & Mellin, 2000).It may be due to the home comforts, or the privacy involved in home detox compared to a residential or outpatient service. 

However the same study also indicated that ne of the main factors that affected success rates was how much aftercare engagement people had.  Although home detox can be very successful, it is important that people continue to receive support following it.

Allen, C., Smith. I., & Mellin, M.  (1999).  Detoxification from alcohol: A comparison of home detoxification and hospital-based patient daycare.  Alcohol and Alcoholism, 35(1): 66-69.doi: 10.1093/alcalc/35.1.66

DryOutNow.com provides highly practical help for people with alcohol problems, their friends and relatives. DryOutNow.com also provides free resources for healthcare professionals such as medical information and alcohol treatment guidelines.

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