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effects of quitting drinking timeline

The Effects of Quitting Drinking Timeline

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Examining the Stages of Alcohol Detox and Withdrawal

When considering treatment for an alcohol addiction one of the biggest deterrents to following through is the fear of going through the detox process. Alcohol detoxification involves a period of about 5-7 days following cessation of drinking when the toxins related to alcohol are purged from the body. During this timeframe, the body and brain will attempt to recalibrate and stabilize as it adjusts to the absence of alcohol. Alcohol detox is an unpleasant phase of recovery, but a necessary first step on the journey to living a satisfying sober life.

Understanding the effects of quitting drinking timeline can help prepare someone for what to expect, as well as assure them that a detox program will make medications available to ease the withdrawal symptoms throughout the process. Knowing that they will be closely monitored and will receive interventions as needed goes a long way toward easing anxiety related to the detox experience.

What Happens During Alcohol Detox?

When an individual has a long history of excessive alcohol consumption their brain chemistry is altered as a result. By the time the person is addicted to alcohol, the brain has turned over the job of dopamine production to the alcohol and ceases to produce it naturally anymore. Alcoholism alters many other bodily systems over time as well. Because of these adaptations, when alcohol intake is interrupted by the decision to get sober the body scrambles to adjust. This period of adjustment and stabilization is the detoxification phase of recovery.

Alcohol withdrawal symptoms start off feeling like a bad hangover, but quickly escalate in severity. In fact, alcohol detox does carry risks and should always be supervised by trained detox professionals who can quickly manage any urgent health event that might arise. These providers will ensure that the detox process goes as smoothly as possible by administering needed medications as the withdrawal symptoms dictate. Benzodiazepines are offered to minimize the risk of seizures, aid in managing anxiety, and also help promote sleep. Other medications will manage gastrointestinal distress, headache, and fever.

What Are the Stages of Alcohol Detox?

Alcohol detox and withdrawal can vary dramatically from one individual to another. The factors that influence how severe the withdrawal symptoms might include the length of time the person engaged in heavy drinking, how much they would typically drink in a day, their age, whether there are conditions, and if there is a co-occurring mental health disorder. For this reason, the effects of quitting drinking timeline described here are just a general template, as each person will experience variations of it.

Mild Stage: Once an individual has stopped drinking they can expect withdrawal symptoms to emerge at about the 8-hour mark. The withdrawal symptoms in the first stage of detox include:

  • Sweating
  • Fuzzy thinking
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Hand tremors
  • Headache
  • Anxiety
  • Restlessness
  • Clammy skin
  • Fatigue
  • Irritability
  • Depression
  • Mood swings
  • Loss of appetite

Moderate Stage: Within 12-48 hours withdrawal symptoms begin to become intensified. It is important that vital signs are constantly monitored at this point as symptoms can suddenly become problematic. The withdrawal symptoms in this middle stage include:

  • Elevated blood pressure
  • Irregular heartbeat
  • Profuse sweating
  • Fever
  • Mental confusion
  • Irritability
  • Changes in respiratory rate

Severe Stage: Days two and three are the time during alcohol detox when symptoms can suddenly become dangerous. Most will not experience these severe symptoms, but individuals with a long history of heavy alcohol consumption and co-occurring health issues are at the highest risk of the most severe withdrawals called delirium tremens (DTs). The withdrawal symptoms during the late stage of detox include:

  • Fever
  • Hallucinations
  • Delirium
  • Trembling
  • Agitation
  • Confusion
  • Seizures

Comprehensive Treatment For Alcohol Addiction

It is an error to believe that all that is needed to enjoy a long-lasting recovery is to go through detox and withdrawal. This is not the case! After successfully completing the effects of quitting drinking timeline there is some additional work to be done. Until the alcoholic learns how to change their addictive behaviors, and this is done through extensive individual and group therapy, they will simply return to drinking once the cravings return.

Addiction treatment covers a range of therapies and classes that equip the recovering alcoholic with coping tools, conflict resolution skills, stress-reduction techniques, relapse prevention planning, and a recovery community. These integrated treatment elements prepare the individual for managing life without alcohol, giving them the best shot at sustained, life-affirming recovery.

Golf Drug Rehab Provides Detox for Alcohol Addiction Recovery

Golf Drug Rehab is an upscale addiction treatment program serving Orange County, California. Understanding the effects of quitting drinking timeline, and how to mitigate withdrawal symptoms, the expert detox staff will safely guide clients through the detox phase of treatment. Following detox, a comprehensive addiction treatment program will provide the client with the means to remain sober, including psychotherapy, coping skills, stress reduction techniques, holistic tools, and relapse prevention strategizing. Golf Drug Rehab is unique in its blending of evidence-based treatment methods with recreational golf to round out the program. For more information about the program, please contact Golf Drug Rehab today at (877) 958-5320.

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What is the Best Treatment for Alcoholism

What is the Best Treatment for Alcoholism?

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One glance at a Google search result for alcohol addiction treatment could make a person sit there cross-eyed in front of the computer, trying to decipher, out of the thousands listed, what is the best treatment for alcoholism. It is mind-boggling just how many different types of rehabs there are nowadays. They sport varying core philosophies and treatment methods, as well as a plethora of adjunctive therapies and complementary activities. We sit there staring at the computer and scratching our heads, unsure of which rehab will provide the best shot of actually working for you or your loved one’s alcohol addiction. So what is the best treatment for alcoholism anyway?

Heads Up: Not a One-Size-Fits-All

Any rehab that claims that their boilerplate program is the answer to someone’s alcohol addiction should be eliminated from consideration. These rehabs have a rigid, standardized approach to treatment that basically stuffs all variants and all drug and alcohol addictions into one crisp program. For them it is efficient and simplified, for the client it is a failure waiting to happen.

Addiction treatment must be tailored according to the many factors that make each individual’s struggle unique. This means that the 20-something person with an opioid addiction will require a different treatment approach than a 50-something alcoholic with co-occurring depression. By not acknowledging the specific needs of the client, by not creating a fully individualized treatment plan for their unique recovery needs, a rehab is setting the person up for an unsuccessful attempt at sobriety.

Any alcohol rehab worth its salt will provide a wide array of treatment elements and adjunctive therapies and activities that can be pulled from to design an integrated treatment plan for each individual client. This is a deal-breaker, so ask the pertinent question—How customized are your treatment plans?”—when seeking treatment.

The Amazing Role of Naltrexone

The dark horse in alcoholism treatment is the growing popularity of the medication-assisted treatment, which for alcohol addiction means naltrexone (Vivitrol, Revia). Naltrexone has the ability to significantly reduce alcohol cravings, one of the most common triggers for relapse—which for alcoholics is usually chronic relapsing.  Naltrexone works by attaching to the opioid receptors in the brain and somehow decreases the reinforcing effects of how alcohol impacts the neural pathways.

Naltrexone is introduced after detoxification is successfully completed in order to avoid serious withdrawal symptoms occurring. The drug is available in pill form, as a patch, or as an injectable and should be closely monitored by a professional. Someone who is using naltrexone as one part of a comprehensive approach to recovery, which includes ongoing psychotherapy, sober living housing, and participation in a recovery community, will greatly increase their chances of achieving sustained sobriety.

How Motivation Enhancement Works

Research has shown that individuals in treatment for alcoholism are responsive to a type of therapy called Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET). This type of behavioral therapy uses a reward system to help reinforce sobriety. The short-term therapy begins with an initial assessment battery session with a clinician, the results of which are discussed with the individual seeking treatment. The discussion leads the client to create a plan of action, to make changes based on a self-motivated desire to change their behavior. Through the course of the sessions, the therapist offers coping strategies to assist the client in achieving the goals, while encouraging the client to continue forward.

Other Effective Treatments for Alcohol Addiction Treatment

Considering what is the best treatment for alcoholism, another excellent therapy that alcoholics are particularly responsive to is cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). Because alcohol abuse may begin initially as a means of self-medication, CBT helps the client identify the distorted thought patterns (my life is worthless, no one loves me, I am a failure, etc.) that led to the maladaptive behavioral response to using alcohol to numb these disturbing thoughts. The therapist guides the client toward shifting these self-defeating thoughts toward positive, affirming thoughts that result in constructive behaviors.

Adjunctive therapies and complementary activities, such as acupuncture, biofeedback, yoga, and mindfulness training are also helpful in alcohol addiction treatment. These types of activities augment, or enhance the effects of the psychotherapy by adding another dimension to the treatment plan. A rehab that emphasizes nutrition and regular exercise is also helpful to the alcoholic who will need to restore health and vitality in recovery.

Golf Drug Rehab Offers Cutting Edge Alcoholism Treatment

Golf Drug Rehab is a premium addiction treatment program serving Southern California. At Golf Drug Rehab our clinical staff embraces the use of naltrexone for assisting clients in overcoming the grip of alcoholism. Combined with evidence-based therapies, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy and Motivation Enhancement, Golf Drug Rehab adds golf therapy to the menu for a well-rounded rehab experience. If you wonder what is the best treatment for alcoholism, you have found your rehab. For more information about the program, please call Golf Drug Rehab today at (877) 958-5320.

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