What is alcohol detox and why is it so important?

The alcohol detox process is the method or technique that an individual uses in order to end their dependency on alcohol. It is usually supervised by medical personnel and the goal of detox is to enable the individual to move forward in their lives by living clean and sober. Alcohol detox is crucial because it prepares the individual for the recovery stage of the addiction treatment and recovery process. There are two primary reasons why alcohol detox is so important:

• to remove the alcohol toxins and residues in the individual’s body so that the cravings for it are eliminated
• you will be unable to enter future treatment or after-care if you are still suffering with alcohol addiction

Many addicted individuals are best served by undergoing the alcohol detox process and receiving medical attention because they are suffering from an illness that is alcohol-related or are experiencing severe withdrawal symptoms. This may also be necessary if they have failed at past attempts to complete the process in the past.

With detoxification comes withdrawal

First and foremost, the alcohol detox process actually helps the individual get through the withdrawal symptoms that typically accompany detox. Withdrawal symptoms can be physical or psychological. The physical symptoms include:

•  loss of appetite
• nausea
• sweating
• vomiting

The psychological symptoms include:

•  depression
• general irritability
• mood swings
• nervousness
• nightmares
• “the shakes”

Withdrawal is one of the biggest hurdles that an alcoholic will face while attempting to overcome their addiction and eventually recover from it. Additionally, withdrawal symptoms can range from very mild to extremely intense depending on the severity of the individual’s addiction. A lot of it also has to do with the person’s make-up and how long they have been addicted to alcohol.

The alcohol detox process and Vitamin B1

Many individuals who are undergoing the alcohol detox process will be prescribed a vitamin regimen such as B1 in order to enhance their health and wellness while they are in this stage of addiction treatment and recovery. The reason behind this is because, in most cases, the individual with an alcohol addiction is lacking certain vitamins because of not following a proper diet.

Typically, it is Vitamin B1 that they are lacking when they are addicted to alcohol. Over extended periods of time, a lack of Vitamin B1 can lead to problems with the brain that can be long-term in nature.

If you would like more information on our alcohol detox process here at the Freedom Center, please call the toll-free phone number listed above and speak with one of our addiction specialists today.