With so many stressors present in today’s day to day living, it is not surprising that the number of people that are affected by alcoholism has increased over the recent years. One way to help an alcoholic is to encourage him or her to sign up for an alcohol detoxification program. Although alcohol detox programs are not as tough as drug addiction programs, it is equally as important to help a person recover from their substance abuse problem.
Does an alcohol detox program help?
A lot of people ask whether an alcohol detoxification program is important in helping an alcoholic recover. The answer is definitely yes. Alcohol withdrawal symptoms may not be as severe as that of drugs but it is important that alcoholics are rid of all traces of the substance so that their body will be used to functioning without it. This will cleanse the internal organs and facilitate the renewal of damaged cells and tissues caused by excessive alcohol intake. This is particularly true for the liver tissues as it regenerates. When the kidney no longer has to filter the blood of harmful toxins found in alcoholic drinks, it will slowly renew itself. It prevents the development of life threatening kidney diseases such as cirrhosis.
How is a detox carried out?
Another question that is commonly asked by people who are thinking of enrolling into an alcohol detoxification program is how the process is carried out. First of all, you would need to understand that there are two kinds of programs available for those who want to recover from alcoholism; one is an outpatient program and another is an inpatient or resident program. For outpatient programs, the process is carried out by a series of one on one and group counseling sessions as well as therapy. These types of programs are only recommended for those who are borderline alcoholics or who have been diagnosed to have mild alcoholism because they are still able to control their urges to drink. An outpatient alcoholism recovery program will help them deal with their stressors effectively without needing to resort to drinking alcohol. Inpatient alcohol rehabilitation programs are recommended for those who have been diagnosed with moderate to severe alcoholism. Resident alcohol recovery programs require patients to undergo alcohol detox so that their bodies will be rid of all traces of the substance. When you check into rehab, a series of tests will be conducted to determine the best detox treatment plan for you. The entire detox process can take a few weeks or more, depending on the severity of your alcoholism. After you get through the detox stage, you will then have to undergo extensive therapy sessions as well as counseling that will help you get back on track after rehab. Before you leave the facility, you will be assigned a sponsor that will guide you through the process of getting back into the real world. Your sponsor is also responsible in ensuring that you maintain an alcohol free life when you get out of rehab. The important thing that you need to remember when choosing an alcohol rehab program is to make your choice according to what you feel would be the best approach to treating your problem as well as basing it on the advice of your doctor and loved ones.