What Is an Alcohol Detox Center?

what is an alcohol detox center

Alcohol is a substance you can get addicted to.

It might go by different names like alcohol use disorder (AUD) or alcoholism, whatever you want to call it though, your body and mind have grown dependent on alcohol. Addicted to it.

It’s important to get that out in the open though because sometimes there’s a tendency to take it “less seriously” than an addiction to drugs and that’s a big mistake.

Roughly 15 million people in the United States suffer from alcohol use disorder and less than 10% receive treatment.

Those numbers are rendered more brutal when you take this into account: more than 95,000 people die from excessive alcohol use in American each year. Moreover, it’s one of the leading causes of death of preventable death in the US.

To top it off, with one of the uglier cherries, the cost of excessive alcohol use in the States, in terms of lost workplace productivity, reached a dizzying $249 billion in 2010.

All that is a prelude to why it’s vital to take alcohol seriously on its own and understand why something like an alcohol detox center is important.

What Is an Alcohol Detox Center?

For starters, detox treatment is an imperative step to any recovery program. You simply can’t get sober without starting with a clean slate. The slate, in this case, being your body. Sobriety is built on the firm foundations of detox.

Detox itself is the natural process of ridding your body of the toxins that you typically arrive at a rehab center with. It’s 100% ok and normal to show up with alcohol in your system by the way.

From the perspective of actual rehabilitation, nothing starts until detox ends.

An alcohol detox center is one that just so happens to specialize in the detoxification of those people struggling with alcohol use disorder. Due to some very particular withdrawal symptoms that accompany detoxing from alcohol, it’s highly recommended to detox under the supervision of professionals.

Why Is It Important to Detox From Alcohol at a Facility? 

If you’re unable to feel normal without drinking or can’t go any period without feeling the twinge of alcohol withdrawal creep in, you may need assistance with detox.

With a strong dependency on alcohol, attempting to stop abruptly aka cold turkey could have disastrous and, quite literally, deadly effects.

Withdrawal from serious alcohol abuse can cause delirium tremens, which is a severe form of alcohol withdrawal that involves sudden severe mental and nervous system changes.

As per a recent study, “It is now commonly known to occur as early as 48 hours after abrupt cessation of alcohol in those with chronic abuse and can last up to 5 days. It has an anticipated mortality of up to 37% without appropriate treatment. It is crucial to identify early signs of withdrawal because it can become fatal.”

It’s estimated that 3% to 5% of those who chronically abuse alcohol can experience that, which is a major reason why detox at a facility, under the watchful eye of doctors and staff who know how to keep you safe, is very much encouraged.

Additionally, even if you’re not necessarily at risk for the worst of the withdrawal symptoms, detox is just plain uncomfortable anyhow. The only respite in the mind of the user is to just pick up a drink and end the discomfort. If you’re at a specialized detox facility, however, you’re being taken care of by people who understand that feeling very well and can get you to the other side. That helps prevent a quick relapse as well.

How to Find Help for an Alcohol Addiction

If you or a loved one are unable to get off the drink on your own and need help, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at Above It All Treatment Network. We’re connected with a vast network of alcohol detoxification programs all over California and would be happy to help you find the best one for you.

Seeking Addiction Treatment: What Is Rehab Like?

What Is Rehab?

Fear of the unknown is a real thing and accordingly, fear can be a major stumbling block for getting a person that needs rehab…into rehab.

“What is rehab like?” is, therefore, a super important thing to make clear to help put the mind at ease.

From the outside perspective, it might seem baffling why someone would continue to use drugs or alcohol when the negative effects are so readily apparent. But aside from the obvious nature of addiction, there is actually a comfort in using. Moreover, a person may not have developed other ways to cope with things so the prospect of rehab can be a very scary one.

Hence why it’s crucial to equip yourself with the knowledge of what it’s all about.

What Is Rehab?

Rehab is simply the process of helping a person to stop using drugs or alcohol and restoring them to an improved, substance-free state.

After detox, the process of ridding the body of toxins, the next step is rehabilitation where the real work of sustained sobriety and recovery happens.

What Are the Different Types of Rehab?

Rehab comes in many varieties ranging from evidence-based, traditional modalities like individual and group therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, counseling, etc. to alternative therapies like yoga, meditation, music therapy and more. Each one can have its own deep dive but what’s more important to note here is the general way in which rehab operates since there are some sweeping commonalities. 

Inpatient – This is the most intensive level of rehab and it’s generally what comes right after detox depending on the severity of your addiction. In inpatient rehab you live in the facility and all of your time and attention is focused on the work of getting back on track. What you do and how your schedule looks will be directly determined by, and catered to, your needs while outside distractions are almost nonexistent since you’re living at the treatment center. 

As you might’ve guessed, you wouldn’t be going to work, school, etc. while in inpatient care. Sometimes this type of rehab is called “residential inpatient” rather than solely “inpatient” and there is a slight difference. “Residential” refers to the type of facility as in it’s more an actual residence and has a homelike feel. These can get quite, quite luxurious. Alternatively, regular inpatient care is much more clinical and medical in terms of the surroundings. 

Outpatient – All of the same treatments and therapies that are hallmarks of inpatient care are exactly what you get with outpatient rehab as well, the only difference is that you’re not living in the facility anymore with this type of rehab.

You’re able to come to and from as per the schedule you make with your treatment center. Outpatient rehab is something you can do while maintaining work and family life and whatever responsibilities you have to tend to. Often people will transition from inpatient to outpatient but of course it’s all dependent on your particular circumstances.

Aftercare – Recovery doesn’t end when you finish treatment and aftercare is a crucial part of your journey to a stable and sustained sobriety. In a way, you can think of this as the last phase of rehab and it’s one that’s ongoing. This is where you’ll have your support groups, alumni groups, sober living homes and the like as resources help keep you on track.

Aftercare is ultimately about maintenance and continued work on yourself and your sobriety.

How Do I Find the Right Rehab for Me? 

We know it can be overwhelming, there are a lot of options out there between the traditional and alternative rehabs after all and finding the best one for you takes time. Even knowing where to start can be tough so having someone in your corner to help guide you can be a gamechanger. At Above All Treatment Network, we pride ourselves on our deep well of knowledge and connections, so give us a call and let’s find the right rehab for you, together.