Alcohol Detox Center Tucson: When Alcohol Detox Should Be Supervised
Alcohol addiction, or alcoholism, is a disease that affects the brain and central nervous system (CNS). One of the reasons why it’s so dangerous is that alcohol contains a compound called ethanol, which acts as a CNS depressant. While drinking alcohol can make you feel confident, relaxed, and euphoric, misusing it can have harmful physical and mental consequences. If you or a loved one struggles with alcoholism, you may benefit from alcohol rehab in Tucson.
If you need an alcohol detox center in Tucson, consider receiving help from addiction professionals at a rehab facility. Detoxing from drugs or alcohol can be extremely dangerous to your health, so detoxing in a safe and controlled environment with medical supervision is recommended. The dangers of detoxing alone include the following:
- Seizures
- Anxiety
- Aspiration pneumonia
- Heart arrhythmias
- Insomnia
- Headache
- Kidney or liver dysfunction
- Fever
- Depression
- Intense cravings
- Extreme nausea
- Hallucinations
Supervised detox is helpful for people in treatment because it allows them to stay on track with their recovery plan and avoid dangerous situations. During this time, the patient is monitored for medical complications that can occur when withdrawing from harmful substances. According to addiction studies, individuals who undergo supervised detox tend to reach sobriety faster than those who don’t.
Another perk to supervised detox is medication-assisted treatment (MAT). Medication-assisted treatment in Tucson uses medications, such as methadone, in combination with other therapies to treat alcohol addiction and other substance use disorders. MAT can help reduce cravings, prevent withdrawal symptoms, control detox effects, reduce social and occupational disruption, and facilitate rehabilitation.
What Is Alcohol Detox?
Attending an alcohol detox center in Tucson is a process that helps the body to eliminate toxins from alcohol after drinking has become habitual safely. Those who have been drinking heavily for a long time are more likely to experience negative side effects during alcohol detox.
Detox is the first step to alcohol addiction recovery. It can be safely performed at inpatient and outpatient facilities; patients receive round-the-clock medical monitoring either way. Typically, alcohol detox in Tucson involves three main steps:
- Intake: During this step, a medical team will do a comprehensive review of drug, medical, and psychiatric histories so they can understand your situation
- Medication: Many detox programs offer medications to help ease the discomfort that comes with withdrawal symptoms. Medications may also target co-occurring disorders in addition to the alcohol addiction
- Stabilization: Individuals addicted to alcohol undergo medical and psychological therapies to help them find balance in their mind and body
While medication-assisted treatment and supervised detox limit some of the negative side effects of alcohol detox, some withdrawal symptoms are unavoidable. The severity and duration of these withdrawal side effects will vary depending on the individual and the severity of the addiction. Common side effects of alcohol detox include:
- Anxiety
- Visual and auditory hallucinations
- Convulsions
- Whole body tremor
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Insomnia
- Excessive sweating
- Shakiness
- Hypertension
- Heart failure
- Restlessness
- Diminished appetite
- Mood swings
- Depression
Medications used in alcohol detox keep the patient’s system balanced and avoid major psychological side effects. Medications commonly used for alcohol detox in Tucson include benzodiazepines like Librium and Valium. In addition to treating withdrawal symptoms, these medications also prevent alcohol withdrawal seizures.
For more information on how our addiction treatment programs can help heal drug or alcohol dependence, please give The River Source a call at 866-294-9331.
Do All Alcoholics Need to Go Through Alcohol Detox When They Quit Drinking?
When someone with an addiction to alcohol is ready to quit drinking, a detox program in Tucson can help them break the physical addiction to alcohol. Many with an addiction have a tough time quitting without help and alcohol detox can be the first step to recovery. If you or a loved one needs alcohol detox in Tucson, it’s recommended to have a professional evaluation by an addiction specialist to ensure your safety. However, there are a few things to consider before you begin the detox process. They are:
- How much alcohol did you consume in terms of frequency and quantity?
- How long have you been drinking alcohol in the short- and long-term?
- Do you struggle with underlying medical conditions or mental health issues, such as anxiety or depression
- Have you experienced withdrawal symptoms in the past?
- Do you struggle with any physical health symptoms, like irregular heart rate or seizures?
For those with an addiction to alcohol, especially for those who have been drinking heavily over a long period, detoxing is necessary to prevent dangerous withdrawal symptoms and serious medical complications. In many cases, people who go through alcohol detox will experience some discomfort or pain during the process, but most people report feeling better afterward. Because of the harmful side effects, it’s important for those who struggle with alcoholism to seek help from a trained professional who can safely monitor them during detox.
Alcohol Detox Center Tucson: Rehab Options After Detox
Alcohol detox in Tucson is the first step in recovering from alcoholism. What happens after alcohol detox depends largely on the individual in recovery. After detox, you’ll work with an addiction specialist to create a customized treatment plan for your needs. This plan will vary depending on your history with alcohol, prior attempts at treatment, and various other factors.
Recommendations for what to do after alcohol detox include attending an inpatient treatment program, where patients live at a residential facility for 30, 60, or 90 days to receive help for their addiction, attending an outpatient rehab treatment so they can continue living their life as normally as possible, attending mutual help meetings like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), working with a private therapist or psychiatrist for cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), rational emotive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), or working with a recovery coach. Sometimes, aftercare can include a combination of these recommendations. Studies show that inpatient addiction treatment is often the most effective program in reducing the chances of relapse after treatment.
The River Source Offers a Premier Alcohol Detox Program for Tucson Residents
When you or your loved one is ready to enter an alcohol detox center Tucson residents can rely on for professional help, The River Source is the place to be. Treatment at The River Source involves a comprehensive evaluation, offering the most advanced tools in substance abuse diagnosis, treatment planning, and monitoring. With various alcohol detox plans with differing durations, all treatment plans are tailored to meet your specific needs and can be modified anytime. The River Source also offers treatment for co-occurring disorders in Tucson, such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
The River Source offers the highest quality of care with experienced and dedicated professional staff. With comfortable rooms, patients also have a place to relax and get the needed rest. The River Source focuses on holistic healing, which includes classes and therapy sessions that help patients understand how their brain affects drug use and vice versa. At The River Source, addiction professionals will work with you to identify triggers and find ways to cope with them healthily and productively. If you or a loved one requires alcohol detox in Tucson, contact The River Source at 866-294-9331 today for more information on a treatment plan that works for you.