Alcohol Detoxification is an option if you are alcohol dependent

Enter Email Address: Confirm Email Address:

Click here to view our Privacy Policy

Alcohol Detoxification or 'detox' involves taking a short course of a medicine which helps to prevent withdrawal symptoms of alcohol addiction when you stop drinking alcohol. The most commonly used medicine for detox is chlordiazepoxide. This is a benzodiazepine medicine.

Alcohol Detoxification with the help of your general practitioners

Many general practitioners (Gp) are happy to prescribe for alcohol detoxification from alcohol addiction for healthy alcohol recovery. A common plan is as follows. A GP will prescribe a high dose of medication for the first day that you stop drinking alcohol and try to come out of alcohol addictions. You then gradually reduce the dose over the next 5-7 days. This usually prevents, or greatly reduces, the unpleasant alcohol.

Withdrawal and alcohol symptoms. You must agree not to drink any alcohol when you are going through alcohol detoxication. A breathalyzer may be used to confirm that you are not drinking. Your GP or practice nurse will usually see you quite often during the time of alcohol detoxisification.

Also during alcohol detoxification, support from family or friends can be of great help. Often the responsibility for getting the prescription and giving the detox medicine is shared with a family member or friend. For example, a partner or parent of the person going through detox.

How will I feel going through detox? Some people manage quite easily, others find it more difficult. You can expect to:

Feel quite nervous or anxious for a few days. Have some difficulty with getting off to sleep for a few nights. Have some mild withdrawal and alcohol symptoms, but they should not be too bad, and a lot less than if you were not taking the alcohol detoxification medicine.

The medication used for detox does not make you stop drinking. You need determination to stop. The medication simply helps you to feel better whilst your body readjusts to not having alcohol. Even after the period of detox you may still have some craving for alcohol. So you will still need willpower and coping strategies for when you feel tempted to drink. An fterv alcohol detoxification and staying off alcohol addiction after a successful detox, some people go back to drinking heavily again at some point. To help to prevent a 'relapse' you may be offered medication or other help.thus with the help of alcoholism treatment you would be able to live alcohol free life.