Is Alcohol Abuse Detox Really Necessary?

Author: Emily Oconnor

Alcohol detox treatment is often recommended to ensure that a person is safe throughout detox.

Most people who decide to quit drinking will require at least some level of support and help in their quest for sobriety. Although a medical detox for alcohol is not usually a necessity, certain elements associated with the addiction can shed light as to whether alcohol detox in a controlled, residential or medical environment is really necessary. Here’s a look at how you can tell if medical alcohol detox is really necessary in your case:

Severe Alcohol Withdrawal

In some cases, though not the most common, severe alcohol withdrawal, also called delirium tremens, can warrant the need for professional help and medical intervention during alcohol abuse detox. If you suffer from any of the following withdrawal symptoms, alcohol detox IS really necessary:

• extreme irritability or agitation
• fever
• seizures
• severe confusion
• hallucinations

According to Medline Plus, “your healthcare provider will perform a physical exam,” in order to reveal how severe your alcohol withdrawal is and whether a medical detox is really necessary. He will be looking for things like:

• rapid eye movement or abnormal eye movement
• irregular heartbeat
• fever
• increased heartbeat
• increased blood pressure
• shakiness or tremors
• dehydration

If your doctor notices any of these symptoms of alcohol withdrawal, he may recommend that you get medical treatment rather than make an attempt to complete the process of alcohol withdrawal on your own. Unfortunately, it’s hard to tell just how back alcohol withdrawal symptoms will be until they actually peak; symptoms that peak without medical care can be dangerous and may pose serious risks to the patient.

Who Needs Alcohol Detox?

Anyone who is a heavy drinker and who has attempted to quit drinking on their own without luck should consider the beneficial and safe measures offered by alcohol detox programs. While it may be scary to think about spending time going through alcohol withdrawal in a controlled medical environment, there really is no safer place for people who are suffering from alcohol withdrawal to get the help and support that they need during this difficult time.