If you are tired of letting alcohol control your life and have a strong desire to quit, you have achieved the first step of the recovery process. The mistake a lot of men and women make in this regard is attempting to quit on their own. It’s not that it’s entirely impossible to do so. It’s the risks involved that make that a poor decision.
Finding the right alcohol detox center and following through with action is the right way to go about it. If you have been drinking heavily for a significant amount of time, then a detox center is definitely the right choice. There are several reasons for this, even if your problems with alcohol might not be considered severe by yourself or others.
Misconceptions About Alcohol
Because alcohol is legal and is marketed to the public, there have been misconceptions about it. There was a time in this country when alcohol was prohibited. This was due to the high rate of corruption, crime and social problems of society, much of which was linked to alcoholism. It was also a tax burden because of all the jails and shelters that were built as a result.
The fact remains that alcohol consumption can be very dangerous, even in moderation. It’s a drug like any other drug and, because of this, it has harmful effects on the brain and nervous system. The longer regular alcohol consumption persists, the harder it is to overcome the damage that has been done.
Misconceptions About Withdrawal Symptoms
People who realize they have drinking problems will often try to quit cold turkey on their own. Although this might last for a while, many times they return to drinking again. Each time they do, their drinking gets worse. This is because of the withdrawal symptoms, although this might not be perceived as such. They will often question their level of discipline and willpower, blaming themselves for their relapse.
Alcohol is highly addictive and takes a toll on the nervous system. Many times, after quitting, the really significant withdrawal symptoms don’t surface until about two days later, sometimes longer. Nervousness, agitation, insomnia and anxiety are some of them. This goes on for a while and they eventually return to drinking. You need a detox center to help you through the withdrawal process, educate you about withdrawal symptoms and suggest further treatment options.
How Bad Can Withdrawal Symptoms Get?
Withdrawal symptoms can be severe and life-threatening, especially when you try to quit by yourself. Some of them are not so life threatening, but nonetheless troublesome. These can include headaches, dizziness, anxiety and nausea. However, there is also a risk of seizures and a racing heartbeat. Sometimes these racing heartbeats can lead to cardiac arrest. Blood pressure levels might also rise so high that there might be a risk of a stroke, especially if you have had a problem with high blood pressure in the past.
There are several very critical things that a detox center can do to prevent you from succumbing to life-threatening withdrawal symptoms:
- Monitor your condition with top-tier medical equipment
- Provide the necessary medication to control withdrawal intensity
- Keep you comfortable as the alcohol leaves your system
- Provide critical medical care when there is an emergency
- Guide you to further treatment options after a successful detox
If you try to quit drinking alcohol on your own, there is also a strong chance that you might relapse. This is especially true if you have been drinking heavily for a long time and this is the first time you have thought about quitting. If this is the case, there is a lot you still don’t understand about your condition.
It can be one of the most terrifying things about struggling with alcohol addiction. Each time a person quits and relapses, the withdrawal symptoms are worse than before. This has been proven over and over again. As the brain and body are abused over time, the injury is worse than before, making it harder to quit for good. Some people have to experience relapsing multiple times before the horror of it convinces them to seriously seek help. Please don’t be one of those examples. Get help now and brighten your future prospects.
Are you finally ready to leave the hangovers, confusion and depression that alcohol is causing in your life behind? Call us today at 844-903-2111. Our counselors are available 24 hours a day to help you get well.