Is Quitting Alcohol Cold Turkey a Good Idea?
What Happens When Someone Quits Drinking Cold Turkey
There are many people who have never struggled with an alcohol addiction who don’t understand why their friend or loved one who has this type of addiction cannot simply stop their alcohol abuse. The reality is that alcohol addiction is a disease that impacts a person both physically and psychologically. As a result, a person who needs treatment for alcohol addiction needs to get in touch with a treatment facility that can provide them with the individualized care that they need during this critical stage in their life. Making the decision to try to quit alcohol consumption can prove to be disastrous for multiple reasons. When a person has become accustomed to drinking alcohol, they can’t simply “flip a switch” and expect not to experience any symptoms of alcohol withdrawal. Instead, if the plan that you have in place for treating alcohol addiction does not include detox, you could experience severe physical and psychological symptoms that could be potentially fatal.
Why Quitting Alcohol Cold Turkey Is Dangerous
When developing a plan for alcohol detox and alcohol withdrawal, there are several things that should always be taken into consideration. This is one of the reasons why your initial phone call with an intake team is so critical. First and foremost, it’s imperative that you provide your treatment provider with a background on your alcohol use disorders. The treatment team at an addiction center will ask you a series of questions regarding the extent of your addiction so that they can help you develop a plan for detox. There are several things that your recovery center may need to know including how long you have struggled with alcohol use disorders and how much you drink and how often you do it. From there, your team will be able to put together an alcoholism treatment plan that will include a plan for detox.
Alcohol Withdrawal Process
The alcohol withdrawal and detox process is something that no person should ever take lightly. It’s imperative that substance abusers partner with an experienced rehab facility with a team that can provide them with the care that they need as they begin to experience alcohol withdrawal symptoms. One of the best things that you can do when you reach out to a facility regarding their treatment programs is to be upfront and honest with them regarding your alcohol abuse. This will help your treatment team to develop a preliminary plan when it comes to an alcohol detox program for you.
How Long Does Alcohol Withdrawal Last?
The alcohol detoxification process typically lasts seven days. Depending on the extent of your abuse and addiction, it’s possible that you may begin to experience alcohol withdrawal symptoms within just a few hours from the time that you take your last drink. Although your alcohol detox may start off with mild symptoms, these withdrawal symptoms will increase in severity as time goes on which is something that could make it impossible for you to care for yourself during this time. Symptoms of withdrawal vary from person to person, however, you will experience the worst of these alcohol withdrawal symptoms during the first three days of your time in alcohol detox. Alcohol cravings, tremors, nausea, and an increase in anxiety are all examples of symptoms of withdrawal. It’s important to note that even once you complete your time in detox, it’s possible that you may still experience mild symptoms during your time in treatment. There are certain treatment medications that can help you to better manage what you’re feeling during this critical stage of your recovery.
Is It Possible To Relapse After Quitting Alcohol Cold Turkey?
There is always the possibility that you could relapse if you attempt to go through the alcohol withdrawal process on your own. In fact, if you make the decision to quit heavy drinking cold turkey, you could actually set yourself back in more ways than one. It’s critical to remember that there is a psychological aspect to alcohol abuse. Unless you take the time to address this psychological component and learn how to manage what you’re thinking and feeling, there is a strong possibility that you can fall back into the habits of your alcohol use disorders. The main way that you will navigate your alcohol addiction is through actively and honestly participating in different forms of therapy.
You should never overlook the fact that committing to an alcohol withdrawal and detox program is only the first step on the road to recovery. A holistic treatment plan will also include time in an inpatient rehab or an outpatient rehab so that you can address the events in your life that may have contributed to your alcohol use disorders. If you did need to commit to a detox program for alcohol dependence, your treatment team will strongly recommend that you commit to an inpatient rehab program when possible. Inpatient rehab is similar to an alcohol detox program in many ways due in large part to the fact that you will be able to enjoy the around-the-clock care that your treatment team offered during your initial time in detox. Your treatment team will also help you to address any possible issues with symptoms of alcohol withdrawal syndrome. Inpatient rehab can last anywhere between 30 and 90 days after which you will have the opportunity to transition into an intensive outpatient program or a general outpatient rehab.
Clients who have full-time or part-time work or school responsibilities will be unable to commit to an inpatient rehab to address their alcohol dependence. If you fall into this category, then you would be an excellent candidate for an outpatient rehab program. Whereas inpatient treatment would require you to live on the campus of your treatment center of choice, outpatient treatment is more flexible in the sense that you will work closely with the team at your recovery center to develop a treatment program that will not interfere with these important responsibilities in your life. If you decide to work with Resurgence Behavioral Health, you can rest assured that we will collaborate with you regarding every detail of your addiction recovery process so that you can make the most out of the time that you’re in outpatient treatment.
Finding An Alcohol Detox Program
There are several steps that you should always take when it comes to finding the right alcohol detox program for you. Here are some examples of things that you may want to consider when it comes to finding a detox for you:
Insurance
It comes as no surprise that a detox program can be expensive. As a result, there are many people that don’t reach out for help because they are concerned about this cost. However, if you have private insurance, there is a possibility that all if not most of your time in detox could be covered through your insurance carrier. A good rule of thumb is to speak with your intake team regarding the possibility of that facility accepting your insurance.
Location
Making the decision as to whether you want to stay closer to home for detox or put some distance between you and possible negative influence is critical. Many people find that they continuously fall back into their addictive ways due to the environment that they are in which is why they make the decision to travel further away from home not only for detox but also for their general addiction treatment. However, there are several more people who don’t feel comfortable being farther away from the things that they know and the people that they love. Therefore, they want to find a detox and addiction treatment center that is closer to home. Regardless of the option that you pick, taking the step and reaching out for help is critical.
A continuing treatment plan
When you begin a detox program, it’s important that you have the opportunity to transition into a holistic treatment program. More often than not, a person that is going through a recovery process will feel more comfortable working with the same group of people. This is why it’s key to ask whether or not your detox facility also offers a treatment program so that you can make this transition. If you decide to work with Resurgence Behavioral Health, you will have the opportunity to transition into an inpatient or an outpatient program immediately after detox.
Detoxing Safely at Resurgence Behavioral Health
The treatment team at Resurgence Behavioral Health not only provides our clients with access to a top of the line alcohol and drug rehab but a comprehensive detox and withdrawal program that will ensure that they receive the care and attention that they need for not only the detox part of their recovery but for the actual treatment of alcohol addiction. When you’re ready to take this important step, please get in touch with our alcohol and drug rehab team at (855) 458-0050
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— Resurgence Behavioral Health (@RBHRecovery) February 21, 2022
