Dangers of Alcohol Detox at Home

Many struggling addicts believe that they can safely detox from alcohol in the comfort of their own home without medical care. While this is a possible solution for some, those who suffer from more severe cases of alcohol addiction will likely require medical attention at some time during their alcohol detoxification and should consider this prior to choosing to detox alone or at home. There are many dangers associated with alcohol detox at home, especially for those with other medical conditions, mental health conditions or who have been addicted to alcohol for a very long time.

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Mental Health Dangers of Alcohol Detox at Home

Alcohol Detox at Home

Suicidal thoughts and tendencies are common during alcohol withdrawal.

One of the most significant dangers of alcohol detox at home has to do with an addict’s mental health. Not only do many alcoholics have mental health issues in addition to their alcohol addiction, many will show signs of mental health conditions while they are detoxing simply because of the lack of alcohol in their body. During alcohol detox, there is a risk of anxiety, suicidal thoughts or tendencies, agitation and depression occurring which can all pose significant risks to the recovering addict if the symptoms of such conditions go untreated. By detoxing in a controlled environment such as a detox center, the recovering addict can be monitored by a health care professional to ensure that they are not showing any adverse signs of mental instability, and if they do show these signs they can quickly and easily be treated without becoming a risk to their own safety or to the safety of others.

Physical Health Dangers of Alcohol Detox at Home

Physically, the recovering addict will feel a whole range of withdrawal symptoms while they are detoxing from alcohol and most of these symptoms will be manageable with time and rest. However, some of the physical symptoms of alcohol detox cannot be managed at home and if left untreated again will pose a significant danger to the addict. Seizures, convulsions, fever, increased heart rate and other physical complications may occur during alcohol detox and such complications must be immediately treated by a doctor to ensure the absolute safety of the addict.

Other Dangers of Alcohol Detox at Home

In addition to the physical and psychological risk factors associated with alcohol detox at home, the recovering addict is faced with the danger of relapsing when they try to stop drinking at home. Even those who are most strong willed to quit drinking have a risk of falling victim to relapse if they are in an environment where alcohol is readily available such as at home. Even if there is no alcohol at home, a withdrawing addict can easily make their way to a store to purchase alcohol. In addition to the availability of alcohol in the store, many household products such as toothpaste, mouthwash and hand sanitizer also have alcohol in them and can “sooth” a desire to use alcohol despite efforts to quit.

Don’t try to overcome alcohol withdrawal alone. Call 800-996-6135(Who Answers?) today for help finding a detox center near you!

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