Reducing or stopping alcohol intake – especially when one stops all at once, often referred to as stopping “cold turkey” – can cause mild to severe withdrawal symptoms. One of the ways to manage those symptoms is by administering alcohol detox medication.
There are several alcohol detox medication options depending on the individual’s needs, goals, and response to the medications. Proper medication management helps prevent complications and alleviates symptoms like anxiety, insomnia, and seizures. This improves comfort during detox.
Understanding alcohol detox medication can help you make an informed decision and also actively participate in the treatment process. It gives you insight into why we chose our approach at Skyline Recovery Center to ensure complete healing.
Here’s how alcohol detox medication plays a crucial role in alcohol detoxification:
Alcohol detox medication, such as benzodiazepines, can help manage these symptoms and reduce the risks of severe medical emergencies during the withdrawal process.
Prescribed alcohol detox medication like naltrexone targets neurobiological mechanisms that help reduce cravings and block the rewarding effects of alcohol.
It does this by inhibiting the release of dopamine in response to alcohol. By blocking previous alcohol-related cues, there’s a reduced probability of relapse.
Alcohol detox medication provides biological support during healing, which enhances treatment compliance. Since they reduce the withdrawal discomfort and the risk of relapse, people are more likely to show up throughout their detoxification program and engage in further treatment.
By controlling cravings and reducing the severity of withdrawal symptoms, alcohol detox medication can help prevent complications that may occur.
Examples of some of these complications include:
At Skyline Recovery Center, we offer tailored care by providing:
Depending on the individual’s specific treatment needs, here are some of the most common alcohol detox medications:
Depending on the individual’s level of dependence, health professionals may prescribe either short-acting or longer-acting benzodiazepines.
Aside from benzodiazepines, physicians may prescribe seizure medications to manage acute alcohol withdrawal symptoms. This class of drugs is commonly used for the prevention of seizures and can also help reduce cravings for alcohol.
Barbiturates are typically prescribed for managing anxiety symptoms and may also help as alcohol detox medication in reducing the occurrence of seizures and delirium tremens. They are also commonly used in the emergency department of intensive care units.
Naltrexone is commonly used in helping individuals who have stopped the intake of narcotics. However, it’s also commonly used to help individuals during recovery from alcohol use disorder.
It’s important to note that naltrexone is not a cure for addiction or recovery. However, it works to help ease symptoms that come up during withdrawal.
Disulfiram inhibits an enzyme responsible for metabolizing alcohol. When a person uses this drug, they experience unpleasant symptoms when they consume even small amounts of alcohol, such as nausea, headaches, and seizures.
Acamprosate helps restore the balance in the central nervous system between:
Some alcohol detox medications can cause adverse effects or complications, especially when administered in high doses. So, monitoring can help in adjusting the medication or dosage based on the individual’s specific needs.
Mental health professionals may also adjust medication when vital signs are off to prevent complications.
Medical supervision plays a fundamental role in the success of alcohol detoxification. At Skyline Recovery Center, the detox programs we refer our patients out to ensure constant supervision during recovery.
Alcohol withdrawal can be unpredictable and potentially life-threatening when done unsupervised. Proper supervision involves medical experts monitoring vital signs to ensure the safety of those undergoing detox.
Some of the important vital signs the health professionals check for are:
To avoid or control autonomic hyperactivity, medical professionals constantly check the heart rate. Monitoring the heart rate is important because alcohol withdrawal can lead to dysregulation of the autonomic nervous system and lead to dysregulation.
During alcohol detox, medical professionals check this to prevent high or low blood pressure, which can be dangerous depending on other health concerns of the patient.
Your respiratory rate is the number of breaths taken per minute. Changes in respiratory rate may occur during alcohol withdrawal, which can be dangerous if breathing or respiration becomes too low.
Body temperature is an indicator of metabolic activity and may fluctuate during alcohol withdrawal. An increased temperature could be due to several reasons like autonomic hyperactivity, inflammatory response, infection, or dehydration.
This measures the percentage of oxygen bound to hemoglobin in the blood. It’s important to monitor the oxygen saturation levels to reduce risks due to respiratory depression, aspiration, and co-occurring medical conditions
Healthcare professionals may measure an individual’s level of consciousness by using standardized scales like the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) or the Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale (RASS).
The medical professional may assess hydration status based on signs like skin elasticity, the mucous membrane, and urine output.
Electrolyte levels can be assessed via laboratory tests when necessary. In most cases, low electrolyte levels are due to fluid loss, poor nutrition, or liver dysfunction, all of which may be the result of alcohol intake.
At Skyline Recovery Center, we don’t offer on-site alcohol detox medication. However, we follow a structured referral process that ensures you get the best support for your needs. We partner with various reputable and trusted providers for detox.
Here’s a typical breakdown of how we handle referrals:
At SRC, we avoid only scratching the surface of the healing process. Our team of experts goes deeper to discover your unique needs and how our approach to comprehensive care can make a difference.
We collaborate closely with you to develop personalized evidence-based therapy approaches that may include:
We encourage individuals undergoing treatment to join helpful support groups to connect with peers who share similar experiences, challenges, and goals related to alcohol detox and recovery.
Here’s how support groups help in recovery:
Here are some of these activities:
Managing the uncomfortable and potentially dangerous symptoms of alcohol detox can be daunting, especially when you’re doing that unsupervised. You need a detailed and tailored plan that not only reduces the severity of withdrawal symptoms but also promotes safety and comfort.
At Skyline Recover Center, our alcohol detox medication referral programs and holistic wellness activities work together to reduce cravings and decrease the chances of relapse.
It incorporates a holistic approach to healing by addressing co-occurring mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder, which can complicate recovery.
Regardless of the common obstacles that may seem daunting during the healing process, recovery is possible. At Skyline Recovery Center, we equip you with all the tools that bring you closer to a complete wellness experience.