Sometimes, alcohol addiction creeps up on us. Because alcohol is legal, it’s often considered relatively harmless. Daily routines of social drinking or a glass of wine after a long day at work can slowly turn from casual drinking to dependency. For those who try to quit drinking on their own, detox and withdrawal can be challenging. Withdrawal symptoms can overcome even the strongest willpower and lead to relapse. Quitting alcohol cold turkey without support often leads to alcohol poisoning or other drug use. Alcohol detox programs and centers can help mitigate withdrawal symptoms and health complications.
If you’re struggling to overcome alcohol dependency, don’t dangers of quitting alcohol cold turkey. Alcohol detox and withdrawal can be dangerous and even deadly. There are many reasons to seek help from an alcohol detox center to overcome alcohol addiction and avoid the dangers of quitting alcohol cold turkey.
Signs of Alcohol Dependency
Sometimes, it’s challenging to know the difference between frequent social drinking, enjoying alcohol, and alcohol dependency. Over time, alcohol dependency can cause liver damage, disease, and can affect other major organs. Alcohol dependency causes prolonged dehydration and nutritional imbalances. Over time, this can cause disease and lead to premature death.
Symptoms of Alcohol Withdrawal
Withdrawal symptoms when not drinking is one of the top signs that your body has developed an alcohol addiction. Common alcohol withdrawal symptoms include:
- Nausea and vomiting
- Clammy skin
- Irritability
- Alcohol cravings
- Mood swings
- Tremors and uncontrolled shaking
- Excessive sweating without exertion
- Diarrhea
- Anxiety and panic attacks
- Memory problems
These signs may show alcohol withdrawal and addiction. Those going through withdrawal often have a high tolerance to alcohol and can function rather normally when drinking. Withdrawal symptoms are most intense when someone stops drinking cold turkey.
Dangers of Alcohol Withdrawal
When the brain and body become dependent on alcohol or other substances, brain chemistry changes. Alcohol changes levels of necessary chemicals for a balanced mood, and it also depletes vitamins and minerals. Dehydration is a common symptom of a hangover. Alcohol dependency can cause prolonged dehydration and malnutrition.
Intense alcohol cravings make withdrawal difficult at home. Even if you remove all alcohol from your home, you may seek other drugs or bargain with loved ones for access to alcohol. Dehydration, malnutrition, and other physical effects are just some of the many dangers of alcohol withdrawal. Alcohol detox programs can mitigate these symptoms and limit access to alcohol, preventing relapse.
Benefits of Alcohol Detox Programs
People visit emergency rooms around the country every day for alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Medical support can help mitigate alcohol withdrawal symptoms and monitor alcohol’s effects on the body. A reputable alcohol detox center can help people safely detox without emergency medical services.
Many detox centers use medication to ease withdrawal symptoms and help the body slowly detox. They supplement nutritional deficiencies and give residents IV fluids to restore hydration. Alcohol detox centers can stop health complications from alcohol addiction before they start.
Find an Alcohol Detox Program
Some may think it’s brave to detox from alcohol alone. Quitting cold turkey may seem necessary or noble, but it often results in relapse and overdose. Quitting cold turkey is dangerous and more difficult than most people expect. People die every day from alcohol poisoning when attempting to detox on their own.
If you need support with alcohol addiction, avoid the dangers of quitting alcohol cold turkey. No one should undergo withdrawal and recovery alone. Seek a reputable detox center that offers medically assisted detox, group, and individual therapy. Excellent programs also include aftercare plans, alumni programs, and 12-step programs to help people transition from rehab to recovery. If you or someone you love is struggling with alcohol addiction, don’t wait; get the help you need today.