Alcohol Detox Programs

Recent research findings have pointed to the importance of treating every individual who is suffering from alcohol withdrawal.

This also applies to the roughly 95% of the people who when they quit drinking alcohol, experience mild to moderate withdrawal symptoms.

Fortunately, the vast majority of these individuals will be able to be treated on an out-patient basis by a healthcare professional. 

Unlike the majority of people who experience alcohol withdrawal symptoms, however, the remaining 5% of the individuals who suffer from withdrawal symptoms experience symptoms so severe that they need to be treated in an alcohol rehab facility that specializes in alcohol detoxification or in a hospital.

This essentially means that there is a sizeable group of Americans who will experience potentially fatal alcohol withdrawal symptoms if they don't receive prompt medical attention.

Non-Drug Alcohol Detox Programs

Numerous non-drug treatments are available for treating alcohol withdrawal.  Indeed, according to current scientific research, it has been shown that the safest way to treat mild withdrawal symptoms is without medications.  Non-drug alcohol detox programs like these typically employ extensive social support and screening throughout the entire withdrawal process.  Other non-drug alcohol detox programs, furthermore, use proper nutrition and vitamin therapy (especially thiamin) when treating mild withdrawal symptoms.

To make the argument for alcohol abstention and pregnancy even stronger, according to recent studies, women who continue to drink even small amounts of alcohol while trying to become pregnant, may reduce their chances of conceiving.

Alcohol Detox Programs Using Medications

Many researchers and doctors state that chronic alcoholics who cannot sustain their sobriety or those who suffer from excessive alcohol withdrawals need to receive drug therapy to manage their withdrawal symptoms.  It is important to emphasise, moreover, that by using drugs, alcoholics are less likely to experience possible brain damage and/or seizures.

Every day in the United States, more than 13,000 children and teens take their first drink.

According to recent findings in the research literature, the drugs with the highest probability of producing effective results when treating alcohol withdrawal symptoms are the benzodiazepines.  Examples include the shorter-acting benzodiazepines such as Ativan and Serax and the longer-acting benzodiazepines such as Valium and Librium.  

Historically, when doctors have used benzodiazepines, they have used a progressive decrease in dosage over the time-frame of the total withdrawal process.  Furthermore, due to the fact that the shorter-acting benzodiazepines allow for measurable dose reductions and also the fact that they do not linger in the person's body for an excessive period of time, many researchers and practitioners have recommended that intermediate to short half-life benzodiazepines should be used for the treatment of alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

Research indicates that adolescents who abuse alcohol may remember 10% less of what they have learned than those who don’t drink.

After the individual has successfully overcome his or her withdrawal symptoms, additionally, other doctor-prescribed drugs such as naltrexone (ReViaT) or disulfiram (Antabuse) can be used to help prevent the person from returning to drinking after he or she has consumed alcohol due to a relapse.  

For example, since the drug Antabuse triggers vomiting, flushing, nausea, and dizziness if alcohol is ingested, it has proven to be a strong deterrent to drinking even with alcoholics.  Conversely, Naltrexone (ReViaT) is employed in an entirely different way in that it zeros in on the brain's reward circuits and reduces the craving the alcoholic has for alcohol.

Up to 40 percent of industrial fatalities and 47 percent of industrial injuries can be linked to alcohol consumption and alcoholism.

Alcohol Detox Programs:  Inpatient versus Outpatient Status

Recent research findings have revealed that inpatient alcohol withdrawal treatment is more effective and longer-lasting than outpatient treatment.  As a consequence, the more severe the alcohol-related withdrawal symptoms, the more likely that inpatient treatment programs should be considered.

62% of high school seniors report that they have been drunk; 31% say they have had five or more drinks in a row during the last two weeks.

Alcohol Detox Programs:  Conclusion

Although 95% of the individuals who quit drinking alcohol experience mild to moderate withdrawal symptoms, every individual who suffers from alcohol withdrawal needs a professional alcohol detox program.  

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The crucial lesson to be learned about alcohol withdrawal symptoms, therefore is this:  when experiencing alcohol withdrawal symptoms, always see your doctor or healthcare practitioner immediately so that he or she can evaluate the seriousness of your withdrawal symptoms and recommend the most effective alcohol detox program for your particular circumstance.

The following represents some of the negative consequences of drinking alcohol and the fertility of the father: killing off the sperm-generating cells in the testicles and abnormal liver function and a rise in estrogen levels that, in turn, affect sperm development and hormone levels.

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