How To Detox From Alcohol Fast

You are ready to take that first big step toward freeing yourself from an alcohol use disorder. Alcohol detox is the first stop on this new recovery journey and will pave the way for treatment and aftercare. You may be anxious to get detox over with, which is understandable. In fact, you may even wonder how to detox from alcohol fast…as fast as possible.

The length of the detox timeline depends on many factors. For instance, if your drinking problem is relatively recent and you are in good health, detox may only take 4 or 5 days. For most people, though, alcohol detox takes a full week. The factors that determine the duration of detox include:

• How long you were a heavy drinker.
• How much alcohol you consumed each day.
• The state of your general health.
• How many prior attempts at the detox you have had.
• If you have a co-occurring mental health issue.
• Your age.

It is during the initial assessment that the clinical team can determine how long your detox will take. They will conduct an interview to learn about your history of alcohol abuse and any relevant mental health history. From this assessment, the team will be able to predict the severity of symptoms to expect during detox from alcohol. Of course, you may want to know how to detox from alcohol fast. But the truth is that it takes as long as it takes.

How Long Does It Take to Detox From Alcohol?

It isn’t surprising that someone would want to know how to detox from alcohol fast. It is not fun. However, it is comforting to know that with the help of an expert detox team, the alcohol withdrawal symptoms are managed.

Alcohol detox takes place in three phases:

1. Phase I: Withdrawal symptoms emerge approximately 6-12 hours after the last alcoholic drink. In this early phase, lasting one to two days, you can expect the following withdrawal symptoms:

• Hand tremors.
• Agitation
• Sweating
• Nausea and vomiting.
• Irritability
• Anxiety
• Headache
• Increased heart rate.

1. Phase II: During days 3-4 withdrawal symptoms peak. It is during this phase that serious withdrawal symptoms can unexpectedly emerge, which is why alcohol detox is closely monitored. Withdrawal symptoms during Phase II include:

• Intense irritability.
• Anxiety
• Mental confusion.
• Insomnia
• Shaking
• Disorientation
• Hallucinations
• Paranoid thoughts.
• Fever
• Increased blood pressure.
• Seizure

1. Phase III: In the final days of alcohol detox the symptoms begin to subside. Sleep disturbances, anxiety, and depression may persist for weeks, however.

What is “Rapid” Alcohol Detox?

As much as you want to get detox over with fast, it isn’t always safe to do so. There is a type of  “rapid detox” that is a faster detox than a detox. The rapid detox programs tell clients that the detox process can be completed within hours. Rapid detox, also referred to as anesthesia-assisted detox, uses general anesthesia for the process.

Rapid detox uses an I.V. to inject drugs that will trigger the withdrawal process immediately. Because they are sedated, they will not experience the withdrawal symptoms because they will sleep through them.

There are risks with the rapid detox. These include:

• Risk of adverse reaction to general anesthesia.
• Risk of injury due to an undiagnosed illness, such as heart disease, liver disease, or diabetes.
• Rapid detox is very expensive.
• The person may not be deterred from relapse like someone who has gutted out detox the traditional way.
• Having ongoing withdrawal symptoms after the rapid detox.

Next Steps After Detox: Treatment

Right after detox, it’s time to begin treatment. A treatment program is needed because without learning new coping tools and behavior patterns, you will soon relapse. Rehab provides you with the support and guidance you need in early recovery, easing you into your new sober life.

The two formats to choose from for treatment are:

Inpatient rehab. Inpatient treatment is a more comprehensive approach that allows you to remove yourself from the triggers and stressors for a while. This allows you to focus on sobriety each and every day without distractions.

Outpatient rehab. Outpatient comes in two levels of care, depending on your recovery needs. Outpatient allows you to live at home while you are enrolled in treatment.

Typical treatment elements include:

• Individual psychotherapy. Talk therapy sessions with a licensed therapist can help you identify disordered thoughts and behavior patterns. With their guidance, you can learn new ways to respond to triggers, emotions, or stress.
• Group therapy. Peers in rehab enjoy chatting about topics related to recovery. A clinician guides the topics and encourages open discussion.
• Family therapy. It is important for the family to be involved while their loved one is in treatment. Family sessions provide a safe place to discuss family problems and to also help encourage support for the loved one.
• 12-step program. The 12-step program provides steady benchmarks to help you achieve sustained sobriety.
• Education. You’ll learn about the neuroscience of addiction and also how you can avoid a relapse back to drinking.
• Holistic methods. Rehabs include holistic methods because they teach you how to manage stress and learn to relax. These holistic methods might include yoga, meditation, massage, mindfulness, equine therapy, and art therapy.

The Importance of Aftercare Following Treatment

After you complete the treatment program, there are still some important actions to take to help sustain sobriety. These include:

• Sober living
• Outpatient therapy
• A.A. or SMART Recovery meetings
• Establishing healthy lifestyle habits
• Forming new sober friendships

Even though you might wonder how to detox from alcohol fast, it is best to accept that withdrawal takes time. In most cases, detox can be completed in about a week.

Executive 7 Day Detox Helps You Launch Recovery

Executive 7 Day Detox is a detox program that helps you safely withdraw from alcohol. Because we specialize in executive care for busy professionals, our program takes about one week to complete, or maybe sooner. After detox, you’ll then transition to a treatment program in either an outpatient or inpatient setting. Call us today at (800) 381-0827.