- For cases of moderate alcohol consumption, detox can often be accomplished at home. However, it's important to talk with your doctor about your home detox program before starting. The patient will need to have a family member or friend present to help manage withdrawal symptoms. If symptoms escalate, including hallucinations, contact your medical provider immediately.
- For extreme cases of alcohol consumption, your doctor may recommend pharmacological detoxification. During this process, a doctor prescribes benzodiazepines or diazepam to help minimize withdrawal symptoms. However, when taking these drugs, it's essential the patient not consume any alcohol. Mixing these medications with alcohol can create respiratory depression, which is a fatal side effect. For this reason, the patient should be monitored closely by family members and his doctor.
- Some patients do best at an inpatient detox program. Although these programs are typically used for heavy addiction, those who need more supervision also benefit from these programs. These programs typically take a multipronged approach to dealing with detox for alcoholism, treating the physical withdraw symptoms and the psychological effects.
- While detoxing, patients can expect to experience anxiety, stomach cramping, heart palpitations and trouble sleeping. Symptoms can start as little as two hours after having a final drink. Also, patients can have more severe side effects, including seizures, which are cause to contact his doctor.
