Mon-Fri 8:00 am – 5:00 pm, Sat-Sun by appointment

DETOXIFICATION FROM ALCOHOL: A COMPARISON OF HOME DETOXIFICATION AND HOSPITAL-BASED DAY PATIENT CARE Alcohol and Alcoholism

When deciding to quit drinking, detoxing from home may seem like the best option. After all, your home is your place of comfort where you feel safe and in control. However, if you are unaware of the detox process, detoxing at home could pose many risks. Working with sober house a rehab center under medical supervision allows you to get the proper medical care and attention needed for your situation. Quitting drugs cold turkey can cause dangerous withdrawal symptoms within a few hours of your last dose as your brain works to find balance.

  • Alcohol withdrawal can be deadly, and medical detox professionals can ensure your safety during this process.
  • Detoxing can take a significant amount of time and will be made much easier if you dedicate your focus to it.
  • Drug detox at home can bring on intense drug cravings that make it nearly impossible to refrain from using drugs.

That’s especially true because you could be feeling sick for a number of days, with your symptoms peaking after 72 hours. For this reason, alcohol detox at home may not be a good idea, even if you avoid the more serious alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Both alcohol detox at home and drug detox at home are risky, but some people do it anyway.

Can I Detox in 24 Hours?

You won’t be left alone in a stark, hospital-like room to tough it out. Actually, many detox programs take place in home-like environments with comfortable furnishings and amenities. You’re free to hang out in common spaces as much as you feel like it, and medical staff continually check your comfort level and attend to discomfort or emergencies. If you quit drinking or using drugs suddenly—also known as quitting “cold turkey—”you may experience dangerous side effects. A medical professional knows which medications and what doses are best for your individual situation. Detoxing from alcohol at home is not recommended for people with more severe alcohol addictions, due to the risk of dangerous withdrawal symptoms.

alcohol detox at home

Transcend Recovery Community family of sober living homes provides a safe place for those undergoing mental health and addiction treatment to live with like-minded peers. Medical detox programs can help you transition into a professional addiction treatment program following detox. Whether you detox at home or in a detox center, you should attend addiction treatment after detoxing. Otherwise, you are just removing substances from your body, not addressing the reasons behind your addiction. In addition to alcohol detox at home, drug detox at home can also come with a number of complications.

EXECUTIVE HOME DETOX

Alcohol withdrawal happens because continued alcohol use changes the sensitivity of receptors in your brain. Alcohol stimulates receptors called GABA receptors, causing suppression of the nervous system. The brain adjusts to the overstimulation of these receptors by reducing their sensitivity, allowing them to function normally while being overstimulated by alcohol. There is evidence that home detox is ideal for minority communities such as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.6 This may be extrapolated to culturally and linguistically diverse populations. Prescribing acamprosate, naltrexone or disulfiram is advised to maintain abstinence after detox but should only be used with ongoing support. Daily review by a GP or nurse is important for at least the first four days.

Is it safe to stop drinking all at once?

If you drink alcohol regularly and then suddenly stop, you may go through some physical and emotional problems while the alcohol clears out of your system. Clearing the alcohol from your body is called detoxification, or detox. Physical and emotional problems that may happen during detox are called withdrawal.

Staying hydrated will also help to keep your kidneys healthy, allowing them to properly filter out toxins, and will keep you in optimal health as your body undergoes the tension that detox creates. Alcohol is a drug and affects your body by stimulating receptors in your brain called GABA receptors. These receptors have many effects, but they play an important role in reducing anxiety and slowing bodily systems. Living an alcohol-free life by committing to sobriety is not only a positive action that affects multiple aspects of your own life, but your sobriety can also greatly benefit others around you. When alcohol is removed, the GABA receptors are not sensitive enough and cannot suppress the nervous system correctly. This leads to over-excitement of the nervous system until the brain can increase GABA receptor sensitivity and restore normal balance.

Try Mixing or Alternating Your Drinks

While these tips can improve your success while detoxing at home without medical supervision, the best advice for detoxing at home is — don’t do it. Detoxing at home is best avoided, as medical detox is safer, more effective and more comfortable. Without medical help, your symptoms will worsen, and you will simultaneously have easier access to alcohol during detox. Second, professionals support you during medical detox and give you the tools and resources to maintain sobriety once it is over. While many people prefer detoxing at home to seeking professional help, you should be very careful to monitor your symptoms closely and seek medical help if necessary. Tapering off of alcohol involves gradually reducing the amount of alcohol use over time, eventually stopping use entirely.

alcohol detox at home

Copyright 2025