While an estimated 17 million Americans suffer from some form of alcohol abuse, an estimated two million enter professional alcohol detox programs annually — many after incurring severe psychological and physical consequences of untreated alcoholism. In fact, in Michigan alone, alcoholic liver diseases such as hepatitis, fatty liver and cirrhosis were responsible for nearly 500 deaths over the course of 2008, according to the Michigan Department of Community Health.

Alcoholism Treatment for Withdrawal for Detroit Residents

One of the major factors — for those in Detroit and across the country –  in the difficulty in achieving sobriety while battling alcoholism is withdrawal. The initial symptoms of withdrawal can set in within hours of the last dose of alcohol. In mild cases, symptoms are often perceived as a feeling of unease, accompanied by mild nausea, headache and dry mouth. In more severe cases, symptoms of nausea and headache become acute. Additionally, severe alcohol withdrawal can lead to profuse vomiting, diarrhea, sweating, shaking, and hallucinations. In the most severe cases of withdrawal, delirium tremens—commonly known as the “DTs”—manifest in the form of severe anxiety, physical tremors and dangerous fluctuations in body temperature.

Dangers of Detoxing from Alcohol Alone

If delirium tremens is not regulated, the condition can result in hyperthermia (high body temperatures), hypothermia (dangerously low body temperatures), physical convulsions, seizures, heart palpitations, loss of consciousness–and even death. However, even if delirium tremens is not experienced, the body requires a consistent flow of hydration and nutrition in order to recover from the effects of alcoholism and subsequent nutritional deficiencies. For this reason, it is advisable to enter a medically supervised Detroit drug  rehab detox program, rather than attempt to detox alone. Of course, one of the most serious side effects of solo detox is the return to alcohol intake–causing a further descent into addiction and alcohol dependency.

Relapse Prevention with Inpatient Alcoholism Treatment for Detroit Alcoholics

Generally speaking, inpatient detox programs have a higher success rate than outpatient programs for several reasons. To begin with, when a person enters into a medically supervised detox program, many of the withdrawal symptoms can be made less acute with proper hydration, nutrition and potential herbal or prescription drug therapy. Secondly, entering a supervised detox environment makes it nearly impossible to relapse before the process of withdrawal is complete.

The risk of relapse has to do with alcohol’s effect on the brain. When alcohol is abused, it eventually becomes a substitute for the brain’s production of the GABA neurotransmitter, responsible for promoting a healthy state of calm. When alcohol is withdrawn from the system, it takes time for the brain to begin reproducing this vital neurotransmitter, resulting in an “in-between stage” of severe anxiety in the former drinker. It is for this reason that many outpatients never fully complete the withdrawal process, as they lack the proper support to effectively cope with ensuing anxiety.

Once the physical alcohol detox process has been completed, former drinkers can begin to address the underlying causes of abuse via talk therapy, group therapy and alcohol education. The most successful talk therapy treatment programs for alcoholism recovery tend to combine individual therapy sessions with group sessions.

Finding Effective Alcoholism Treatment

Professional inpatient alcoholism treatment can address both the physical withdrawal process and the ensuing psychological work that may need to take place for full and lasting recovery. Regardless of how many recovery attempts have been made, lasting sobriety can be achieved with comprehensive, intensive inpatient alcoholism treatment programs. In secluded environments guided by experienced addiction staff, some of the most effective multidisciplinary programs in the world offering alcoholism treatment are available domestically, both to residents of Detroit and neighboring cities. When you’re ready to seek treatment, our alcoholism referral staff can match you with an inpatient alcoholism rehabilitation program tailored to your personal history and needs.