Overview
There can be potentially life-threatening, serious risks when one tries to do alcohol detoxification at home without any professional guidance. When one stops drinking alcohol, their body would go through a series of withdrawal symptoms that can be difficult to manage, painful, and may last for weeks. The process can be even harder without the aid of medications to help you manage the symptoms. Sudden cessation of alcohol can have serious consequences such as seizures, hallucinations, and even heart failure that could possibly result in death – these consequences, though not probable, are possible, hence the need to perform detoxification under professional guidance. If a person has been using other substances such as heroin, cocaine, prescription medications, meth, etc. along with alcohol, the withdrawal symptoms may be worse, or unpredictable. Often, because the withdrawal symptoms are so bad, the person may end up engaging in drinking again, thus it becoming a never-ending cycle of continued drinking without quitting. For individuals who also suffer from mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, or personality disorders, if alcohol has been a method of self-medicating themselves, stopping drinking can exacerbate the symptoms of these mental health conditions. This is where medical and mental health professionals are required to assist the alcoholic in the detoxification process.
