Best Alcohol Detox in Los Angeles
Many people have a common misconception that overcoming alcohol addiction is as simple as just not drinking anymore. While you must recognize that you need to put the bottle down, there is a physical and psychological change that a person will experience fairly quickly after they make this critical decision. During this time, they will probably need a higher level of care to ensure nothing dangerous or potentially life-threatening happens to them during this time. This process is known as alcohol detox, and it is one of the most critical steps in the overall recovery process.
What Is Alcohol Withdrawal and Why Does It Happen?
Many people don’t realize that there is a science behind alcohol withdrawal and why it happens. In many ways, alcohol withdrawal is your body’s way of trying to get itself “back to normal” once it becomes used to receiving a certain amount of alcohol for a period of time. When you take your first drink, life seems great. You experience a sense of calmness or euphoria due to an increase in GABA, a neurotransmitter responsible for these sensations. Alcohol also decreases another transmitter known as glutamate, which increases excitability.
As a person begins to drink more, the body finds it difficult to increase GABA and decrease glutamate, so they will start to drink more alcohol to achieve their desired effect. When you stop drinking, the production of these two neurotransmitters is still out of sync, and as a result, you begin to experience withdrawal symptoms relatively quickly. In fact, many people are surprised to learn that they may begin to experience alcohol withdrawal symptoms in just a few hours from when they took their last drink.
Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms From Mild to Severe
One of the leading reasons why it’s never recommended that you attempt to go through the alcohol withdrawal process alone is that the withdrawal symptoms you may feel will likely make it unable for you to care for yourself during these initial hours and days. Alcohol withdrawal symptoms may begin on the mild side but can quickly escalate to something more severe rather quickly. Some examples of mild or moderate withdrawal symptoms can include:
- Feeling tired
- Problems sleeping
- Increased heart rate
- Mood swings
- Nausea
- Feelings of depression
- Loss of appetite
- Sweating
More severe examples of alcohol withdrawal symptoms are:
- High blood pressure
- Fever
- Seizures
- Severe confusion
- Hallucinations
Why Choose a Medical Alcohol Detox Program?
There are several benefits associated with committing to a medical alcohol detox program. Here are a few examples of reasons why so many people decide to work through this type of alcohol detox program:
Around the clock medical care
It’s critical to remember that your body will go through a bit of a tailspin when you decide to no longer consume your drug of choice. There are many withdrawal symptoms that you can experience, which would make it all but impossible for you to care for yourself during this critical stage of your recovery. However, when you opt to go to medical alcohol detox, you have the peace of mind of knowing that you have the around-the-clock care of trained medical professionals who will immediately jump into action if there is anything you need.
A safe environment
One of the leading benefits of a medical detox program is that you will have the opportunity to live in an entirely safe, secure, and sober environment. Changing the people, places, and things around you during the first few hours and days of your sobriety can be critical in the long-term success of your overall treatment program during alcohol rehab. The controlled environment that a detox facility offers can provide you with an excellent foundation when it comes to the rest of your recovery journey.
Increased focus
When you change the environment around you for some time, you will have a stronger sense of focus on yourself and what you need to do to make yourself better. This increased focus can help you feel stronger as you experience different withdrawal symptoms and get ready to work through a treatment program.
How Long Does Alcohol Detox Take?
In most cases, you will need to spend at least seven days in an alcohol detox program. Once you decide to get help for your addiction, you must reach out to our treatment team as soon as possible to ensure we can help you get to our facility quickly and before your withdrawal symptoms begin to set in.
Within hours of taking your last drink, you will begin to experience mild withdrawal symptoms. However, the first 72 hours of withdrawal will undoubtedly be the most difficult as this is the period where you will experience the height of your withdrawal symptoms. In the following days, you will feel an increase in the severity of your symptoms, allowing you to begin to focus and adjust to a more extended treatment plan.
Can Detox Alone Treat Alcohol Addiction?
A common misconception among many people who go through the detox process is that alcohol detox alone can substitute addiction treatment. It’s important to remember that detox is only the first step on the road to recovery. Realistically, you will always be in recovery in some way, shape, or form for the rest of your life, but your recovery’s premise will change over time. Once you complete your detox program, you will be in a better position to actively and meaningfully participate in different forms of therapy that will help you develop a better understanding of the root causes of your addiction.
Keep in mind that while you will participate in many therapies, you may find that one type of counseling benefits you more than another. You can speak with your treatment team about this as you begin to work through the recovery process during alcohol rehab. Some examples of the types of therapy you will experience with you begin treatment can include:
- Individual therapy
- Group therapy
- Behavioral therapy
- Family therapy
- Trauma therapy
Remember, you will have a dedicated team of addiction experts with you every step of the way to help you make the most out of your time in therapy, so if you have any concerns, be sure to voice them.
Alcohol Detox and Rehab at Muse Treatment in Los Angeles
Muse Treatment Center not only offers a comprehensive alcohol detox program in Los Angeles, but we also allow our clients to commit to a rehab program to address their issues with addiction. Something that makes Muse unique is the fact that we understand that our clients come from all walks of life. As a result, we must provide every client to create their own personalized treatment program. When you decide to partner with the Muse team to overcome your addiction, you will have the opportunity to choose from the following treatment options:
Inpatient program
If you worked through our detox program, we would strongly recommend that you consider committing to our inpatient program for some time. The reason for this is that an inpatient program will provide you with the same round-the-clock care that you experienced during your time in detox. This can be a welcome comfort for many people that may feel out of sorts in these first few days of treatment. At Muse, we will provide you with a safe and comfortable environment where you can continue to focus on the steps you need to take to work through the different contributing factors of your addiction.
Intensive outpatient program
An intensive outpatient program is much less restrictive than our inpatient program in the sense that you will still be able to maintain specific responsibilities throughout your day while still participating in addiction treatment. If you have part-time work or school responsibilities, an intensive outpatient program should fit nicely into your overall schedule.
General outpatient program
A general outpatient program offers the most flexibility in terms of treatment because it will allow you to maintain your full-time work or school responsibilities while working toward overcoming your addiction. If you do work or go to school, you must mention that to your intake team to begin to work on a treatment plan that doesn’t interfere with these essential aspects of your life.
Are you ready to leave the influence of alcohol in your past? If the answer is yes, then Muse Treatment Center is here to help. We have assisted countless people in overcoming their addiction, and our team is ready to do the same for you. For more information, please give us a call at (800) 426-1818.
Are you looking for alcohol detox in Los Angeles? #alcoholdetox #LosAngeles https://t.co/G35odPJSZN
— Muse Treatment (@MuseTreatmentLA) November 4, 2021
