Alcohol Withdrawl Treatment

Many people afflicted with alcoholism have a long road to recovery. And that road will have to begin with detoxification, or detox as it is commonly called. Detox from alcohol addiction has dramatic and unpleasant effects on the body, and may be the most single important aspect of treatment that makes an alcoholic resist entry into an effective alcohol addiction rehabilitation program. Alcohol treatment withdrawl symptoms may be mild to severe, and effect approximately 95% of people entering detox for alcohol abuse and addition problems. Mild symptoms can include trembling, lack of appetite and increased levels of agitation, while more severe symptoms effect the nervous system and can include anxiety attacks, seizures, or hallucinations. But newer methods of detox and better medications for treatment of symptoms is making detoxification from alcohol addiction more bearable and less traumatic.

In situations where the alcohol abuse has only recently begin, out-patient detox treatment with the support of family and friends is the preferred course of action. As the patient prepares for detox, anti-anxiety drugs are prescribed to ease concerns about the process. Once detox has started, medication (typically Valium) is provided to ease the symptoms, reduce the chance of seizures and help calm the patient as he/she achieves sobriety.

If out-patient detoxification is not possible or not appropriate due to the degree of chemical dependency, in-patient detox may be performed at a detox clinic or alcohol rehabilitation center. In-patient treatment provides an opportunity to have the patient sedated with stronger medications such as diazepam if severe alcohol withdrawl symptoms develop. Sedation medication is administered every two to three hours for the maximum benefit to the patient when this course of treatment is elected.

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Due to the variety of symptoms that may be present during detox, a fairly large variety of drugs may be used in the withrdawl treatment plan. Medication from the family of drugs called Benzodiazepines are used to treat the symptoms associated with anxiety. Valium is one of the better known medications in this family. Benzodiazepines must be used with care and their effects carefully monitored due to their addictive nature. Treatment with benzodiazepines for more than four weeks has been know to cause withdrawl symptoms similar to those from alcohol when patients are removed from the medication, so they are not usually administered for more than about two weeks. Other common medications used for alcohol withdrawl treatment include the beta-blocker Tenormin and the anti-seizure medications Tegretol.