Alcohol Detox: How Long Does It Take?

Alcohol detox should take as much or as little time as the patient needs to safely be weaned off their dependence on the substance. Contrary to popular belief, alcohol withdrawal can be extremely dangerous, and inpatient treatment in a professional alcohol rehab or detox center is often necessary. In order to learn more about alcohol detox in Florida, you can call our 24/7 hotline and speak to one of our qualified treatment specialists.

What Is Alcohol Detox?

Alcohol detox is the process by which an individual is weaned off alcohol. According to the National Library of Medicine (NLM), when you become dependent on this substance, it can lead to serious withdrawal symptoms, such as depression, anxiety, shakiness, tremors, mood swings, and fatigue. In some severe cases, it can lead to a disorder known as delirium tremens, which causes confusion, hallucinations, paranoia, high fever, and seizures.

Detox for alcoholics can sometimes take place in an outpatient rehab center. But often, the safest option is a hospital-based inpatient center, such as Summer House Detox, which provides alcohol detox in Florida. During treatment, patients are monitored 24/7 and given medications to minimize potentially life-threatening withdrawal symptoms.

How Long Does Alcohol Detox Take?

It’s difficult to say exactly how long detox will take for each individual, especially without a clear idea of the severity of their condition. However, when you begin alcohol rehab, your doctor will likely discuss with you a timeline for your detox that is specific to your current situation.

You and your doctor will work together during your alcohol detox in order to ensure you are receiving the safest and best care possible for your needs. With a problem as complicated as addiction, every patient needs an individualized treatment program that allows them to get well at their own pace.

However, over time, your treatment plan may be modified based on your own changing needs. If you are improving at a much more rapid pace than originally expected, you and your doctor may decide to speed up your recovery process. If you are having trouble with your recovery, you may need more time in detox before you can move on to the next step.

Of course, it can help to have a general idea of about how long you should expect your alcohol detox to last. In many cases, detox from alcohol should take between a week and one month. This is because the general symptoms of withdrawal often last for about two weeks, but more severe symptoms—as well as the cravings caused by alcohol addiction—can sometimes last much longer. You may need more time to just focus on these issues before you start the process of alcohol rehab. This will allow you to transition safely into the next phase of treatment and to make as strong of a recovery as possible.

What Should I Expect During My Alcohol Detox Timeline?

It can be helpful to know what alcohol detox is going to be like, especially if you have never gone through it before. Here is an idea of the typical timeline for someone who has a severe dependence on the substance.

• Week One: Alcohol detox often requires 24-hour monitoring in the first week if you are dealing with severe withdrawal symptoms, delirium tremens, and/or high psychiatric severity. As stated by the NLM, the goals of early treatment are to prevent complications and to relieve severe symptoms, thereby saving the patient’s life and easing them into withdrawal. Part of this time, depending on how severe your symptoms are, you might require sedation with medications like benzodiazepines.
• Week Two: Patients experience fewer mild withdrawal symptoms. In most cases, the symptoms of delirium tremens also disappear by the second week, although they might not fully appear until as late as 10 days into withdrawal. In this case, more intensive care is still required, but most individuals see a lessening of this as they proceed with treatment.
• Week Three: Most of the acute signs of withdrawal have begun to pass. However, many people also experience cravings for alcohol, which can last through the third week of withdrawal. It is often important that treatment focuses on helping patients learn to cope with cravings during this time. It is also a good time to discuss the transition from detox to alcohol rehab.
• Week Four: By this time, most individuals are ready to begin rehab treatment and to end their stay in a detox center. Although outpatient care is an option at this point, some still prefer to stay in a residential center or something similar to their detox facility, as the transition from 24-hour care to outpatient care shouldn’t be rushed.

Remember, this is a basic timeline and is by no means an exact description of what you will experience in alcohol detox. It is best, though, to expect to spend somewhere between two weeks and four weeks in detox treatment, especially if you are grappling with severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms that require inpatient treatment.

What If I Need More Time in Detox? Will My Insurance Pay for It?

Again, this depends on your specific insurance provider, plan, and the program in which you choose to seek treatment. It is highly important that you find out if your insurance is an accepted provider at a specific treatment facility before you begin your recovery there.

Fortunately, we are happy to help you discuss your payment options and to tell you whether your insurance will cover your care at Summer House Detox. Contact us through our confidential, online form or through our 24-hour hotline at 800-719-1090 to get more information.

What Happens After Detox?

Once your detox program ends, you won’t be suddenly cured of your addiction. It is important to remember this because addiction, unlike many other illnesses, is a chronically relapsing disease. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse(NIDA), addiction is similar to illnesses like asthma and diabetes in that people often experience relapse periods that need to be constantly battled throughout their lives with the proper treatment and coping mechanisms. In order to help you do this, you will need to go through alcohol rehab after alcohol detox.

After detox, alcohol rehab focuses on the process of helping you stay sober and avoiding a return to alcohol abuse. Often, medications will still be used to help you do this. Several medications are approved for this purpose, like Naltrexone, which is also used to treat opioid addiction and blocks the receptors in the brain that cause the pleasurable effects of alcohol, and Disulfiram, which keeps the body from being able to break down alcohol. In addition, behavioral therapies are often the best options for helping those with addictions learn better coping and life skills, which can help them avoid returning to the substance after treatment has ended.

It may seem overwhelming to learn that, even after detox and rehab, your work fighting alcohol addiction won’t be over. But with safe, effective, and professional care, you can build a strong recovery with a solid foundation and have an easier time transitioning into the next step: living life in recovery.

Can I Find Out More About Alcohol Detox?

We are happy to answer all of your questions about alcohol detox in Florida as well as to help you transition into detox, rehab, and recovery. Call us today to speak with one of our treatment specialists and learn more about what Summer House can offer you. This is a chance to get your life back; you deserve to live without fear of alcohol abuse and its severe, long-term effects.

If you or someone you know is struggling with alcohol abuse and in need of detox treatment in West Palm Beach, give Summer House Detox Center a call at 800-719-1090 to schedule a FREE consultation. You can also visit us at 13550 Memorial Highway Miami, FL 33161. We are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.