Alcohol Detox in Pennsylvania

What is Alcohol Detox?

Because alcohol is so often abused, there is no denying the need for alcohol detox in Pennsylvania. Alcohol is the most readily available drug: You can buy a drink whether you’re at the grocery store, a sporting event, a convenience store, a restaurant, or anywhere in between.

Drinking is a prevalent part of society today. 60 percent of adults in Pennsylvania consume alcohol. There are reasons for this high number of alcohol consumption. It brings people together after work, at family gatherings, on the weekends, and during the big game. When used responsibly, alcohol offers the majority of the population a way to relax and unwind together.

But not everyone responds to the effects of alcohol in the same way. Instead of only having a drink or two, some people drink to the point of intoxication. They can’t have one beer or glass of wine without continuing to drink. And when they aren’t drinking they’re often thinking about how and when they can get their hands on the next one.

Alcohol use disorder, commonly called alcoholism, is a serious condition that wreaks havoc not only in the lives of the people with the disorder but with those who love them as well. Thankfully, alcohol detox in Pennsylvania is available to anyone looking to get sober through the first steps of recovery.

Alcohol Withdrawal

The body of someone who drinks heavily and regularly for months or years learns to adapt to their high level of amount of alcohol consumption. Because the body needs to continue functioning regardless of how the person drinks, it adapts to “maintain” despite their drinking. Then over time, they develop a dependence on alcohol to function normally.

If they stop drinking cold turkey after developing a dependence, they shock their body with the sudden absence of alcohol. They experience physical and psychological reactions to the lack of alcohol in their system for the first few hours and days. These reactions are called alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

Some alcohol withdrawal symptoms are mild, such as nausea and some nervousness in those who didn’t drink heavily. But people who depend heavily on alcohol usually have severe reactions when they quit drinking. Their withdrawal symptoms are intense, painful, and in some cases even life-threatening.

Alcohol detox in Pennsylvania helps people who have quit drinking through the withdrawal period or detox phase. Trained clinicians provide medical supervision around the clock in a professional facility. It’s a place where people can focus on separating from alcohol as safely and comfortably as possible in a sober environment.

When is Alcohol Detox Necessary?

Heavy dependence may lead to severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms that can put a person’s life at risk, and demands medical attention. Some people experience withdrawal-induced seizures that endanger themselves and those around them. Others develop a symptom seen in many heavy drinkers called delirium tremens, or DTs.

These symptoms do not always show up in the first hours or even the first days. Sometimes people don’t show signs of seizures or DTs until three days after their last drink. These symptoms are best handled by medical professionals to ensure the safety of the individual and their loved ones.

Detox is also beneficial for people who struggle to get through the first few days of sobriety. Relapse is most common within the first week of the last drink. Taking a drink always “calms their nerves,” but those nerves are oftentimes alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Drinking again doesn’t relieve any nervousness, it only delays putting a stop to the cycle.

People who have tried and failed to get sober on their own, especially during the first few days, may benefit from a detox program. Alcohol detox clears a person’s system of alcohol and gets them ready to transfer into the next phase of their treatment program.