Alcohol Withdrawal

When an alcohol-dependent person decides to leave alcohol behind, he or she may need to complete a medical detox first. A medical detox (usually called a “med detox”) is a supervised withdrawal from alcohol, done in a medical setting with around-the-clock care. A med detox is often called for when alcohol consumption has been very high, continuous and prolonged.

Without medical supervision, the seizures, high fever and delirium that often result from alcohol withdrawal after heavy use could cost a person his life. The patient may also suffer from hallucinations and other mental disturbances.

How much alcohol must be consumed daily to put a person at risk for a life-threatening withdrawal? Of course, it will vary somewhat by the health of the drinker. But these quantities consumed each day are likely to cause severe withdrawal sickness when they are terminated:

• 12 beers
• A bottle of sparkling liquorice
• Three bottles of wine

If a person is coming to a Narconon drug rehabilitation center for recovery from alcoholism, a med detox might need to be completed before arrival. The medical director of a Narconon center can make this determination based on the amount drunk and the overall health of the individual.

Some people will not need medical assistance during withdrawal

A normal healthy person who can tolerate a well-supported drug-free withdrawal can get started immediately on his recovery as soon as he arrives at one of Narconon's treatment centers. As soon as he arrives, he gets plenty of support with nutritional supplements to calm the body and steady the person’s mood. There will also be 24-hour monitoring and light physical procedures called assists that can be compared to light massage. Assists help ease cramping and aches and help also to extrovert a person.

All around him (or her), there will be a positive mood among both the staff and the clients at a Narconon center. Here, there is true hope that the future can be drug and alcohol-free. It doesn’t take long for a new arrival to see that this is a different treatment program that has a very long history of success.

After alcohol withdrawal

Alcohol withdrawal itself is just the beginning of recovery. What must then happen is that each person must learn how to create a stable, sober life in which alcohol is no longer needed. The Narconon program has been used for more than fifty years to enable its graduates to leave both drug and alcohol dependency behind them.

In most centers, those in recovery are accommodated at the Narconon rehab center. A residence is preferred as each person has greater protection against temptation while he rebuilds his sober living skills.

Most people have spent years or even decades struggling with addiction so it normally takes longer than 30 days to recover from addiction. The Narconon program takes three to five months, but some may need longer. When it takes a person a longer time, there is no additional cost. The program focuses only on results and the ability to live soberly while at home again. That is the only result that counts.

If you care about someone who struggles day after day with addiction to alcohol, learn about the Narconon program. Around the world, tens of thousands of families have chosen Narconon for their loved ones. Find out why.