According to the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), about 28.8 million adult Americans suffer from alcohol use disorder (AUD). And without professional intervention, quitting excessive alcohol use could be challenging and even life-threatening for those who will try to do it without medical supervision.
Although many are apprehensive toward professional help, medical detox remains the best and safest way to address alcoholism. In this post, we’ll talk about this treatment and the dangers of alcohol withdrawal if you try to do it without the right help.
What is alcohol withdrawal syndrome?
Alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS) takes place when a person who drinks huge amounts of alcohol regularly decides to reduce or stop their drinking drastically. Doing this will trigger a set of complex physiological and psychological symptoms that require close medical supervision.
Overall, this condition is common and can happen to about 50% of people who will decrease or stop their alcohol intake. The good thing is that facilities like LA Wellness Home provide medically assisted detox to help manage potentially life-threatening withdrawal symptoms.
Take note that the intensity of alcohol withdrawal varies per person. For some, they experience mild alcohol withdrawal hallucinations, while others deal with alcohol delirium symptoms, also called delirium tremens.
Delirium tremens and seizures are avoidable if you opt for professional alcohol rehab. For example, in our inpatient facility, we have a team of medical doctors, nurses, RADTs, and healthcare professionals who will provide you with 24/7 supervision to minimize your withdrawal symptoms.
Overall, the intensity of side effects of alcohol withdrawal depends on how much you drink, how long you’ve been drinking, and if you have other underlying health conditions. This is why our team performs a dual diagnosis to ensure that we’re tackling your alcohol problems as holistically as possible.
Effects of alcohol withdrawal
So, what does alcohol withdrawal feel like? The following are the most common symptoms of detoxing from alcohol, which medical professionals can help manage:
Mild symptoms
- Anxiety and jumpiness
- Mood swings
- Headaches
- Nausea
- Insomnia and/or nightmares
- Exhaustion
- Changes in appetite
- Stomach troubles
- Tremors
Severe symptoms
- Fever
- Hallucinations
- Vomiting
- Intense sweating
- Rapid breathing
- Racing heart rate
- Alcohol withdrawal seizure
- Mental confusion
- Depression
- Restlessness
Take note that complications from alcohol withdrawal can also arise for chronic alcoholics. Some individuals may also experience psychiatric emergencies, including self-harm, which requires immediate medical attention. This is why you or a loved one need licensed specialists when attempting to quit alcohol.
What to expect from an alcohol medical detox
To be clear, dying from alcohol withdrawal is very unlikely if you undergo the right process. For example, with our medical detox program, you’ll receive 24/7 clinical supervision to ensure your safety.
In general, here’s what you can expect when you enroll in our inpatient rehab center for detox:
30-day detoxification program
We offer a 30-day inpatient detox where you can quit alcohol use in a controlled environment. You’ll be under the care of our medical staff, and you’ll stay in our luxurious facility throughout the duration of the program.
Dual diagnosis
As part of our holistic treatment, we also perform dual diagnosis to identify any co-occurring conditions along with your alcohol use disorder. This way, we can provide you with a personalized treatment plan that suits your needs.
Medication management
With our medication management, we’ll provide you with comfort meds to ease withdrawal symptoms and prevent alcohol withdrawal complications. This way, you’ll have a safe detoxification process, making alcohol withdrawal death an impossible scenario.
24/7 clinical care
During your stay in our Los Angeles rehab center, you’ll receive round-the-clock monitoring. This way, you’ll receive immediate medical attention once you experience severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms.
If you want to know more about alcohol rehab and medical detox, feel free to contact our 24/7 helpline. Our specialist will assist you and provide you a schedule for a consultation.
The dangers of detoxing from alcohol without medical help
Some clients who come to us for help have tried quitting alcohol use and suffered from severe withdrawal symptoms. And in reality, those who attempt DIY detox are at a higher risk of death from alcohol withdrawal.
In most cases, DIY detox only ends up in relapse. Worse, the person will spiral deeper into alcoholism after the failed attempt. With that said, is alcohol withdrawal dangerous without medical help? Yes, at-home DIY detox can be deadly, and here’s why:
You might suffer from medical complications.
Going cold turkey from drinking regularly can trigger a slew of medical emergencies. This includes severe dehydration, respiratory distress, stroke, heart attack, and the list goes on. And if you’re alone at home and without a medical professional, you may succumb to the complications of alcohol withdrawal.
You’re at risk for delirium tremens (DT).
Convulsions, tremors, hallucinations, delusions, and seizures are all symptoms associated with delirium tremens or DT. This condition can trigger severe vital sign fluctuations that require the attention of a medical professional. For example, a medical team can identify alcohol seizure warning signs early and provide you with necessary medications.
You’re more likely to self-harm.
How dangerous is alcohol withdrawal? The psychological toll of withdrawal can trigger suicidal thoughts and severe depression that could ultimately lead to self-harm. This is why the American Society of Addiction Medicine recommends an inpatient rehab in Los Angeles if you have mental health issues.
You’ll have a higher risk of relapse.
Home-based alcohol withdrawal can still end in relapse, no matter how motivated you are in the beginning. The combination of cravings, stress, and other symptoms could push you to the tipping point where you’ll consume alcohol again. And in some cases, those who failed DIY detox tend to get a stronger ‘thirst’ for alcohol.
There’s a potential for overdose.
In some cases, unsupervised alcohol detox can lead to overdose. This happens when the person relapses and consumes the same amount of alcohol as they did before. However, since they have stopped drinking for some time, their tolerance has decreased, and they are at risk of alcohol poisoning.
Important questions about the risks of alcohol withdrawal
1. Does alcohol reduce testosterone?
Yes, studies have found that heavy alcohol consumption can decrease testosterone. Also, experts have found that alcoholism is linked to impotence and infertility.
2. Can you die from alcohol withdrawals?
Without medical supervision and the right intervention, you are at risk of life-threatening complications. There are instances of death for those who do at-home or DIY detox without any medical help.
3. Why is alcohol withdrawal deadly?
How does alcohol withdrawal kill? Alcohol withdrawal can trigger severe symptoms, which can be lethal if you don’t seek the right medical attention. This is why experts continuously warn about the dangers of attempting at-home withdrawal.
4. How long do alcohol withdrawal symptoms last?
During the first 6 to 12 hours of withdrawal, you’ll experience mild symptoms like headaches, insomnia, stomach upset, and tremors. Meanwhile, severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms often start after 12 to 24 hours from your last alcohol consumption. In the next 24 to 72 hours, your symptoms will peak, and you’ll need close medical supervision.
5. Why does alcohol withdrawal cause seizures?
Seizures are a severe complication of alcohol withdrawal. It often happens to those who drink heavily for long periods of time and have decided to quit.
People with severe AUD have a higher production of GABA, also known as an anti-seizure neurotransmitter. When they stop drinking altogether, the brain gets destabilized, and seizures occur.
6. How often does withdrawal from alcohol death occur?
According to available data, the mortality rate for delirium tremens or severe alcohol withdrawal is around 5% to 15%. However, if you don’t receive medical care, your mortality rate will skyrocket to 37%.
7. Can alcohol withdrawal cause death if you go cold turkey?
Going cold turkey with alcohol without medical supervision can be a deadly situation. This is especially true for people who have severe alcohol use disorder and have experienced delirium tremens before. This is why quitting alcohol should involve a holistic process of medical detoxification, medication management, clinical monitoring, and more.
Get safe and effective medical detox at LA Wellness Home
Alcohol use disorder or AUD can feel like an inescapable cycle, but it doesn’t have to be a life sentence. With the help of our addiction treatment center, you’ll receive safe and proven medically supervised detox.
Our entire team of medical doctors, registered nurses, RADTs, and staff will closely monitor your progress 24/7. Also, our luxury facility will keep you as comfortable as possible while you overcome the withdrawal symptoms.
With us, you’ll get personalized diagnostics and detoxification plans wherever you are on your road to recovery. We also work with all major insurance providers in California to make alcohol rehab as accessible as possible to those who need it.
If you have questions about our medical detox or alcohol rehab, feel free to contact our 24/7 helpline today. Our specialists are just a call away to help you!
