If you are one of the millions of Americans struggling with alcohol addiction, you may believe that you can quit anytime. This false belief is typical among people dependent on alcohol. While it may be possible for some people to decide to stop drinking and follow through on it, for others, quitting alcohol cold turkey can be dangerous and even fatal. To ensure your safety when attempting to end alcohol addiction, we recommend that you seek help from an alcohol detox program.
At Serenity House Detox & Recovery Houston, your safety as you detox from alcohol is our priority. With the support of our caring staff and comfortable facilities, we aim to ensure your comfort throughout withdrawal and beyond. Give us a call at 866.516.8356 to learn more about how our alcohol detox programs can help you achieve a healthy recovery.
Why We Don’t Recommend Quitting Alcohol Cold Turkey
Many people may want to quit alcohol on their own because they do not want to seek professional addiction treatment. There are several reasons for this, including worries about the cost of treatment, missing time from work or school, embarrassment about having alcohol addiction, or just feeling uncomfortable in an addiction treatment setting. Whatever the reason, quitting alcohol at home is not always the best choice. For some people, doing so can be dangerous.
Alcohol withdrawal symptoms can be severe and typically start about eight hours after your last drink. Some of the risks associated with quitting alcohol cold turkey may include:
- Seizures
- Delirium tremens (DTs)
- Hallucinations
- Severe dehydration
- Tremors
- Cardiac arrest
- Dangerously high fever
- Hyperthermia
Symptoms of alcohol withdrawal tend to peak about two to three days after your last drink. At this point, some people may feel they are out of the woods and do not require addiction treatment. However, in cases of severe addiction, some of the most dangerous risks of quitting alcohol cold turkey start around the third day of withdrawal. Without medical assistance, the consequences can be severe. When you enroll in an alcohol detox program, trained professionals will monitor you around the clock. In doing so, they keep you safe and administer medication if necessary to help you get through withdrawal.
What Is the Safest Way to Quit Drinking Alcohol?
If you want to quit drinking alcohol, one of the first steps is often to cut back on your consumption. This step is successful for some people, but if your addiction is more severe, you will feel your body resisting as soon as you try to avoid alcohol. Rather than subject yourself to the risks of quitting alcohol cold turkey, you can end your addiction safely and more comfortably at an alcohol detox center.
Treatment from an alcohol detox program can keep you safe in a variety of ways, such as:
- Providing you with 24/7 supervision from trained detox professionals
- Administering medications to alleviate withdrawal symptoms
- Providing medical assistance as needed for any complications that arise
- Maintaining your hydration levels
- Offering support through addiction therapies
If you have ever tried to cut back or quit drinking alcohol but found it difficult, you may need the help of an alcohol detox program. While some withdrawal symptoms may be merely uncomfortable, others can be dangerous. Therefore, it is often not worth the risk when you can detox safely with professional treatment programs.
Quit Using Alcohol Safely at Serenity House Detox & Recovery Houston
When you are ready to quit drinking alcohol for good, you can feel confident with the help of Serenity House Detox & Recovery Houston. Our evidence-based addiction treatment programs combine medications, support, and behavioral and holistic therapies. Call us today at 866.516.8356 to break free from the grip of alcohol addiction.
