Rehab 4 Addiction

An alcohol addiction will differ from individual to individual depending on their rate of consumption, regularity of this, and any other pre-existing health conditions that may interact with these factors.

Because of this, the recovery process from an addiction – also known as rehabilitation – will differ from person to person, too.

In Birmingham, there are many different options for an individual seeking rehabilitation for alcohol, another substance, or a behavioural addiction, for example.

One of these options is a home alcohol detox in Birmingham, though this is only suitable for a select few individuals who fall under the right categories of addiction, severity, and dangers faced during a rehab process.

This web page will outline the process of a home alcohol detox, who it is suitable for, and many other factors that are involved in beginning an alcohol home detox in Birmingham, the upkeep of this, and any factors that must be considered after an individual completes their home detox programme.

Who is a home alcohol detox suitable for?

Due to the dangers associated with an alcohol rehabilitation programme, most rehab advice services and healthcare services will suggest that individuals attend residential rehab in order to overcome their addiction and treat the effects of this in the long term, Rehab 4 Addiction included.

This is due to the proven benefits in comparison to the process of a home detox in most cases of alcohol addiction (1).

However, there are some cases in which residential rehab may not be necessary, or that individuals may benefit more from a home alcohol detox.

An alcohol home detox is not suitable in the following instances:

  • Individuals who have a long history of alcohol addiction
  • Individuals who consume large quantities of alcohol when they partake in addictive behaviours
  • Individuals who have attempted a withdrawal and rehabilitation process before and have relapsed in the past
  • Individuals who experience moderate to severe withdrawal symptoms when they have not consumed alcohol in a long period of time

Sources of support for a home alcohol detox in Birmingham

If an individual is suitable for a home alcohol detox, then there are several sources of home detox provider that an individual can progress through.

Despite the name, a home detox will still require an individual to seek external support from trusted services, rather than attempting to detox at home by themselves.

During a home detox, individuals will require regular supervision and support from medical professionals, as well as in-person checkups depending on the individual’s situation.

Because of these requirements, an individual will often begin their home alcohol detox journey by contacting their local health services, or by finding out the requirements of this type of care through addiction advice services such as Rehab 4 Addiction.

Do I need a GP referral to start an alcohol home detox?

Before an individual begins a home alcohol detox, they will need to acquire approval from a licensed medical professional after undertaking a health and addiction assessment.

This initial assessment will ensure that the individual is not at any additional risks when completing a home alcohol detox in Birmingham, as well as any additional needs that they may have throughout the process, including medications, in-person support, and co-occurring therapy sessions, for example.

In general, most health services, such as a general practitioner (GP) will be able to determine whether or not an individual is suitable for a home alcohol detox by ascertaining the severity of their addiction, the effects of this, as well as any co-occurring physical or mental health issues in addition to the individual’s addiction.

The process of a home alcohol detox

Once an individual has received approval for a home alcohol detox programme (only in specific circumstances), then they can begin the process of withdrawing from alcohol while remaining at home.

In most cases, an individual’s home will also be assessed for suitability for a home alcohol detox in Birmingham, including the location, any dependents that the individual may have, as well as any other occupants of the property that may help or harm the individual’s progress.

Those individuals who are then deemed suitable to continue with a home alcohol detox will be prescribed different substances and therapies in order to reduce their discomfort during withdrawal, as well as bolster their future rehabilitative progress.

Medical intervention in an alcohol home detox

Throughout an individual’s home alcohol detox programme, they will be prescribed and expected to adhere to the consumption of various substances in order to support their overall recovery and make the process of withdrawal more comfortable for them.

This is known as medical intervention.

Common substances that are prescribed during this process are outlined in the following examples:

  • Librium – the common name of chlordiazepoxide, this is a psychoactive substance that is generally prescribed for mental health issues such as anxiety and insomnia. It is generally used for its effect on the reduction of withdrawal symptoms during an alcohol detox, making it a beneficial substance for this use in some cases.
  • Benzodiazepines – including commonly-known substances such as Valium and Xanax, these substances are also prescribed during an alcohol withdrawal due to the way that they have a depressive effect on the body, causing a sedative and hypnotic effect. They can also reduce the risk of alcoholic seizures in some cases. However, it is important to remember that benzodiazepines are another highly addictive substance and must be withdrawn from in the future once the individual has successfully completed their home alcohol detox programme in Birmingham.

Co-occurring treatments during an alcohol home detox in Birmingham

In all cases of an alcohol home detox in Birmingham it is always recommended that individuals also partake in some additional forms of therapy and support while progressing with these programmes.

While an alcohol home detox focusses solely on the individual’s physical recovery, additional therapy and treatments will help support the individual’s mental health – something which is heavily impacted during an individual’s experience of addiction (2) and can take much more time and motivation to overcome.

In addition, it is also essential that an individual seeks some form of aftercare after their home alcohol detox in Birmingham as this is a way to continue the individual’s recovery journey, as well as providing them with an ongoing form of support and a network of assistance should the individual require it in the future.

Further help from Rehab 4 Addiction

If you or someone you know needs support with an alcohol addiction (or any other form of addiction) and is considering a home detox programme in Birmingham or anywhere else across the country, then please do not hesitate to contact Rehab 4 Addiction with any further questions or queries.

Our advice services have helped countless individuals to seek the most suitable form of rehabilitation for them and their specific needs and requirements.

No situation is too minor or too severe for our services, so get in touch with our addiction support hotline 24/7 at 0800 140 4690 today.

References

[1] Stockwell, T., Bolt, L., Milner, I., Russell, G., Bolderston, H. and Pugh, P., 1991. Home detoxification from alcohol: its safety and efficacy in comparison with inpatient care. Alcohol and Alcoholism26(5-6), pp.645-650.

[2] Liu, Y., Liu, Y., Cheng, J., Pang, L.J. and Zhang, X.L., 2023. Correlation analysis of mental health conditions and personality of patients with alcohol addiction. World journal of psychiatry13(11), p.893.