Alcohol Detox : The First Steps in Recovery from Alcohol Addiction

Are you tired of feeling dependent on a substance or process? Do you want to take the first step on your journey of recovery and start regaining control of your life? Are you looking for a supportive, professional and judgement-free environment where you can detox without pressures or stress?

What is Alcohol Detox?

An alcohol detoxification process is defined as a medical intervention that helps a patient to navigate safely through the process of withdrawal after the cessation of alcohol consumption. Not all clients who come to us for alcohol rehab will require detox as it depends on the severity of each client’s personal situation.

Alcohol Addiction vs. Alcohol Dependence

Many people confuse alcohol addiction and alcohol dependence, or even think they are the same thing. However, only alcohol dependence requires a detoxification prior to treatment.

Alcohol addiction is primarily a physiological issue in which the brain’s reward system has been altered into a state in which it craves alcohol almost incessantly. Alcohol dependence is a step above, where it is not just cravings, but a physical dependence on alcohol. Excessive drinking over an extended period of time causes certain neurotransmitters to be suppressed. When alcohol consumption is suddenly stopped, the neurotransmitters bounce back, acting as if they are in overdrive in a phenomenon known as brain hyperexcitability and can cause serious, life-threatening withdrawal symptoms.

What are Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms?

Withdrawal symptoms can include trembling, sweating and cravings for alcohol. In more severe cases, seizures or delirium tremens (DTs) can occur. The symptoms of DTs include marked tremors (the shakes) and delirium (confusion, a state of agitation and auditory and visual hallucinations) and can, in some cases, result in death.

Alcohol withdrawal symptoms can increase in severity quite quickly, going from the shakes to a full blown seizure in a matter of hours, which is why it is important to have a medically supervised dependency detox available for those who are physically dependent on alcohol.

What to Expect during Detox 

During the first few hours of treatment, the most common symptoms will be that of intense cravings. Some may experience excessive changes in mood and blood pressure, physical sickness including sweating or a mild-fever and ‘the shakes’. These can start as early as a few hours after taking your last drink.

As the detox progresses, symptoms become more severe and can become life threatening if not under the care of a medical professional. After 48 hours, the symptoms often start to decrease as normal body function begins to take over once again. In extreme cases, however, symptoms may continue to worsen over the next few days.

Each of our clients undergoing a detox program will suffer different reactions depending upon their own situation. Other symptoms may include anxiety, insomnia, hallucinations and impaired mood.

All detoxification programs at the Cabin Chiang Mai are supervised by our round-the-clock medical team.

How Do You Know if Detox is Required?

Upon arriving at The Cabin Chiang Mai our on-site medical staff and clinical team will meet with you one-on-one for an assessment. This meeting will dictate whether or not you require a withdrawal period before beginning the treatment programme.

How Long Does it Take to Detox from Alcohol?

As mentioned earlier, alcohol withdrawal symptoms are different for everyone, and thus a preventative abstention can take upwards of a week for some. However, with careful medical observation and the use of medication, alcohol detoxification is usually just a couple of days.

What is the Cost of Alcohol Detox Treatment in Thailand?

Although we offer an incredibly luxurious alcohol detox centre, we are able to keep costs low – often one-third of the prices in Western countries. However, the cost does depend on how long you will be staying with us, so it is best to enquire with one of our staff members for more information on your own personal case.

Why Continuing Treatment is Important

Detoxification is an important step to help aid recovery for those dependent on alcohol. It is important to keep an alcoholic safe from life-threatening symptoms while the body and brain learn to once again function without alcohol.

However, it is only the very first step, and what comes after detox is incredibly important. It is during a full alcohol addiction treatment programme where our clients are able to learn recovery tools and coping skills to stay away from alcohol in the future. In most cases, there are underlying issues within a person that help exacerbate the addiction such as anxiety, depression, low self-esteem and abuse among others. In many cases, alcoholics begin drinking to forget about problems in life or self-medicate for underlying disorders which is, of course, not a healthy coping mechanism.

Instead, The Cabin uses cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), the 12 Steps, mindfulness meditation and more to teach our clients healthy ways to cope with life and stress in a manner that does not include substance abuse. Detoxing alone is not enough to get and stay sober.

The Cabin Chiang Mai: Our stunning setting, in Chiang Mai Thailand

provides sunny, tranquil, and calming surroundings and our top-quality in-house catering team prepares a bespoke menu of fresh food, designed to support your body through the detox process. We want to support every move that you make towards recovery and The Cabin Chiang Mai offers the perfect introduction to your future life, addiction-free. If you have any more questions about our alcohol detox programme, or about the process of alcohol detox, talk to us now at the number or fill out the form below this page to receive a call at a later date.