Entering alcohol rehab can be intimidating. When you’re ready to take control of your relationship with alcohol, the rehab environment can give you the fresh start and tools you need to thrive in life without drinking. Before entering rehab, you may have questions about the logistics and process. After deciding whether in- or out-patient rehab is right for you, you might wonder if you need physician-supervised withdrawal and medication for your alcohol rehab in Gaithersburg, MD.
What happens during alcohol withdrawal?
For regular, long-term drinkers, alcohol withdrawal can be uncomfortable and even dangerous. If you go through alcohol withdrawal more than once, it’s more likely that you’ll experience symptoms during subsequent detoxes.
The symptoms of withdrawal arise because the brain of someone who drinks compensates for the depressive effect of the alcohol. When they stop drinking, the nervous system remains heightened.
Depending on the frequency with which you drink, symptoms can begin as early as six hours after you start and may include:
- Shaking hands
- Feelings of anxiety
- Insomnia
- Nausea, headache, and vomiting
The fear of withdrawal symptoms keeps many individuals from stopping drinking even when they’re ready to quit. Using medication during withdrawal mitigates the most uncomfortable symptoms.
What medications do physicians prescribe for withdrawal?
Medication can help to minimize the symptoms of withdrawal. When you work with a holistic care provider for your addiction, they can offer prescriptions to mitigate the roughest aspects of entering rehab. Medication is used to treat:
- Anxiety and depression
- Nausea
- Muscle aches and sweating
- Seizures
Some of the most common medications include:
- Benzodiazepines: doctors will sometimes prescribe this to help with anxiety during detox and alcohol withdrawals.
- Clonidine: common for detox and alcohol withdrawals, it can make the physical symptoms more manageable such as sweating, muscle aches, and anxiety.
There are medications that patients can receive after completing detox to help them establish a sturdy foundation for their recovery. Common prescriptions include:
- Acamprosate: reduces feelings of anxiety and depression that can cause an individual to drink.
- Naltrexone: given via injection once a month; this blocks how alcohol affects the brain and reduces the urge to drink.
- Disulfiram: causes vomiting if an individual drinks, eliminating the pleasurable effects of alcohol.
When you go through alcohol detox under the care of a physician, you get expert support dealing with the symptoms of withdrawal and the tools you need to build a lasting recovery.
What happens during alcohol rehab?
Traditionally, alcohol rehab was exclusively an in-patient process, where an individual checked into a facility to go through withdrawal and then learn tools to maintain sobriety. Now, you can find alcohol rehab that fits your lifestyle and responsibilities. Going through alcohol rehab at home, you can still get access to medications with withdrawal and supportive therapy, but without the disruption of in-patient treatment.
Using concierge telemedicine, you can overcome alcohol and drug addiction with the support of a trained counselor. Alcohol rehab doesn’t have to be stressful and uncomfortable. Instead, you can change your relationships with alcohol with specialized help from skilled professionals.
Outreach Recovery provides holistic health services, including alcohol rehab in Gaithersburg, MD.
Our patients are our top priority at Outreach Recovery, so we always go above and beyond to ensure they get the care they need. We’re guided by our vision of becoming Maryland’s premier specialized addiction care service. To support our vision, we address addiction recovery holistically. The Outreach Recovery treatments consider our patients’ medical, biopsychosocial, and spiritual needs. Our comprehensive approach gives our patients the tools they need to build a sturdy recovery and achieve the future they deserve.
Schedule a consultation with Outreach Recovery to learn more about our alcohol rehab in Gaithersburg, Maryland.