Alcohol Detox Centers
Rid your body of alcohol and start the road to recovery
Get Help Today.
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a very serious and prevalent disorder, but you are not alone in your search for recovery.
It is possible to break free from the strong grip of alcohol addiction, but you must be willing to take the first step: clearing your body and mind of all toxic substances and ending your physical dependence. This process is known as alcohol detox, and it is the start of a new beginning that can lead you into a sober life.
About Alcohol
According to the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc., alcohol is the most commonly used addictive substance in the United States. About one in every 12 adults suffer from alcohol dependence or abuse and millions of other people actively engage in unhealthy alcohol consumption habits, such as binge drinking.
The type of alcohol found in beverages is called ethanol, which is produced during the fermentation process. There are many varieties of alcoholic beverages and the most commonly abused forms include beer, wine, and spirits.
When a person consumes alcohol, it is rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream and carried to all the organs of the body. When large amounts of alcohol are consumed, the drug depresses the central nervous system, leading to respiratory depression, inhibiting judgment, and causing drowsiness, among many other symptoms. Conversely, when lower doses are ingested, it can act as a stimulant, creating a sense of euphoria and reducing social inhibitions.
Chronic and heavy alcohol use can seriously affect the physical and mental health of a person.
Whether too much alcohol is consumed on a single occasion or over a long period of time, it negatively affects all parts of the body. Some of the most common long-term side effects of alcohol addiction are listed below.
- Brain – Alcohol impairs judgment, concentration, and coordination. Long-term alcohol use can cause brain damage, as well as damage the nerves, and interfere with the brain’s communication pathways, which may result in addiction.
- Heart – Heavy drinking can cause irregular heartbeat, stroke, and high blood pressure.
- Liver – Heavy drinkers may develop Steatosis (fatty liver), fibrosis, cirrhosis, or alcoholic hepatitis.
- Pancreas – Chronic and heavy alcohol use can cause acute or chronic pancreatitis (inflammation and damage to the pancreas).
- Immune system – Drinking too much can inhibit your body’s immune system, reducing its ability to fight off serious diseases, infections, and illnesses.
Chronic and heaving drinking can also increase your risk of developing cancer, including breast, throat, esophagus, mouth, throat, colon, rectal, and liver cancer.
Our center is in-network with many insurances
How Long Does Alcohol Stay in Your System?
Several different factors can influence the rate at which alcohol is processed by the body, such as:
- Age
- Sex
- Food ingested
- Race
- Family history
- Body size
- Medications
- Time since the last drink
Due to the overwhelming number of factors that play a role in the metabolization of alcohol in the body, no one chart can accurately determine exactly how long alcohol will stay in your system. The answer will vary from person to person. Regardless, the following chart is an estimation of how long alcohol stays in your urine, blood, hair follicles, and breath.
| How Long Does Alcohol Stay in Your System? | |
| Urine | About 12-48 hours |
| Blood | About 60 minutes |
| Hair follicles | About 90 days |
| Breath | About 24 hours |
Source: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/319942.ph
How Can I Stop Drinking?
The best way to stop drinking is by completing a medical detox program and enrolling in a treatment program afterward. Researchers and health experts recommend that people who are recovering from alcohol addiction should participate in residential or outpatient treatment for at least 90 days to maintain positive treatment results. There are many lifestyle changes you can make to cut back on your drinking habits, but if you are physically and psychologically addicted to alcohol, getting sober often requires professional help. Although there are many online guides and resources people use to get sober on their own, these tools do not provide the individualized behavioral treatment you will need to stay sober for the long haul.
Do I Need Alcohol Detox?
Individuals who are physically dependent or addicted to alcohol need to complete an alcohol detox program before enrolling in drug and alcohol rehab. Abruptly stopping the consumption of alcohol after consistent abuse can be very dangerous and attempting to detox from alcohol at home without medical supervision can also be life-threatening. Medically-assisted detox is a safe and comfortable way to stop abusing alcohol. If you have been drinking heavily on a consistenly for years, your body has most likely developed a dependency on alcohol and you will need to complete a detox program before beginning alcohol addiction treatment.
Why Choose Medically Assisted Detox?
Medically assisted alcohol detox is a detoxification program that is monitored by a medical team. At Briarwood Detox Center, our medical staff will monitor your progress throughout the detox program while you enjoy the luxury of resting in a comfortable environment that feels like home.
We view your personalized alcohol detox program as a collaborative process between you and our medical staff to ensure your comfort and safety as you transition through your program.
Although you may be tempted to stop consuming alcohol on your own at home (or “go cold turkey”), doing so can be extremely dangerous and may lead to seizures or other health problems. If you are ready to take the first step toward sobriety, we highly recommend a medically assisted detox program.
What are the Symptoms of Alcohol Withdrawal?
When you suddenly stop consuming alcohol and remove it from your body, you may begin to experience alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Alcohol withdrawal syndrome can be more or less severe, depending on your alcohol abuse history, your body composition, how long you’ve been drinking alcohol, and if you are addicted to any other substances.
During your alcohol detox program, you may experience some of the following symptoms. They typically peak within 24-72 hours, but this will vary based on your circumstances.
Common alcohol withdrawal symptoms include:
- Insomnia
- Tremors
- Hallucinations
- Seizures
- Depression
- Cloudy thoughts
- Anxiety
- Difficulty sleeping
- Nausea and vomiting
- Headache
- Irritability
- Loss of appetite
- Shakiness
- Rapid heart rate
- Alcohol cravings
- Delirium tremens (vivid hallucinations, delusions, high blood pressure, racing heart, fever, excessive sweating, extreme confusion)
Some severe symptoms of alcohol withdrawal may also include seizures and hallucinations. This can be a very uncomfortable experience and remains to be one of the most common reasons many people struggle to stop abusing alcohol on their own.
At Briarwood Detox Center, our medical staff will ensure your detox experience is a comfortable one. We are here to help manage uncomfortable physical symptoms by administering medications to reduce the effects of withdrawal.
What Happens When You Give Up Alcohol?
If you are used to drinking alcohol in excess when you stop drinking it, you’ll likely experience some of the withdrawal symptoms listed above. Depending on your lifestyle habits, how long you’ve been drinking, and how much you typically drink, your withdrawal symptoms may be mild or severe. However, there are also many positive effects of giving up alcohol, such as:
- Improved concentration
- Improved quality of sleep
- Decreased liver fat
- Lower levels of bad cholesterol
- Opportunities to mend broken relationships
- A chance to establish healthy habits
- More free time to explore hobbies and activities you enjoy
- More money not being spent on alcohol
How Does Briarwood Detox Manage Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms?
At Briarwood Detox Center, our medical staff has been trained to recognize and manage alcohol withdrawal symptoms. DIY and at-home alcohol detox can be very dangerous and unpredictable, but the Briarwood staff will ensure your detox experience is a comfortable and safe one. We will manage any unpleasant physical symptoms by administering medications to reduce the effects of withdrawal. When appropriate, we also use tapering medications to gradually bring you down into a comfortable state of sobriety. Medically-assisted detox provides 24/7 medical management of withdrawal symptoms and is the safest way to undergo alcohol detox.
How Long Does It Take to Detox From Alcohol?
| 8 hours after the last drink: | Abdominal pain, nausea, anxiety, and insomnia are common during this time. |
| 1 to 3 days after the last drink: | You may experience some confusion alongside high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, and increased body temperature. |
| 4+ days after the last drink: | You may become very agitated and experience hallucinations, seizures, and develop a fever. |
| 5-7 days after the last drink: | By this time, symptoms typically decrease and taper off, although some may persist for weeks if left untreated. |
→ More on how long alcohol withdrawal lasts.
What Happens During Alcohol Detox?
Comprehensive Assessment
Once you have been admitted to Briarwood Detox Center for treatment, our admissions staff will make sure you know what to bring, when to arrive and what to expect. On your first day of detox, you’ll be greeted by your resident advocate and detox counselor. You’ll have plenty of contact with these key figures throughout your detox treatment.
Our friendly staff will give you a quick tour of the property before gathering your intake documents. These documents are written in a way that is clear and easy-to-understand and our staff will review them with you. We are also happy to answer any questions you have about these documents while reviewing them.
Once you have completed your intake documents, a nurse will evaluate you to determine your current health status a needs. Detox protocol will begin based on the findings of this evaluation. Our medical team will perform another, more in-depth assessment within your first 24 hours on-site. This comprehensive, need-finding evaluation will provide the details we need to design an individualized detox program for you.
Supervised Detox
Once you have begun your detox program, our medical and clinical team will monitor you constantly to ensure that you are comfortably and safely progressing through your detox. Our personalized process relies on consistent client and staff communication to address your changing needs and update your program as needed. Our medical team is on-site 24/7 so you can rest without a need for concern.
Individual and Group Counseling
Our therapeutic staff will help you work through your emotional responses to detox and provide effective tools for coping with cravings and preventing relapse. The main priority of these counseling sessions is to address the here and now by overcoming any shame, embarrassment or self-defeating thoughts you may be struggling with.
How Long Does Alcohol Detox Last?
Each of our detox programs is highly personalized based on your needs and circumstances. Additionally, the detox process for various drugs will vary, especially if there is a co-existing medical or psychological condition to consider. Once we have completed your personal assessment, we will be able to tell you how long you can expect to be in detox. This time frame can range from 3-7 days, but we are willing to provide support as long as it is needed.
Where to Detox From Alcohol?
Our medical alcohol detox facilities in Austin, Houston and Colorado Springs are safe and supportive places to begin your addiction recovery. The experienced and friendly staff at Briarwood will ensure that your alcohol detox experience is as comfortable as possible and that you are treated with the utmost care and respect. From the moment you enter either of our facilities, you’ll receive nothing less than the highest quality medical and therapeutic care available.
What is the Recommended Treatment Plan After Alcohol Detox?
During alcohol detox, our treatment staff will treat uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms and help you manage cravings with one-on-one counseling, support, and a positive sober environment.
After detox, relapse is always a risk, so it’s very important to continue your addiction treatment.
Many people do this by enrolling in a rehab or sober living program after detox.
- Alcohol inpatient rehab: During inpatient rehab, you will learn essential skills and make positive behavioral changes that will empower you to stay sober.
- Alcohol outpatient rehab: outpatient rehab offers flexible structured treatment in an outpatient setting that you’ll attend several times a week. Whether you enroll in in-person or online rehab, you’ll receive comprehensive, individualized treatment for alcohol addiction. We offer outpatient programs in Austin, Houston and Dallas.
- Sober living: After rehab, a sober living program can provide ongoing long-term support and peer recovery services. This will help you gradually assimilate back into society as a sober person and establish a stable support system.
Getting professional treatment after detox is an important part of maintaining your sobriety and our treatment team will provide professional recommendations for ongoing care after you complete detox.
Alcohol addiction will always be a part of your history, but it doesn’t have to define who you are and how you live now. If you’re ready to get your life back, the compassionate staff at Briarwood can help. Call today to get started.
Learn more about what comes after detox.
Break Free From Your Addiction Today
(in 3 easy, confidential steps)
Verify your insurance
Complete our fast, free, and easy verification process over the phone to determine the extent of your insurance coverage.
Make an informed decision
We will provide personalized placement recommendations based on your insurance, treatment needs, financial situation, and schedule.
Contact us
Call (888) 857-0557 or fill out our online form for a free and confidential personal consultation with an admissions specialist.
