Why it’s best to get professional help with alcohol detox in the UK

It’s no secret that drinking alcohol is a British pastime. From neighbourhood pubs to city-wide festivals, we Brits figure out how to make alcohol part of most of what we do. Unfortunately, so much drinking inevitably leads to the need for alcohol detox.

Detoxing from alcohol can be dangerous under certain circumstances. So much so that it’s best to get professional help rather than trying to detox alone and at home. The good news is that plenty of help is available. No one looking to detox from alcohol has to go it alone.

The reality of alcohol in the UK

Alcohol consumption is a reality in the UK. Only about 20% of the adults across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland report not consuming any alcohol. As for the rest, here are the excess drinking rates across the four nations:

• England – 24%
• Northern Ireland – 16%
• Scotland – 22%
• Wales – 17%

For the record, excess drinking is defined as consuming more alcohol than the Chief Medical Officer’s guidelines consider low-risk drinking. It’s also interesting to note that men are more likely to drink in excess across all four UK nations.

When drinking becomes a problem

Drinking becomes a problem when it starts interfering with daily life. Problem drinking can become an addiction when a person continues to drink excessively despite knowing that doing so is potentially harmful. That’s when alcohol detox becomes critically important.

The dangers of alcohol detox in the UK really can’t be understated. Those dangers are related to withdrawal symptoms and their impacts on the body. Milder symptoms, including anxiety, shaking, sweating, nausea, headaches, and insomnia, usually begin within a few hours of a person’s last drink.

As long as the withdrawal symptoms remain mild, the risks of alcohol detox are minimal. But if severe complications develop at any stage, a person could be in danger. Severe complications are more likely among long-term and heavy drinkers.

Examples of severe complications

Not every alcoholic experiences severe complications during detox. But among those that do, there are three that clearly demonstrate why it’s better to get professional help:

• Seizures – When severe seizures occur, they usually begin within the first 48 hours. They are problematic because they can lead to significant injuries when a person is unsupervised.

• Delirium Tremens – Delirium tremens is classified as an alcohol withdrawal syndrome that manifests itself in symptoms like confusion, hallucinations, agitation, and high blood pressure. It can lead to heart attack and stroke if not managed.

• Potential Death – Any combination of severe seizures and delirium tremens substantially increases the potential for death. Although dying during alcohol detox isn’t the norm, it is still a very real possibility.

Medically supervised alcohol detox treatment is frequently recommended in the UK because it’s the safest way to go about stopping alcohol consumption. Medical professionals supervise the process from start to finish. They can take the edge off withdrawal symptoms and intervene during any medical emergency.

For the patient’s benefit

Experts recommend medically supervised alcohol detox for the patient’s benefit. Attempting at-home withdrawal without medical help could prove disastrous because of the rapid physical deterioration detox is known for. Such deterioration can lead to medical emergencies with potentially fatal consequences.

Conversely, alcohol detox centres staffed by experienced medical professionals are there to provide medication, hydration, and 24/7 monitoring. Any complications that could otherwise prove deadly are properly managed through proven interventions. Patients are extremely unlikely to face death while participating in a medically supervised detox program.

It should be noted that repeated attempts to detox from alcohol without supervision tends to increase the severity of the experience with each attempt. Some patients experience a phenomenon known as ‘kindling’, leading to permanent brain and cognitive damage.

Combating chronic alcohol abuse

Beyond the physical dangers associated with alcohol detox in the UK are the mental and emotional dangers of not addressing chronic alcohol abuse. At-home detox without medical help is designed only to address the physical aspects of alcoholism. Perhaps a person can stop drinking for a while. But if their life circumstances don’t change, the chances of going back to drinking are pretty high.

Medically supervised detox treatment through an at-home program typically comes with recommendations for emotional and mental support after the fact. Patients are encouraged to join a local support group and take advantage of therapy.

In a residential setting, the extra services are included in the program. Following physical detox, patients undergo a variety of therapies designed to help them understand their tendency to drink and how it can be avoided. Patients are also taught coping skills and referred to additional services after leaving the program.

The long-term risks aren’t worth it

Repeated cycles of detoxing and returning to drink only makes the problems associated with alcohol abuse worse. Quite frankly, the long-term risks of doing so aren’t worth it. Repeated cycles are linked to significant health issues, including:

• Cancer
• Dementia
• Depression
• Liver disease
• Heart disease
• Higher risk of infection
• Pancreatitis

The physical consequences of long-term alcohol abuse are significant on their own. But there are emotional and social consequences as well. Long-term alcohol abusers are more likely to experience broken relationships, homelessness, isolation, and financial problems.

Professional help breaks the cycle

While detoxing at home and alone can result in a person stopping alcohol, it doesn’t necessarily break the cycle of alcohol abuse. Therein lies the advantage of professional help. Medically supervised detox helps break the physical dependence on alcohol and simultaneously equips a patient to break the cycle of repeated detox and returning to drink.

Detoxing from alcohol can be dangerous and is a process best managed by medical professionals trained to address severe withdrawal symptoms and critical complications. Those seeking help with alcohol detox in the UK should consult a GP or consider enrolling in a residential programme. A combination of medically supervised detox and post-detox therapy can provide effective support in achieving long-term recovery.

The editorial unit