How to Detox an Alcoholic
Detoxing an alcoholic requires professional help, but you can help with the process by keeping them away from triggers and offering emotional support. Remove all alcoholic beverages and other things containing alcohol, like perfume, from your household so they don't have access to it. You should also encourage them to eat light, healthy foods, like vegetables or salads, which will be easier on their stomach. Since detox is extremely tough, ask friends and family members to provide support, which could include supervising your loved one to make sure they don't relapse. Be sure to encourage your loved one to talk honestly to their doctor about their alcoholism, since detox can be extremely dangerous if a trained medical professional isn't involved.
Suggest a visit to the doctor. Encourage your loved one to visit their primary care physician and be honest with the doctor about drinking habits. Friends and family members are likely to be more forthcoming than about the person's drinking habits, so request to tag along during the visit and, if prompted, offer your perspective to the doctor. An alcoholic may only be willing to tell their doctor part of the problem. Without all of the information, their doctor may have difficulty developing a treatment plan. When the doctor is able to see the full scope of your loved one's addiction, your loved one is more likely to receive the help they need. Tell your loved one something like, "I know this is hard for you, but I think it would be a great idea if you saw a doctor. I can join you and be your advocate in this situation." Doctors often assess for alcoholism using the CAGE acronym. CAGE stands for a series of questions that the doctor asks to see if alcohol is a problem. These questions include: C= Do you feel a need to cut down? A= Do you ever get angry from consuming alcohol? G= Do you have feelings of guilt after drinking? E= Do you need an eye opener in the AM? Get your loved one to complete a physical exam and diagnostic tests. Your loved one's physician may perform tests to determine what damage the body has suffered as a result of the drinking. These can range from bloodwork to a psychological examination to imaging. After running the necessary tests, the doctor may also recommend treatment options, resources, and information about how to stop drinking. Support them through inpatient or outpatient detoxification. Once your loved one has seen a doctor it will be necessary to decide on a course of action for treatment. Help your loved one decide which alcohol treatment option is best for their case. The two types of treatment are generally inpatient or outpatient. Typically, inpatient detox involves staying at a facility and receiving treatment and support 24/7 for weeks or even months. Outpatient treatment is often available through hospitals, mental health clinics, and the like, and offer support and encouragement. Attendance requirements often vary. No matter which type of treatment your loved one chooses, detoxification generally lasts between 2 and 7 days. During this time, your loved one will be under the supervision of a healthcare team that is experienced with treating alcohol use disorder. In treatment, your loved one will take medication that minimizes withdrawal symptoms, receive education about alcohol treatment, and learn behavioral techniques to manage cravings. Identify long-term treatment options for alcoholism. Understand that quitting alcohol isn't a quick fix. Battling cravings and addiction may be something your loved one has to do for their entire life. Your support is needed to help them stay clean. Suggest that your loved one attend a support group, undergo individual or group therapy, or take medications. A combination of these approaches may be required for your loved one to stay clean from alcohol for the long term. If you offer to take part in therapy, this can also be influential in your loved one's treatment. For example, if you are in a romantic relationship with the person undergoing detox, couple's therapy may be beneficial. Family therapy is a sensible choice for relatives of an alcoholic. Show your loved one just how committed you are by participating in the treatment process. Offer to stay with your friend or family member for a short time to help out with household responsibilities and to help them resist cravings for alcohol. Understand the dangers of at-home detox. Realize that abstaining from alcohol without a team of medical professionals to help is not only extremely difficult, but can be dangerous as well. Since the craving to drink is so intense, not having encouragement can make falling back into the habit easy. Encourage your loved one to get professional help first. Additionally, heavy drinkers can suffer through extreme withdrawal symptoms, and not having a medical professional around while experiencing these symptoms could be life-threatening. Patients can suffer from a condition called Delirium Tremens, which is a psychotic condition that is typical during withdrawal in chronic alcoholics. Patients can also suffer from seizures and should be on anti-seizure prophylaxis like benzodiazepine. Remove all alcoholic beverages from the household. An important step in preparing for and committing to alcohol detox is limiting your loved one's access to alcohol. Throw away any alcohol in them home, or even any products that may contain alcohol, such as perfume or mouthwash. Not only does doing so prevent the person from having access to alcohol , but it can also keep them safe. Certain detox medications can have dangerous reactions to alcohol. Your loved one's doctor may even require them to breathe into a breathalyzer periodically while taking detox medication, and having even a slight bit of alcohol in their system can skew the results. Create a support network of family and friends. Know that detox may be the most difficult thing your loved one will ever experience. They can't do it alone, and neither can you. Call in reinforcements. Ask friends and family to help you support them through this process, especially during detox, when they may need someone around to offer supervision and ensure they aren't experiencing life-threatening reactions. Building a support team gives you the opportunity to delegate responsibilities as you help your loved one detox from alcohol. Having more hands on deck may also help you prevent their old drinking buddies, if any, from coming over as well as stop your loved one from visiting them during this vulnerable time. Alcoholics may have to change their social circles completely. In a lot of cases, alcoholics hang around other addicts and alcoholics; therefore, a change in support might be necessary to avoid relapse. Help them get distance. Whether from people or places, your loved one will need accountability from you to support their sobriety long-term. Suggest that they tell friends about their decision, and avoid spending time with people who drink. Also, they should stay away from places where they used to drink or businesses that sell alcohol. Tell your loved one, “If you want to stay clean, you may have to take a break from your friendship with Carlos for a while. Are there any sober friends that I can call over for you?” Emphasize healthy eating and exercise. Understand that your loved one's body will suffer a great deal of turmoil during the detox process, so helping them take care of themselves can make the experience more manageable. Recommend that they eat light foods that are easy on the stomach and have water or sports drinks that contain electrolytes to stay hydrated and fend off nausea or vomiting. Alcoholics should take folate and thiamine supplements to reverse damage and prevent Megaloblastic Anemia and Wernicke's Encephalopathy, respectively. Exercising may also provide a welcome distraction during detox. Join in with your loved one on a walk or run in order to help manage your own stress. Know how chronic alcohol abuse affects the body. Educate yourself on how the brain and body responds to long-term alcohol use. Knowing the scientific and biological process that your loved one's body is experiencing may help you understand why they feel the way they do when abstaining from alcohol. Excessive daily drinking disrupts the brain's neurotransmitters: the brain chemicals that transmit messages. When drinkers stop drinking, the neurotransmitters that were suppressed aren't anymore, and the body often responds with serious and unpleasant effects. Recognize the signs and symptoms of withdrawal. Know that when your loved one stops drinking, their body will likely respond negatively for a few days to a few weeks. Not everyone experiences all of the symptoms, but many who go through detox do. The signs and symptoms of alcohol withdraw include vomiting, seizing, sweats, tremors, anxiety, hallucination, paranoia, agitation, and nausea. Seek immediate emergency care if your loved one is experiencing severe symptoms of withdrawal. Talk to your loved one's doctor about a prescription for benzodiazepine to help prevent seizures. Beware of a severe reaction called delirium tremens (DTs). Understand that some who stop drinking alcohol, especially those who have been drinking heavily for a decade or longer, are prone to developing delirium tremens. About 10 percent of those who experience DTs may die. Symptoms of this reaction include grand mal seizures, intense hallucinations, severe agitation and confusion in addition to elevated blood pressure, pulse, and temperature. If you notice symptoms of DT, take your loved one to the hospital immediately. 
Suggest a visit to the doctor. Get your loved one to complete a physical exam and diagnostic tests. Support them through inpatient or outpatient detoxification. Identify long-term treatment options for alcoholism. Understand the dangers of at-home detox. Remove all alcoholic beverages from the household. Create a support network of family and friends. Help them get distance. Emphasize healthy eating and exercise. Know how chronic alcohol abuse affects the body. Recognize the signs and symptoms of withdrawal. Beware of a severe reaction called delirium tremens (DTs). 