If you are the spouse of someone with alcohol use disorder (AUD), you both face challenges related to alcohol abuse. Your desire to help and the worry about what will happen can gnaw at you. It may be difficult to separate yourself from the situation enough to realize that you are neither to blame for your spouse’s compulsive drinking nor can you control or fix it. There are, however, ways to work on your own healing while also making meaningful contributions to your loved one’s recovery. Meanwhile, when the time is right, and your spouse has moved past denial and is ready to accept meaningful help, you will be right there to support them. An alcohol detox center program will be the best and safest way for your spouse to shed the physical dependence on alcohol.
When it is time to find a reputable alcohol detox center, consider TruHealing Centers, where our alcohol detox center program is medically supervised in a safe, caring setting. For information about our alcohol detox programs, call [Direct] or fill out our online form.
Withdrawal from Alcohol
Once the drinking has stopped, someone with an AUD will undergo both psychological and physical withdrawal symptoms. In some cases, alcohol withdrawal can be very severe. It is never pleasant.
Physical signs of the body’s detoxification from alcohol abuse are wide-ranging and may include:
- Clammy skin
- Headaches
- Loss of appetite
- Pallor
- Nausea and vomiting
- Sweating
- Tremors
- Heart palpitations
- Hypertension
Psychological symptoms of alcohol withdrawal include:
- Irritability
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Nightmares
- Emotional fragility
- Agitation and frayed nerves
When drinking has been extremely prolonged and heavy, an alcoholic can experience delirium tremens (DTs) during withdrawal. These symptoms can occur from two days up to a week after the last drink and are fatal in 5% of cases. Symptoms of the DTs are:
- Severe disorientation and confusion
- Dangerous shifts in blood pressure
- Fever
- Violent tremors
- Hallucinations
- Irregular heartbeat
- Sensitivity to sensory input (e.g., touch, light, sound)
- Profuse sweating
- Seizures
Someone experiencing delirium tremens needs medical attention immediately.
How Does Professional Alcohol Detox Help?
None of the symptoms listed above are easy to cope with without help. Trained, professional assistance, and medical supervision are the only ways to ensure the safest detox possible. In some cases, withdrawing at home can end in tragedy and often ends in relapse. The relatively easy availability of alcohol makes the “solution” to all the pain and discomfort an easy one. As the spouse, do you want to be in the position of having to refuse or to give in to a demand for “just one drink?”
If your spouse is enrolled in an inpatient, medical detox there are benefits for both of you. For you, peace of mind, knowing your loved partner is in good hands, and that your sole responsibility is to offer support and love.
For the one who is experiencing alcohol withdrawal, there are tangible, practical benefits, including:
- First and foremost is safety. The day and night availability of doctors and other medical professionals ensure that your spouse will be safe throughout the process. In many cases, pre-existing but previously undiagnosed medical or mental health conditions emerge during detox. The effects of the alcohol masked the symptoms for so long that the underlying condition never reared its head. These and any health concerns that arise from the stress of detox can be managed.
- The next benefits are comfort and symptom mitigation. You may think that your spouse would be more comfortable at home, but that isn’t the case. Withdrawal can be painful as well as traumatizing. Medical personnel can provide medications to alleviate the worst symptoms and dull the cravings. At the same time, therapists can offer processes that can help with the psychological discomfort (like breath-work and meditation or simply conversation without judgment or agenda). In a medical detox program, your spouse’s well-being is nurtured and protected at every step.
- Positive outcomes are another essential benefit of an alcohol detox program. Inpatient alcohol detox dramatically reduces the risk of relapse and overdose before the withdrawal is complete. There can be no recovery without a successful detox, so doing as much as you can to ensure your spouse’s success at this stage is a gift. In fact, successful long-term recovery is statistically much more likely for those who undergo a professionally managed and medically supervised detox.
Begin Your Recovery in Alcohol Detox at an Amatus Recovery Center
If you are starting to explore options with your spouse or in preparation for upcoming conversations you know are on the horizon, do not hesitate to contact TruHealing Centers for support, information, and guidance. Our detox programs at each of our centers use proven techniques and are staffed by compassionate, trained, and experienced professionals. Use our online form or call [Direct] to get the conversation started.