Month Detox Plan

[BalthazarBeefheart]

I see already some posters are doing a three month detox and wish them every success. This plan I have used in the past and I'd be delighted if just one idea helped someone else.

Set A Date.

Make it sooner than later and stick to it.

If you work Monday - Friday make it Saturday 'cos you are going to feel very rough for at least a couple of days.

Drinks

Get rid of all booze - stock fridge with as much water,juices someone recommended Ginger Tea as being a known remedy here in Thailand.

Get some Taurine this protein is recognised to help with alcoholism and surprisingly is contained in Red Bull.

Time

Plan how you are going to occupy the sudden deluge of free time - books you have also wanted to read - exercise - new hobby etc.

Social

I think heavy drinking mates may be best avoided but have a bog standard reason for not drinking -on medication is a good one that way you avoid any debate on the rights and wrongs of drinking. Look for alternatives to the pub - cinema restaurants.

Money

Get a jar so that each night you can put in how much you feel you would have spent on booze - be honest - up it after a stressful day or cause for celebration - after 3 weeks use the money to buy yourself a gift you'll be amazed what you can afford.

It may also help you decide that you should not drink when certain triggers occur.

In the last few days you may well be feeling so much better that you decide to extend this period if not try and think about ways of being more moderate with future consumption.

Edited July 21, 2006 by BalthazarBeefheart

[iquittoday]

If I may add, "detox" refers to the physical detoxification of the body, and depending on drinking history, the process will generally not take more than 1 week. It incurs withdrawal symptoms, usually starting 12 hours after the last drink. I assume you are referring to the rehabilitation phase, and I agree on most of your tips! Yet opposed to your suggestion about "avoiding debates", I decided to let the whole world know (hence the blog :-) and my family and friends, and they were all very supportive. I think that it is a crucial factor, you don't have to go through this on your own, you need as much as support as you can get. If your friends don't understand or want to argue with your sound decision, you might have to redefine what "a friend" is.

I decided to go cold-turkey July 7, 2006, then just for fun looked up a few things on the net, and it scared the sh*t out of me.

It can be very dangerous to do to a "sudden detox" for heavy drinkers. I consulted a lot of relevant websites, and had a talk with a doctor, based on what I have learned. I can absolutely advise anyone who wants to go through detox to get proper medication!.

I keep a diary and have summarised most of it in my weblog (http://iquittoday.blogspot.com), but in summary:

for 1 week, 1 took Diazepam (Valium, 10 mg) once after breakfast, once after lunch, once after dinner, and 2 before going to sleep (without a fair amount of drinks, I can't/couldn't get to sleep). Valium will suppress anxiety and general feelings of discomfort. Chlordiazepoxide (Librium) will do as well, and is usually advised, but McCormick didn't have it.

The valium was a blessing for me!

Thiamine (Vitamin B-1) is vital to help restore and repair the damage alcohol may have caused to your brain and nervous system.

In my case, I also had high blood pressure (72/177), so I had tablets for that as well.

I went to McCormick hospital in Chiang Mai, they are specialised in addiction treatments (and have AA meetings for those interested, not me- so far), and although the doctor wanted to keep me in hospital for a week, I declined, as I can't afford it. He did prescribe me the drugs I suggested, based on my own research.

I also took time off and went into retreat (up country), a change of environment especially in this stage was vital for me.

The actual "rehabilitation" phase is what you may be referring to, and it is probably more difficult than the detox phase. And that's where I am now.

Some quotes from various sources (a lot of reading, I know, but worth it):

"Alcohol detox can be defined as a period of medically monitored and supervised withdrawal from alcohol while the alcohol is dispersed from the body. Alcohol detox can be life-threatening. Alcohol detox can cause pain and suffering. The process of alcohol detox can be traumatic. Detox from alcohol, also know as withdrawal, can cause complications. The signs and symptoms of acute alcohol detox and withdrawal begin to appear between 6 and 48 hours after heavy alcohol consumption decreases. Appropriate treatment for alcohol detox and withdrawal is to relieve the patient’s discomfort and prevent the development of serious symptoms. Hospital (or equivalent) admission provides the safest setting for alcohol detox and withdrawal."

(source: www.addict-help.com)

"Alcohol Dependence

If you are dependent on alcohol you may experience withdrawal symptoms several hours after your last drink. Withdrawal symptoms include:

* Nausea

* Tremors

* Sweats

* Craving for alcohol

* Anxiety

Convulsions (fits) may occur in a small number of cases. As a result of this you drink alcohol regularly and ‘depend’ on it to prevent these symptoms.

Many people ‘top up’ their drinking to prevent these symptoms occurring this may be known as ‘hair of the dog’.

If you do not ‘top up’ or re-start drinking these feelings can last 5 – 7 days. During this time the withdrawal can be very unpleasant and you may have a drink to alleviate these feelings.

Alcohol Detoxification Process

On admission we will prescribe a course of tablets which will reduce the severity of the withdrawal and safely cover the time until your body adjusts physically to a state free from alcohol.

The tablets used for detox are normally a reducing regime of chlordiazepoxide (commonly the trade name Librium) and a course of vitamin B1 (thiamine). This vitamin is vital to help restore and repair the damage alcohol may have caused to your brain and nervous system.

How you may feel during the first 24 - 48 hours of detoxification

* You may feel anxious

* You may have difficulty initially in getting to sleep

* You may feel clammy or sweaty"

(Source: http://www.lynwodemanor.co.uk/treatment/alcohol-detox.html)

"Alcohol Addiction Treatment Program - 3 Alcoholism Treatment Option Steps

By David Buster

An alcohol addiction treatment program consists of three general alcoholism treatment option steps. These three steps are intervention, detoxification and rehabitation. Many persons with a drinking problem do not see or acknowledge that they have a problem with alcohol abuse. Intervention used in an alcohol addiction treatment program used to be more confrontational since problem drinkers would be confronted about their excessive drinking and threatened with consequences if they did not begin treatment.

Today, the more effective alcoholism treatment option consists of caring and understanding counseling and intervention. Studies have found that more people begin an alcohol addiction treatment program when family members or employers are honest with them and try to help the drinker see that alcohol abuse is adversely affecting their health and lives in many ways. Family or friends may need to help start the process of drinking problem recognition by reading relevant books on the subject to become better informed, by contacting their healthcare professional or by locating the nearest Alcoholics Anonymous or similar group.

An alcohol addiction treatment program intervention is a structured process where a group of family members, friends or co-workers get together in a caring way to communicate their concerns about a problem drinker's behavior. Done correctly, intervention has the objective of moving the person (and those who are part of the problem drinker's life) out of crisis mode and into addressing the addiction. Without the problem drinker recognizing and acknowledging that he or she has a drinking problem, there can be no effective and lasting alcoholism treatment option.

Here are the three main alcohol addiction treatment program steps:

1. Intervention - this is the initial alcoholism treatment option whereby the drinking problem is recognized and acknowledged by the drinker and perhaps family members or employer as well. Once the alcohol problem is recognized, alcohol consumption is stopped for those persons that are alcohol dependent.

If the person is a problem drinker and not alcohol dependent, moderate drinking may be successful. Many alcoholics at first will not acknowledge that their drinking is out of control, and moderation can often be a successful way to deal with the drinking problem. If moderation works, the drinking problem is solved. If it doesn't work, then the person is usually ready to try abstinence. Because alcoholism affects the people closely related to the problem drinker, education and treatment for family members through counseling is often necessary.

2. Detoxification - this phase of an alcohol addiction treatment program usually takes from 4 to 7 days. The more alcohol a person has been drinking each day, the higher the likelihood the person will develop alcohol withdrawal symptoms when they stop drinking.

Alcohol withdrawal symptoms can range from annoying and uncomfortable to serious and even life-threatening. Withdrawal symptoms generally begin within 12 hours of the last alcohol consumption and will be the maximum in two or three days.

The person may need to stay at the hospital for medical observation. In a medically supervised environment, withdrawal from alcohol can be done safely, and medications can be used as needed to relieve withdrawal symptoms. Other medical problems that may exist increase the likelihood of developing severe withdrawal symptoms. For example, blood clotting and liver problems are often found in heavy drinkers, and serious symptoms such as convulsions, fever or delirium tremens can develop.

3. Rehabilitation - recovery from alcoholism should include support for the problem drinker once the detoxification alcoholism treatment option phase is completed to help maintain alcohol abstinence. This important recovery support will likely include counseling, nursing and medical care within these kinds of programs. Alcoholism disease education and alcohol effects on the body should be part of this alcoholism treatment option and rehab.

An alcohol addiction treatment program can be an inpatient or outpatient program. Medications are sometimes prescribed in alcoholism treatment to help prevent relapses. Naltrexone will reduce the desire for alcohol. Antabuse is another drug that is used in alcoholism treatment. It functions by producing unpleasant side effects if any alcohol is consumed within fourteen days after the drug is taken. Counseling or support groups are often needed on a long-term basis to help maintain sobriety.

Alcoholism and alcohol abuse can become life-threatening if not treated. It is never too late to begin the process of intervention, detoxification and rehabilitation to help a problem drinker regain control of their health and their lives.

If you'd like to see what alcoholism treatment option facilities exist, you can search online for a USA alcohol abuse treatment center that's located near you. If recovery from alcohol becomes a priority in your life or the life of someone you care about, seek an alcohol addiction treatment program that can provide the caring and professional alcoholism treatment that the problem drinker truly deserves."

(Source: http://www.alcoholismanswers.com/alcohol-d...ification.html)

"Alcoholism requires detoxification before beginning treatment and recovery. When alcohol residuals remain in the body cravings will continue and recovery from alcohol addiction will be very difficult to achieve. Alcohol detox should be done with the care of a licensed medical facility. Alcohol detox involves stabilizing the individual physical as well as emotionally. Individuals detox from alcohol at different rates. The time frame required for alcohol detox varies based on and individual's history of alcohol abuse. Attempting to detox from alcohol without the proper professional help is extremely dangerous. It can result in serious physical, psychological, emotional consequences, and could even result in death.

When one begins the process of alcohol detoxification they will first experience alcohol withdrawal symptoms. These include sweating or rapid pulse, increased hand tremor, insomnia, nausea or vomiting, physical agitation, anxiety, auditory hallucinations, and the possibility of grand mal seizures. These physical and emotional symptoms may be extremely severe depending on the individual's alcohol abuse history. For this reason alcohol withdrawal, detox, and treatment should be done at an authorized treatment center."

(Source: http://www.alcoholaddiction.info/alcohol-detox.htm)

And there is loads more, google on "alcohol detox".

I wish everyone (including myself, so far so good) good luck!

[sbk]

Valium and Librium are also addictive and could easily become a replacement addiction for the alcohol.

It is possible to go off alcohol without valium or librium as neither one counteracts the possible dangerous effects of "cold turkey".

[iquittoday]

Valium and Librium are also addictive and could easily become a replacement addiction for the alcohol.

It is possible to go off alcohol without valium or librium as neither one counteracts the possible dangerous effects of "cold turkey".

Dear sbk,

I am not sure if you have read my entire post, and the quoted information, or checked other sources.

I refuse to believe that all the addiction, rehab and detox clinics worldwide are BS us! Taking Valium or Librium in theses doses for 1 week will not be addictive. I never suggested taking these medications for a longer period of time.

Yes, of course it is possible to detox without, but given the huge and difficult decision people who want to stop drinking have taken, why not follow advice to make it a bit more easier (less painful) for yourself for the first week, and increase your success rate whilst going through your physical detox (according to all experts, doctors, clinics, and yep, out of my own experience).

I still advise anyone wanting to go through detox to find (and evaluate) the information regarding this themselves, I found it on the net, I followed the advice of 99% of the professional/b] sources (and I checked dozens!) and I am glad I did. I also double checked with a doctor ("back in Europe") and with a local expert doctor, and they all agreed.

Your statement is right, yet in my opinion not constructive. I am looking forward to your alternatives and suggestions though, I am sure a lot more people are.

Finally, in my posting I try to give both personal and objective and verifiable information, I am not a doctor, I am just an alcoholic who celebrates 16 days without a drink!

Regards,

IQ

[sbk]

Well, I am not an alcoholic at all. But I am the daughter of alcoholics, the sister of one and the sister-in-law of one. In fact, unfortunately, it seems to run in my family. I am blessed with not having an addictive personality.

However, many members of my family do have addictive personalities and I have watched their struggles for my entire life. Every single one of them has struggled with various addictions in addition to the alcohol. Whether it was cigarettes, food or caffeine.

My father was rearended and suffered permanent whiplash but went to a pain clinic for treatment which taught him how to treat his pain in non-chemical ways because he knows he would become easily addicted to drugs. This was after he had been sober for over 15 years.

So, I do not sit in judgement of you for using valium to ease your withdrawal symptoms but felt it important to point out that in my experience, people who are addicted to one thing can often easily become addicted to another.

It is a known fact that valium and librium are addictive and you can say only that for yourself you did not become addicted on such doses in one week but you cannot say this for anyone else. As with all things, each person has to decide what is right for them.

[NovaBlue05]

The valium isn't a replacement. It's prescribed to "calm" you down and help you relax during the first few days of withdraw.....much like a dentist gives you a few days worth of pain killers after extracting a tooth. It's not needed beyond this period. The main danger of alcohol detox as I understand it is the potential for cardiac arrest or something like that. There is no drug other than alcohol that I am aware of...including heroin..crack..meth..where you can actually die from withdraw. The valium worked quite well for me. After 3 days, the withdraw pain was gone and so was the valium.

[sbk]

Like I said, each person has to decide what is right and best for themselves but should know all sides to a story.

[Neeranam]

Valium(Diazepam) was the lesser of two evils for me. It helped me detox MANY times.

However it is dangerous, especially in Thailand where you can buy as much of the stuff as you want.

Of course,I got addicted to valium and ended up taking 200mg a day PLUS two bottles of Saeng Som.

I developed a tolerance over 5 years use.

Coming off the booze was fairly easy(staying off a different matter).

Coming off the valium was a nightmare! Took a long time with many withdrawals(physical and psychological). There's only one worse substance to come off and that's methadone.

Also there's the danger of overdose/death - why am I still alive? I don't know but I enjoy every day now as a bonus.

I used to say to my doctor back in Scotland to give me valium and it was better than drinking. He would never give me for more than 2-3 weeks, quite rightly.

For me, AA and NA are the only answer. They help me deal with life without the use of drugs or booze.

Also most of the relapses of alcoholics that I know started out with the taking of valium or other benzodiazepines to sleep, relax etc.

Edited July 24, 2006 by Neeranam