Okay, let’s be honest with each other here for a minute; we all know that everyone misuses alcohol at least once in their lifetime. From the parities to the weddings, the date nights out, and the evenings spent drinking copious amounts of wine in front of our TVs. Alcohol permeates a great deal of our society and culture today, but it has also painted much of humanity’s past. Even still, drinking, whether used in traditional ceremonies or “get lit” for an evening out with friends, is a potent and sometimes dangerous substance.
Unfortunately, millions of people from all ages, backgrounds, occupations, and other classifications, fall victim to chronic alcohol abuse every year. In some extreme cases, people become addicted to alcohol, developing alcoholism, and forming alcoholic habits. Addiction is a life-altering condition that has been misunderstood for many years. Only recently has research begun to prove to society that alcoholism, like other forms of substance abuse and addiction, is a chronic condition that no one chooses to live with. Alcoholism is indeed a medical condition that requires expert help to overcome.
Luckily enough for us, alcohol addiction treatment centers exist all around the country. Every state has at least one form of addiction treatment service or another, and most insurance providers include some form of recovery cover in their policies. But before you even make it to the main event of a professional addiction treatment program, otherwise known as inpatient rehabilitation, you must first make it through the alcohol detox period.
What is Medical/Alcohol Detox?
Medical detox, sometimes referred to as detoxification, is the initial process an individual work through that rides their body of the presence of drugs or alcohol. In drug detoxes, it is always recommended that an individual seeks out professional guidance and help to work through the process to ensure the treatment’s safety and effectiveness. Alcohol detox, on the other hand, can operate a little differently. Yes, we all individually can choose whether or not we would wish to undergo professional detoxification. Drug detoxes it is always recommended. But with alcohol detox, you can try and work through the process of withdrawal on your own at home.
Unfortunately, no matter whether you decide to receive professional treatment or try to self-regulate through the process of detox, withdrawal is inevitable if you wish to stop abusing drinking. Trying to quit cold turkey on your own at home is a more complex way of undergoing withdrawal and detox. But choose to experience alcohol detox in a Florida rehabilitation center. You may have access to more specialized support services, like medication assistance, 24-hour supervision, and the chance to get a jump start on therapy.
Detox is not an accessible event to work through. The overall process can take anywhere from a couple of days to a few weeks or longer. And if you decide to try and detox on your own at home, you run a higher risk of falling back into relapse because of the discomfort you experience. With professional alcohol detox centers, you can relax slightly, although the journey will still not be easy. In professional treatment, you can either attend a hospital or rehab’s detox program, where you will have constant aid on hand in the event of an emergency or when you need extra support.
The detoxification and withdrawal process is complex and uncomfortable. But with professional help, alcohol detox can be made more tolerable to live through. Once you finish your medical detox program, you can move into an inpatient or residential rehab program to begin the bulk work on your healing foundation. But until you reach that step, here are a few tips to help keep you motivated to work on yourself through the alcohol detoxification period.
Tip #Uno (1): Remind Yourself that Detox is Just Your First Step
The alcohol detox process is rough. There is no getting around that fact. While you are working through these initial steps of healing and finding a new balance for yourself, you will experience many discomforts. This displeasure may make you feel as though everything is hopeless, and you will likely feel discouraged and angry at times. But you must keep in mind that detox is only your first step on your journey towards alcohol addiction recovery.
You don’t have to have a perfect sober living process down pact now. You don’t need to have all of the answers for family members, friends, or yourself. You must be willing to commit to the process of healing. You have to be committed to seeing this process through to the end. Yes, at times, you will feel discouraged thinking about all the things you still must do to obtain recovery. But you can also gain immense joy, encouragement, and even motivation from remembering that this is not your best version of yourself yet.
You may still have a while left to go, but you can be excited about all of the things you will accomplish. So my first tip to you, tip number one, is to remind yourself that you don’t need to have your life plan and recovery journey all together in detox. You are a work in progress. The first step to recovery will be difficult, but try and take a moment to reflect on what you are doing for yourself. Be proud of the steps you are taking towards healing, whether you seek professional help for treatment or work at home to distance yourself from drinking. The journey is a long, unpleasant one at times, but that does not mean the entire process must be devoid of joy.
Tip #Dos (2): Set Goals for Yourself
A wise man once said, “where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.” What does this mean? Well, precisely what it sounds like. Those who walk through life with no vision for their future ultimately go nowhere; they perish for lack of truly living. But in terms of alcohol addiction treatment and detox, this proverb can also be implemented. Clients who enter into rehab do not set goals for themselves or are more prone to relapse. You need the vision to work towards. You need to set goals for yourself, even if they are small achievements to behold.
Goals help keep you motivated. And realistic goals in recovery, like journaling every night for a week, going three days without constantly thinking about drinking, or practicing a new coping skill your therapist taught you in your first detox counseling session, will help reassure you of your progress. It will also help to challenge you to keep moving forward when you experience a setback. And help encourage you to feel confident in your progress and accomplish more and more goals. So, my second tip to you is, set realistic goals for yourself.
Tip #Tres (3): Change Your Habits, Find Hobbies, Get Outside
Yes, you read that right. It is time to get a hobby. In detox, hobbies can help be distractions. But if you make these distractions significant changes in your lifestyle and learn to enjoy them, they can be coping skills, foundational building blocks, and courses for immense joy. Getting involved in outdoor activities is one great way to distract yourself from alcohol detox. Florida residents and addiction clients significantly benefit from getting outdoors more often because they can soak up added vitamin D from the sun and get some fresh air, both of which have proven beneficial to the addiction healing process.
Alcohol detox is not always fun. But attend alcohol detox in Florida. You’ll have more opportunities to change up your habits exponentially, picking up hobbies like kayaking, hiking, walking, fishing, and not just knitting or sewing (although these hobbies can be very beneficial too). If you are looking to succeed in your alcohol detox program in Florida, start drinking some more water, make it one of your daily goals. Get outside into the sunshine. Learn a new sport or take a walk. Take advantage of the opportunities you have in Florida to change your life and experience new things. Not every state has year-round sunshine and outdoor activities. You may find something you love that will help you recover even further from addiction.
Of course, if you are undergoing alcohol detox in a medical setting, you won’t have as many opportunities to leave campus grounds until you have completed detox. But you can still take walks, make small goals for yourself and begin researching inpatient facilities for enrollment, where you will invest your future. If you are attempting to undergo alcohol detox and withdrawal on your own at home, picking up new hobbies for distractions will be a great way to help keep your mind off the cravings you are experiencing! Of course, no two people experience alcohol withdrawal and detox in the same way. One method of coping might work great for you and be ineffective for someone else.
You don’t need to continue doing something that is not working for you. Instead, you can try a new treatment option or activity. You owe it to yourself to love you, your body and mind, and to want to recover. Alcohol detox may be challenging, but it isn’t impossible. All you need to do is be diligent in healing and giving recovery and your detox program a real shot. You can overcome alcoholism! Even at our weakest moments, we can accomplish great things.
References
Bible Gateway. Proverbs 29:18 (KJV). (Accessed 2021, April 9).
SJRP. St. John’s Recovery Place. Florida Drug and Alcohol Rehab Center. Drug & Alcohol Detox. https://www.sjrp.com/services/drug-and-alcohol-detox/ (Accessed 2021, April 9).
Harvard Health Publishing: Harvard Medical School: Trusted Advice for a Healthier Life. Sour Mood Getting You Down? Get Back to Nature. (2018, July). (2021, April 9).
CDC: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: CDC 24/7 “Savings Lives, Protecting People.” Data on Excessive Drinking. (2020, September 3). (2021, April 9).
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