An alcohol use disorder can significantly disrupt a person’s personal and professional life, which makes balancing both overwhelming. This is especially true if medical concerns arise due to this condition. In 2021, 236,296 Californians visited the emergency department due to alcohol-related reasons, which, for many people, is a stark reminder of the toll alcohol can have.
At Pacific Sands, we understand your need for a discreet, compassionate alcohol detox program in Orange County that supports you through the critical first steps of recovery. Our tailored approach helps you build a strong foundation for a healthier future.
What We Treat: Alcohol Use Disorder and Withdrawal
An alcohol use disorder is a condition that results in a person continually seeking out alcohol to the point that it creates concerns in their personal and professional lives. Someone who tries to stop drinking for any reason will experience intense withdrawal symptoms. These occur as a result of your body naturally removing alcohol from your system.
At Pacific Sands, we know how challenging it can be to prevent yourself from returning to use when you have these symptoms. It will often feel like drinking alcohol is the only thing that will make the highly uncomfortable symptoms go away. With that said, the first step towards recovery involves going through this temporary process.
How We Treat: Alcohol Detox Through Residential Treatment
At Pacific Sands, our alcohol detox program occurs during residential treatment, which requires someone to live at our facility for several weeks to months, depending on your unique circumstances. The alcohol detox process occurs at the very beginning of your stay as you wait for the substance to leave your body.
While many people can withdraw from alcohol without complications, they are still possible and have a chance of being life-threatening. Completing this process at a residential treatment facility ensures that you receive medical support if you experience an emergency. In addition to this, you will be prescribed medications that will address the individual symptoms you have. These could help ease nausea, fatigue, headaches, etc., ensuring you remain comfortable throughout this often uncomfortable first step to recovery.
Attending a residential treatment facility for alcohol detox also reduces your chances of returning to use. The cravings many people have during this process are intense enough to encourage someone to drink again in an attempt to ease the symptoms they are feeling. If the environment you are in would only motivate you to reach for alcohol due to stress, enabling relationships, or easy access, alcohol detox at a residential treatment facility removes these potential triggers.
24/7 Help Is Standing By
Visit the admissions page at Pacific Sands Recovery today to learn more about detox.
Alcohol Detox Expectations at Pacific Sands
At Pacific Sands, we will help you reduce cravings, potential triggers, and withdrawal symptoms. Our certified physician will complete a full assessment and prescribe the necessary medications and treatment plan to keep you safe and more comfortable. Our team is here 24/7 to ensure you receive the adequate care and attention you deserve.
We will also assess you for a potential dual diagnosis, which is when you have a mental health condition alongside your alcohol use disorder. These conditions make it difficult for someone to recover successfully if only one is treated. This is why we treat these conditions together, starting during detox.
Pacific Sands has an initial blackout period for all electronics with WiFi. During this, your electronics will be secured to ensure that you remain focused on your detox and recovery. However, you can bring some things to occupy yourself during your stay. These include photos of friends, family, and pets, books or magazines, a blank notebook, and a non-WiFi-enabled music device.
Understanding Common Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms
Alcohol withdrawal symptoms often range in severity, and every individual will experience a different combination of them. As you progress through detox, you may experience more symptoms or worsening intensity. Some of the most commonly reported include:
- Anxiety
- Insomnia
- Excessive sweating
- Heart palpitations
- Increased heart rate
- Increased blood pressure
- High body temperature
- Irritability
- Headache
- Tremors
- Hallucinations
- Confusion
- Delirium
- Seizures
Alcohol Detox Timeline: How Long Does It Last?
The timeline for alcohol detox varies for everyone and is dependent on a variety of factors, such as how long you have been drinking alcohol, how much you last drank, and your metabolism. On average, symptoms will only last a few days to a few weeks.
For the most part, alcohol withdrawal will begin 6 to 12 hours after your last drink. Symptoms during this period are mild and might include cravings, headaches, insomnia, and anxiety. As the hours pass, symptoms will start to intensify, and depending on the severity of your withdrawal, you may experience hallucinations around the 24-hour mark. For many people, by 72 hours, you will have experienced the peak intensity of your symptoms. After this, symptoms typically begin to decrease over several days, weeks, or months, depending on the severity of your alcohol withdrawal.
Do You Need to Attend an Alcohol Detox Facility to Find Recovery?
Not everyone who stops drinking alcohol will have intense withdrawal symptoms. Even among those that do, not all will have complications that require immediate medical attention. With that said, it is still a good idea to attend alcohol detox for reasons other than potential emergencies.
An alcohol detox facility will place you in an environment away from potential triggers or easy access to alcohol. If you live with or regularly interact with people who might enable you to drink, your chance of returning to use is higher. It is common for many people to return to alcohol while they are withdrawing from it. These aspects of alcohol detox will prevent that from happening while also teaching you the skills necessary to avoid a return to use in the future.
Also, during alcohol detox, a team will remind you to stay hydrated and focus on your nutrition. These elements are essential to reducing many symptoms associated with alcohol withdrawal, like headaches, dehydration, and fatigue. They will also encourage you to participate in activities that keep your mind off your cravings.
Continuing Treatment After Alcohol Detox: What Happens Next?
Completing alcohol detox is just the first step in recovering from an alcohol use disorder. After alcohol has left your body, there is still more work to be done to find the healing you deserve. Many people will transition from their alcohol detox stay to inpatient alcohol rehab, which is focused on teaching you the techniques that will make your recovery more manageable. These valuable tools are taught through cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which teaches you how to alter your thoughts from harmful to helpful.
How long someone stays in inpatient varies as much as the length of time someone attends alcohol detox does. Every person is unique. Some people may only need a few weeks to a month, while others might require more extensive stays. Both experiences are valid and normal for someone healing from an alcohol use disorder.
Some people may continue to other treatment options, such as intensive outpatient, partial hospitalization, or traditional outpatient programs. These are all at varying intensity levels. They continue to encourage clients to build upon their recovery journey and strengthen the skills they have learned. It is essential to note that many people will move between different treatment programs, and some might return to an inpatient program even after they have left. This is typical and is not a sign of failure or that you cannot find recovery.
Starting Alcohol Use Disorder Treatment in Santa Ana, CA
Suppose you have been feeling like no matter what you do, you can’t seem to stop drinking alcohol, and it is starting to get in the way of what matters most to you. In that case, alcohol use disorder treatment can help. The first step toward recovery begins by attending alcohol detox, and finding one that puts your needs first is essential to your success. Pacific Sands’s solution-focused approach explores what has worked for you in the past. It assists you in reaching your full recovery potential.
At Pacific Sands, our facility has a maximum of 6 clients and private rooms. This enables us to make your needs and recovery our top priority. Contact us today at 949-426-7962 for more information.
Pacific Sands – The first step towards a new life.
