When someone enters alcohol rehab, one of their first concerns may be whether or not they will have alcohol cravings once the detoxification process is complete. It’s clear that the first few months of alcohol rehabilitation are critical – being alcohol free during this time is the only way to ensure a higher success rate of breaking your alcohol addiction.
Detox is Only the First Step
Alcohol cleansing refers to the process of stopping usage for a period of time, so that is it essentially no longer in your body. When you enter detox, your system is full of chemical toxins left behind from the alcohol abuse and going through this process will remove and eliminate these toxins, giving you a clean, alcohol-free system to start the emotional and psychological part of recovery.
It’s not unusual for you to encounter withdrawal symptoms, where your body struggles with the sudden alcohol abstinence since your body has become dependent on having it to function or feel good. Depending on how often and how much you consumed while drinking regularly, the severity of withdrawal will vary from person to person.
You shouldn’t worry about cravings during this process though – they are sure sign that the body is effectively beginning to detox. Cravings can occur within the first few hours of withdrawal and may continue further into the detoxification. While the cravings aren’t exactly pleasant, you can find comfort in knowing that the cleanse has begun and there is light at the end of the tunnel.
What Comes After Treatment
Once your treatment has come to an end and your physical addiction to alcohol has been broken, you can focus on the mental side of treatment. Many withdrawal symptoms usually lessen a week after the detox has started, but again, each individual’s experience will vary – the more severe the addiction, the more severe cleanse will be. For this reason, it can be a good idea to consider going through your withdrawal from alcohol under the supervision of a medical professional. Having the presence of someone who is knowledgeable and experienced in handling the side effects of treatment can only be beneficial.
One of the best decisions you can make for yourself is to finally end the battle with alcohol dependence. And like addiction, the detox process is highly individual – the intensity of your withdrawal symptoms is directly linked to the intensity of your dependency on alcohol. But when you’ve broken the physical addiction and have a clear body, you’re putting yourself in a great position to properly begin the mental part of recovery and clear your mind as well.
If you or a loved one need help detoxing from alcohol, contact the team at First Step Detox or call 877-389-1135 for more information.