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Medical detox for alcohol: How long does it take to work?

According to stats revealed by a study titled “Forecasted alcoholic beverage consumption in India from 2016 to 2020” published by Satistica, Indians were consuming about 5.4 billion litres of alcohol in 2016. It was estimated to reach 6.5 billion liters by the year 2020. Country liquor sweeps away with highest market share. Alcohol is one of the highly consumed commodities in the Indian market.

Although the average alcohol intake in adults is considerably low in India as compared to other countries, young Indians are found to be heavy drinkers often going on a bender. Survey reveals men drink more than women and are also prone to episodic drinking.  The study also said, over 88% of Indians under 25 years of age consume alcoholic beverages. This is the condition despite an alcohol ban in some states across the country and sales limitations in others. Youth in India consume these substances despite being aware of the fact that it is illegal.

The problem of alcohol consumption is constantly growing. According to health experts, there is a direct link between health problems and alcohol consumption. It kills 2.6 lakh Indians every year with deadly diseases like liver cirrhosis, cancer, or road accidents.

It definitely calls for standardized norms for alcohol use in the country by the central government. As per a report by the World Health Organization (WHO), alcohol kills around 6,000 people every day globally. 28% of these deaths are due to injuries, 21% are due to digestive disorders, 19% are due to cardiovascular diseases, and the remaining are due to infectious diseases, cancers, mental disorders.

If the Indian statistics in the WHO Report are to be considered, there are 30,000 deaths among cancer patients every year with constant use of alcohol. The major challenge lies in the high alcohol consumption among teenagers. Dr. Monika Arora from the “Public Health Foundation of India” reports some heavy episode-drinking among this age group. When alcohol consumption becomes an addiction, getting rid of it can be challenging. Detoxification is the only way to deal with alcoholism. Detox begins once an individual stops drinking and the effect of alcohol starts leaving the system slowly.

From when does Medical Detox for alcohol start working?

People usually face withdrawal symptoms while undergoing treatment for alcohol addiction. In severe cases, these symptoms can be life-threatening for the patients. It’s important to seek professional help when a person decides to quit drinking to reduce the intensity of the symptoms.

Initial detox takes around a week. However, treatment of severe symptoms continues for longer. Here are the stages of getting a medical alcohol detox in most cases:

  • The initial stage of withdrawal shows after 8 hours of the last drink.
  • Symptoms show their peak after 24–72 hours.
  • After 5–7 days, they may decrease in intensity as the alcohol starts leaving the system.
  • After the first week, some psychological side effects may continue.

It’s normal to develop disorders after alcohol use. People must seek help if they are becoming dependent on alcohol. Apart from the physical symptoms, people also experience some psychological side-effects like alcohol cravings or anxiety. If treatment is not sought at the earliest, alcohol withdrawal symptoms may turn life-threatening the moment a person stops drinking after severe and prolonged use. It’s better to get treatment from alcohol rehabilitation centers where a team of medical health experts monitors the worsening symptoms of the patients.

Effective treatment is always available!

People should seek immediate professional help whenever they are addressing these withdrawal symptoms of alcohol use disorder. It is true that it can be challenging for people struggling with addiction. But, effective treatment is always possible with the help of loved ones.

The healthcare team at Athena monitors every aspect while providing treatment to the patients for easy recovery from alcohol addiction. People should know that recovery is always possible once they decide to get their normal life back. Our patients have gradually seen a change with a continuous course of treatment. Contact us on our 24/7 helpline number 9289086193 or chat online to get further details of our treatment programs.