Social drinking every once in a while is a normalized part of society. We see alcohol commercials on TV, it’s easily accessible, and celebrations and weekend nights are often marked by shots, beers, and cocktails. However, alcohol consumption exists on a spectrum, and what can be a casual occurrence for one person can be a much more serious issue for another. So, how do you know if you should detox from alcohol?
Alcohol detox may be right for you if you’ve developed a physical and psychological dependence on alcohol, or if you struggle with alcohol use disorder (AUD). While this may seem like a straightforward criteria, many people struggle with undiagnosed AUD, which makes the answer to this question a little more nuanced.
By understanding your relationship with alcohol, you’ll gain valuable insight into treatment approaches and actions you can take to achieve successful long-term sobriety. Here are some tell-tale signs and indicators that will help you determine if alcohol detox is right for you.
Understanding Alcohol Dependency vs. Casual Drinking
Knowing where you fall on the alcohol consumption spectrum can seem overwhelming, and confronting your substance abuse can bring feelings of shame, fear and confusion. Fortunately, knowledge is power, and you’ll be better set up for recovery success by taking the difficult first step in assessing your alcohol dependence.
The spectrum of alcohol use
Social drinking is a big part of our society, but it also can set the stage for the beginning of AUD. Going out for happy hour a couple times a week with friends or coworkers can seem harmless, but when drinking alcohol starts to interfere with your responsibilities and relationships, a more serious issue may be emerging.
Relying on alcohol as a coping mechanism is not only unhealthy, but it can also lead you down a dangerous path that gradually gets worse without you noticing. The common misconception that detox is only for people who hit “rock bottom” is just that: a misconception. It’s important to recognize that incrementally increasing the frequency and amount of your alcohol consumption can have compounding consequences.
One consequence is that you may experience withdrawal symptoms when alcohol leaves your system. If you struggle with anxiety or are excessively sweaty, shaking, irritable, or notice a loss of appetite or increased heart rate after drinking episodes, your alcohol use may be more serious and be of medical concern.
How the DSM-5-TR criteria is used to diagnose AUD
Mental health professionals will follow the criteria outline in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders (DSM-5-TR) to provide an official diagnosis of your alcohol use. While this manual is used to identify and diagnose various substance use disorders (SUDs), it’s important to note that not everyone’s symptoms will perfectly align with those outlined in the DSM-5-TR.
However, if enough of the criteria applies to you, a therapist or psychiatrist will assess various factors to inform their decision on making an official diagnosis. Criteria outlined in the DSM-5-TR include:
- Struggling with strong urges or cravings to drink.
- Using alcohol in dangerous situations.
- Drinking inteferes with major obligations, responsibilities, and relationships.
- Drinking larger quantities and for longer than intended.
- Spending significant time trying to acquire alcohol or recovering from hangovers.
- Continuing to consume alcohol despite adverse side effects.
- Experiencing severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms when alcohol leaves your system.
If you are on the moderate to severe side of the spectrum of alcohol consumption and you suspect you may have developed a dependence on alcohol, it’s important to remember that medically-supervised professional detox programs are essential for your safety, wellbeing, and long-term success of your recovery.
Related: Comprehensive Guide to Addiction Therapy
Risk Factors for Developing Alcohol Dependence
There are several factors that may make you more susceptible to developing alcohol dependence, from genetic predispositions to friendship dynamics. Contextualizing your risk factors for alcohol addiction can help you prepare yourself for triggering situations.
Biological factors
There are several potential biological factors at play that may have led you or made you more susceptible to developing alcohol dependence. For some, alcohol dependence might be a genetic disposition, so examining your family’s history of AUD can inform your understanding of your relationship to alcohol and give you an idea of your inherited vulnerability. For others, pre-existing mental health issues like anxiety disorders or depression are often associated with an increased likelihood to self-medicate through drinking, in a phenomenon known as co-occurring disorders.
Environmental and social factors
Biological factors are just one piece of the puzzle. Environmental and social influences also play a role, and include factors like peer pressure, feelings of loneliness and isolation, glamorization of alcohol in mainstream media, and stressful life events.
In addition, trauma is an environmental factor associated with developing alcohol dependence, though it has biological components as well. Research shows that anywhere from 28% to 75% of those diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) also struggle with AUD or SUD 1 . If you have PTSD, you might instinctively reach for a drink to cope with intrusive memories of traumatic events, or cravings may be triggered by overwhelming stress.
By holistically examining all of the contributing factors that led to your alcoholism, you’ll be better equipped to untangle the root of your addictive drinking habits, understand your stressors and adopt healthy coping strategies for stress. However, regardless of what led to using alcohol as a crutch, drinking to alleviate psychological distress presents serious issues.
Warning Signs That Alcohol Detox May Be Right for You
Understanding when alcohol detox may be right for you can be difficult, especially without a professional evaluation. However, there are several red flags you can look out for to help you bring clarity to this question.
Here are some physical and psychological warning signs that it’s time to start looking into professional detox programs.
Physical warning signs
Physical warning signs are important indicators of AUD, as continued drinking will only make these symptoms worse. Catching these physical changes early on can help you nip the problem in the bud before more serious complications arise.
Increased tolerance leading to increased consumption
If you notice that you have to drink more to get the desired effects of alcohol, the “normal” amount of drinks are followed by less severe hangovers, or you can function relatively normally while drunk, your alcohol tolerance may be increasing. When your body becomes alcohol dependent, your brain receptors adapt to the constant presence of the substance, which means it takes more drinks to get you drunk.
It’s important to understand that although your tolerance for the intoxicating effects of alcohol goes up, your tolerance for alcohol poisoning and the life-threatening effects of alcohol does not increase proportionally. Alcohol poisoning can be fatal, so evaluating any physical changes early on is key.
Withdrawal symptoms between drinking episodes
Ever noticed that you experience headaches, nausea, anxiety, or excessive sweating the morning after binge drinking? These are all mild symptoms associated with alcohol withdrawal, and proactively addressing these issues can ensure you won’t experience more serious complications down the line.
Milder alcohol withdrawal symptoms may manifest as headaches, nausea, anxiety, and cravings. More serious and potentially life-threatening symptoms include seizures, delirium tremens (DTs), severe dehydration, and cardiovascular complications — all of which are medical emergencies.
In addition, you may unconsciously self-medicate these symptoms by having a drink to curb the side effects of withdrawal, which further complicates the accuracy of a self-assessment. However, if you struggle with alcoholism and suddenly stop drinking, the side effects could be fatal. If this applies to you, professional detox programs will carefully taper you off alcohol and prescribe you medication for addiction to ensure your safety.
Noticeable physical changes
Extended alcohol use and ignoring withdrawal symptoms can lead to noticeable physical changes. Unintended weight fluctuations, becoming easily winded, sexual dysfunction, expressions of redness or jaundice in the skin, and reduced coordination are all examples of physical changes. If your friends or family have commented on alterations in your appearance, consider seeking a professional assessment for AUD.
Psychological warning signs
While some people may believe that psychological warning signs are not as dangerous as the potential for seizures and DTs associated with physical symptoms, they’re important indicators. Furthermore, unaddressed warning signs will only lead to more serious side effects as your condition worsens.
Insistence to use alcohol despite consequences
Are you ignoring the physical warning signs of alcoholism? Is your relationship with your family, friends, or loved ones suffering, despite repeated attempts to intervene? Do self-medicating drinking episodes offer temporary relief, only to be followed by worsening of symptoms as you sober up? If you answered yes to any of these questions, consider this a red flag that you are struggling with alcohol abuse.
Significant time dedicated to alcohol-related activities
Individuals with AUD may dedicate a large portion of their day plotting on how they’ll get their next sip of alcohol, or recovering from hangovers. If nights of drinking are followed by mornings of recovering and days are characterized by acquiring alcohol, this could indicate an unhealthy obsession with alcohol. Be mindful of how you spend your time and take note of when consuming alcohol takes priority over other responsibilities.
Social isolation due to preoccupation with drinking
When drinking becomes your priority, your loved ones may express concern or even initiate an intervention. However, sometimes people become frustrated by their failed attempts to help out, and you may experience social isolation as a result. Furthermore, you may find yourself rejecting social plans to avoid the judgment that can come with extreme alcohol intoxication. This is particularly dangerous because research shows that socially isolated individuals have a propensity to drink more 2 .
Beyond Factors and Warning Signs: Who Really Needs Alcohol Detox?
Alcohol consumption and AUD alike exist on a spectrum, and as such, it’s important to understand the nuances of your addiction. Some people who struggle with alcoholism are considered high-functioning and can still maintain professional and household responsibilities, have a social life, and have healthy relationships — all while struggling with AUD.
It’s also easy for AUD to go unrecognized, whether in yourself or a loved one, since a lot of social events usually involve alcohol. When heavy drinking is normalized during celebrations, dependency often goes undetected. Alcohol’s impairment of judgment makes it difficult for people to recognize thatnthere might be a problem.
To really understand who needs alcohol detox, contact a mental-health professional to get a proper assessment. The fact that you are self-reflecting on your relationship with alcohol may be an indicator that medically-supervised detox is necessary.
Understanding the Importance of Medically-Supervised Detox
If you’re considering detox, it’s critical to understand the importance of seeking a professional detox facility where you’ll receive around-the-clock supervision from medical professionals and support. Self-detoxing at home without medical supervision can be ineffective and dangerous, as withdrawal symptoms can be deadly.
However, you may be resistant to detox because of the existing stigma surrounding addiction, and have convinced yourself that you don’t have AUD. It’s important to remember that AUD often goes undiagnosed, and denial of your condition may mean you’re suppressing withdrawal symptoms. Only a mental health professional can properly diagnose the severity of your alcoholism, develop a treatment approach that includes therapy for alcoholism, and guide you toward alcohol medication to ease your withdrawal symptoms and make the detox process more manageable.
How Neuro Wellness Spa Can Assess Your Alcohol Use and Support Safe Detox
Navigating alcohol dependency and assessing your need for detox can be a daunting path to begin. Fortunately, Neuro Wellness Spa is here to guide you through this confusing process, from assessment to post-detox care. Our compassionate mental health care team can help you assess the severity of your alcohol consumption, guide you toward help and support resources, teach you healthier coping mechanisms, and offer a non-judgemental space to express your thoughts and emotions.
For those requiring specialized alcohol detoxification services, our sister program Clear Behavioral Health offers comprehensive, medically-supervised detox in a safe and supportive environment. Their experienced team specializes in helping individuals navigate the challenging early stages of alcohol recovery, providing clinical excellence alongside compassionate care.
Following completion of your detox program, you’ll have access to Neuro Wellness Spa’s full spectrum of mental health services to support your ongoing sobriety journey, creating a comprehensive continuum of care designed to address your evolving needs throughout recovery. We provide a complete range of evidence-based services including psychiatric medication management by board-certified psychiatrists, individual talk therapy with licensed therapists using various therapeutic modalities, and FDA-approved Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) therapy for treatment-resistant conditions that may co-occur with substance use challenges.
Reach out to Neuro Wellness Spa today so we can help you begin your alcohol detox journey by finding the best treatment plan available for you.
References:
- Petrakis, I. L., & Simpson, T. L. (2017). Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and alcohol Use Disorder: A Critical review of Pharmacologic Treatments. Alcoholism Clinical and Experimental Research, 41(2), 226–237. https://doi.org/10.1111/acer.13297
- Le, T. M., Wang, W., Zhornitsky, S., Dhingra, I., Chen, Y., Zhang, S., & Li, C. R. (2020). The neural processes interlinking social isolation, social support, and problem alcohol use. The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology, 24(4), 333–343. https://doi.org/10.1093/ijnp/pyaa086