How does the alcohol detox process work?
If you are suffering with alcohol addiction, it may be necessary for you to go through a medically assisted alcohol detoxification or ‘detox’ process as an important first step, before you are able to receive comprehensive therapy and support for your alcohol addiction.
The purpose of Life Works’ detox programme is to systematically remove all traces of alcohol from your body and assist you in managing the withdrawal symptoms that are commonly experienced when you stop consuming alcohol. Our rigorous, 10-day programme has been designed to ensure that the process is safe, efficient, thorough and managed as seamlessly as possible for each client, in a supportive environment.
Alcohol detox in Surrey
Ultimately, the goal of alcohol detox is to help you to tackle the physical side of your alcohol addiction, and by doing so, enable you to address the underlying issues that caused your addiction to develop in the first place.
Life Works’ alcohol detoxification programme occurs in a safe and comfortable environment, complete with 24-hour monitoring. Our specialist medical and nursing staff members are available around the clock, so you never need to worry about having access to care. Following detox, we strongly recommend that our clients transition to the next phase of alcohol addiction treatment, which takes place as part of our intensive, residential addiction treatment programme.
A comprehensive medical assessment with an alcohol detox specialist
Prior to commencing with alcohol detox at Life Works, you will have the opportunity to undergo our free assessment. During this, a member of our expert team will assess your condition, and determine whether a medically assisted detoxification is appropriate for you.
If it is recommended that you receive a detox for your alcohol addiction, the next step will be for you to undergo a comprehensive medical assessment with one of our addictions experts. The purpose of this is to gather relevant information on your medical history as well as the nature of your alcohol addiction, and use this to develop a personalised detox plan. The structure and length of your detox plan will be guided by the following factors:
- How much you have been drinking (amount and frequency)
- The seriousness of your withdrawal symptoms
- An in-depth evaluation of your overall physical functioning
What happens during detox from alcohol?
Detox at Life Works takes place on an inpatient basis, which means that you will stay at our specialist detox clinic in Woking for the duration of the detoxification programme, which is usually 10 days. While in detox, you will be able to start participating in group therapy sessions as soon as you are physically able to do so. Under the guidance of an experienced therapist, groups therapy allows you to learn from other clients who are on a similar recovery journey to you, share your thoughts, feelings and insights, and learn how to develop healthy, productive and sober relationships.
Throughout the detox process, our clients stay in modern, single accommodation bedrooms, which come complete with private en-suite bathrooms. Our rooms are welcoming and comfortable, ensuring that they are well-suited to supporting relaxation and recovery. In order to ensure that the detox process is as pleasant and restful as possible, we provide our clients with a range of entertainment facilities, including books and a television, to help you to pass the time and serve as a welcome distraction from your withdrawal symptoms.
Depending upon the nature and severity of your alcohol withdrawal symptoms, you may be given prescription medication to alleviate any discomfort that you are experiencing, and prevent more severe withdrawal symptoms such as seizures. Our on-site medical and nursing staff, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, ensure that our alcohol detox clients are closely observed at all times. Our detox rooms are located next to Life Works’ nursing station so that our specialist team can address any issues or concerns that our detox clients may have, in a swift and timely manner. In addition, all detox rooms come complete with an emergency buzzer for clients to use if they need assistance.
This page was reviewed by Robin Clayton, Primary Therapist, (BACP, ATSAC) in September 2021.