I couldn’t have ended 20+ years of alcoholism without the support of my wonderful family. They stood by me throughout my darkest moments, even when they didn’t have to. It took a lot of effort on their part to deal with my nonsense.
Lies, lashing out, threats, all the horrible ways that I treated them, and they were still there for me. That’s something that I’ll never forget. It really taught me the power of love and family. If they could do that for me, then the only way I could repay them is to work as hard as I can to stay clean.
Besides, dealing with alcohol withdrawal once was enough for me. My severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms were extremely uncomfortable, but I must say that getting myself into Divine Detox was the best decision I ever made.
When you have the right family support during your addiction recovery, you have a great foundation for success. I do this for myself first and foremost, but my family is a huge reason I continue on this path. There is a lot for me to be thankful for.
Not just my family, but the wonderful folks at Divine Detox who have gone above and beyond to help me make it through this fight. I know what I have, and I try my hardest to not forget it, even in my weaker moments. Unfortunately, a lot of people who endure this struggle don’t have a lot of family support.
A lot of people are left to figure it out entirely on their own. These people are also a huge inspiration to me. I am constantly reminding myself of how grateful I am that I had the family that I had.
What are the Symptoms of Alcohol Withdrawal?
What is alcohol withdrawal? To put it bluntly, it’s the physical symptoms associated with quitting drinking. Quitting drinking is a very tricky thing if you are physically addicted. Beyond just being a physical addiction, the mental effects of alcohol withdrawal are brutal.
Depending on the level of addiction you have, the symptoms can be different. The mild vs. acute withdrawal symptoms can vary. If you have mild alcoholism, the withdrawal symptoms don’t go that far beyond mood swings and cravings. If you have an acute addiction, the symptoms can be much worse.
Alcohol withdrawal headaches are rough. There is also the alcohol withdrawal fever and alcohol withdrawal depression. They are all difficult, and the combination of all three is particularly rough.
Delirium Tremens is a common symptom of acute alcohol withdrawal. This is characterized by shaking, confusion, and even hallucinations. This is one of the very dangerous aspects of detoxing from alcohol. Medical detox for alcohol withdrawal is much safer than trying to do it on your own.
Can you die from alcohol withdrawal? The simple answer is yes. If you have a chronic addiction, alcohol detox can come with a lot of medical complications. The dangers of alcohol withdrawal cannot be understated. If you know someone who is a chronic alcoholic trying to quit, it’s important they realize there is a right and wrong way to do it.
Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms Timeline
Once you decide to quit drinking, the withdrawal symptoms come on pretty quickly. During the first stage, which occurs in the first 24 to 48 hours, you will experience headaches, anxiety, and insomnia. This stage can be very physically uncomfortable.
After the first day or two, the withdrawal symptoms can escalate. Seizures are one of the common side effects of alcohol withdrawal. This is when things start to get dangerous.
Once you get a few days in, you can suffer from an increased heart rate, confusion, and even hallucinations. This is when delirium tremens can set it. The alcohol DT symptoms are a very scary thing to witness, let alone go through yourself.
Severe alcohol withdrawal is a serious matter and should not be taken lightly. When my father tried to quit drinking, I witnessed him completely collapse mentally. He ended up going back to drinking, and he was never quite the same. I was very afraid to alcohol detox even with medical supervision.
I saw what my father went through, and I assumed it would be the same for me. After going through it myself, I had a much better understanding of how horrific it truly is. Once I finally got out on the other side of it, I had a huge appreciation for anybody who has made it through something like that.
Signs and Symptoms of Alcohol Withdrawal
What is withdrawal from alcohol like? Chronic alcohol withdrawal can best be described as a living hell. My alcoholism was not worth the pain that I had to go through to get sober. Because it was so difficult for me, I’ve made a huge effort to not go back to that place.
I’ve learned a lot through this experience, and it’s helped me a lot in my personal life. My addiction does not define who I am, but it has made me a better son, brother, and parent. There’s something to be said about the unique power of family. Our families shape who we are as people, for better or for worse.
The signs of alcohol detox are pretty apparent to the addict and anyone else who witnesses them. I remember when I was watching my father go through his detox, I thought that I’d never get to that point. I’ll never be as bad as he was. Even though I thought I was convinced, I still eventually got to that point.
This just shows the power of alcoholism. Even when you witness how bad it can get, it can still get you. Once I became addicted to alcohol, I knew detox would be bad. If I had to go without drinking, I would constantly worry about the withdrawal. I would ask myself “am I having alcohol withdrawal symptoms?” I had a lot of hangover anxiety as well. Despite all of this, I did not stop drinking for years.
The Recovery Community Is Vast and Loving
You may not realize it, but there is more goodwill in the world than you would expect. I found a lot of this goodwill through the wonderful people at Divine Detox and the continuing care that I have received. The most important lesson I’ve learned through my recovery is that there are heroes everywhere in the world of recovery.
There are wonderful people doing wonderful things all the time, even if they don’t get the attention that the bad things in the world get. When I entered the world of recovery, I was shocked to meet so many people who genuinely cared about me and my well-being.
People going out of their way to help others without doing it for recognition. Angels really do exist in this world, you just have to look a little deeper to find them.
Luckily these days, there are a lot more support groups than there used to be. I’ve been able to find a lot of these with a simple internet search. You’d be surprised how many addiction support groups exist in your area.
Hotlines are a great tool and they definitely help, but I’ve found that getting in front of a group of people and working out your issues in person is very beneficial.
These groups are a great way to add more people to your support system. The people you’ll meet in group settings will be a constant reminder that you are not alone in your journey.
Recovery from Alcoholism is Possible
There’s no reason you can’t be someone’s hero. When I see someone do something charitable, it makes me want to do the same. It makes me want to be the reason someone gets help. I don’t need anyone to see it, either.
There are people out there who do something good just so they can get a pat on the back. I’ve had experiences with these people personally, but throughout my time in recovery, I’ve known many more people who do it out of the goodness of their hearts.
When I see these people work their magic, I always try to apply their kindness to my own life. You can always be more kind. You can always lend a hand. There are a lot of ways to do this.
Beyond support groups and other sober events, there are always opportunities to volunteer in your community. Happiness is much more within reach when you help make your community a better place to live. Kindness is infectious. There are examples of this all the time in everyday life.
Even the simplest things can help contribute to a positive attitude. Holding a door for someone. Letting someone go ahead of you in line. This can be applied to every aspect of your life. If you have a friend or loved one going through a difficult time, anything you can do for them helps.
Cooking them a meal, giving them a shoulder to cry on, spending time with them when they are lonely, there are many ways you can make a positive impact.