Alcohol Detox Louisville

Admitting you need help with rehab and recovery from substance abuse and more specifically alcohol addiction takes courage. No addiction is ever the same, and neither should be your drug or alcohol treatment program.When looking for support in Louisville, you’ll find a variety of treatment programs and numerous recovery centers to choose from The first step to successfully recovering from an alcohol addiction is detox. Alcohol detox can often be uncomfortable, but Landmark Recovery in Louisville, Kentucky can help start you on the road to recovery with medical detox, and personalized inpatient and intensive outpatient rehab services.

Alcohol Abuse in Kentucky

According to recent findings from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, alcohol is the most commonly abused drug in Kentucky. Nearly 1.5 million Kentuckians (40% of Kentucky residents aged 12 and older) identify themselves as current drinkers, and more than half of these individuals report recent alcohol abuse. ¹ In the past month, 1 in 5 Kentuckians have engaged in binge drinking, the dangerous pattern of alcohol abuse defined by the consumption of five or more drinks on the same occasion. Binge drinking is most common among young adults, with nearly 1 in 3 Kentucky residents aged 18-25 reporting binge alcohol use during the past month. ¹

A recent study found that Kentucky’s rate of binge-drinking is among the highest in the nation. ² In addition, it was determined that Kentucky binge drinkers consumed 652 drinks per year during heavy drinking episodes (national average is 467 drinks), representing the third highest number in the country after Arkansas and Mississippi. According to Dr. Robert Brewer, one of the study’s co-authors and a lead researcher in the CDC’s Alcohol Program, “this study shows that binge drinkers are consuming a huge number of drinks per year, greatly increasing their chances of harming themselves and others”. ³ Sadly, Kentucky statistics show that this is indeed the case. Last year, 135 Kentuckians died in automobile crashes involving a driver under the influence of alcohol, ⁴ and toxicology data from the Kentucky Office of the Medical Examiner indicates that alcohol was involved in 15% of all drug overdose deaths in 2019. ⁵

It is estimated that 1 in 21 Kentuckians currently struggles with an addiction to alcohol. ¹ In 2019, there were 1,928 drug treatment center admissions for alcohol addiction, representing around 10% of all admissions to Kentucky substance abuse treatment centers. ⁶ Tragically, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration estimates that 98% of Kentuckians in need of help for alcoholism do not undergo alcohol detox nor receive any form of treatment for their addiction. ¹

Alcohol Detox Center

Your health should be your first priority when seeking treatment services. The most important, and often most difficult, step in any alcohol addiction recovery program is getting the substance out of your body. The alcohol detox process involves flushing out all traces of alcohol from your system, giving your body time to adjust to functioning without alcohol prior to starting a treatment program for alcohol addiction.

Chronic alcohol abuse can lead to a physical dependence that changes the way your body functions, ultimately causing certain systems to malfunction in the absence of alcohol. ⁷ As a result, many people attempting to detox from alcohol experience extreme pain and uncomfortable symptoms of withdrawal when they suddenly stop drinking. According to a report published in The New England Journal of Medicine, around half of all individuals with an alcohol addiction will experience withdrawal symptoms when they reduce or discontinue their drinking. ⁸

The specific characteristics and severity of health complications of alcohol withdrawal will vary depending on things such as the length and severity of your addiction. Signs and symptoms of withdrawal generally start 6 to 24 hours after your last drink and may include the following: ⁹

• Anxiety
• Irritability
• Agitation
• Restlessness
• Sleep difficulties
• Lack of appetite
• Trembling of the hands and arms
• Sweating
• Elevated pulse and blood pressure
• Nausea and vomiting
• Increased sensitivity to sounds and light
• Auditory and visual hallucinations
• Fever

More severe symptoms of alcohol withdrawal include seizures and delirium tremens, a dangerous condition characterized by profound confusion, visual hallucinations, shaking, shivering, irregular heart rate and pressure, and excessive sweating. Such severe outcomes of alcohol withdrawal can quickly become life-threatening. It is estimated that 1 in 25 individuals with delirium tremens will die from symptoms associated with this condition. ⁸ Due to the very real threat of medical complications that may arise during alcohol withdrawal, we strongly recommend detoxing from alcohol under proper medical supervision at a professional rehab center.

Landmark Recovery of Louisville’s alcohol detox center can help manage the withdrawal symptoms that occur during alcohol detox. Our trained clinical specialists provide 24/7 health monitoring with supportive care that will keep you safe and comfortable throughout the entire detox process. We may also administer certain medications to prevent or reduce withdrawal symptoms. These include: ⁹

• Benzodiazepines
• Barbiturates
• Anticonvulsant medication
• Beta blockers
• Alpha adrenergic agonists
• Calcium channel antagonists
• Antipsychotics
• Baclofen

Upon the successful completion of services at our alcohol detox and treatment center, you will be prepared to enter the therapy stage of recovery. Landmark Recovery of Louisville offers a variety of customized inpatient and outpatient rehab programs with evidence-based therapies for the treatment of alcohol addiction. Our rehab services include individual and group counseling, medication-assisted treatment, support meetings, and behavioral therapies such as cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, motivational enhancement therapy, and contingency management interventions. ¹⁰

How Can I Get More Information?

Landmark Recovery of Louisville’s alcohol detox center can get you through withdrawal safely and our inpatient and outpatient rehab options help you develop the life skills needed to remain sober from alcohol. Please call us at  502-309-2675 to learn more about our alcohol detox and rehab treatment programs.