Three Dangers of Detoxing at Home

Woman lying in bed, pills in the side table, detoxing at home

An increase in the number of over-the-counter detox supplements has many people believing that withdrawing from drugs or alcohol at home can be safe—and simple. Articles and ads promote detox products and homemade recipes that claim to flush toxins and support the body during this precarious rehab phase. Unfortunately, home detox is a dangerous myth.

  • Cold-turkey home alcohol cessation can be very dangerous. Users may have convulsions, hallucinations, delirium, nausea, or even heart trauma. Professional alcohol detox includes two phases, and clients must be carefully monitored and medically supported during the first, more short-term phase. The second phase happens over months as the brain begins to “normalize.” Fortunately, most remaining symptoms are not life threatening during phase 2, but the client still requires addiction treatment support.
  • Withdrawing from multiple substances is very risky. For substance users that indulge in a mix of alcohol, street drugs, or prescription drugs, self-detox is especially harmful. If your body is dependent upon more than one substance, withdrawing from them can lead to unpredictable results. An expert needs to determine the best method for detox to avoid amplifying withdrawal symptoms.
  • Risk of relapse is higher for home detoxers. This is partially because people who go off of drugs and alcohol at home lack a supportive, professional network of physicians, therapists, and addiction specialists. As symptoms become unbearable, men and women return to drugs to ease the pain. There is also a higher risk of overdose because of this.

Medically Supported Detox at 10 Acre Ranch

10 Acre Ranch’s comfortable detox program is available for men addicted to alcohol, opiates, prescription pain medicine, heroin, and other substances. Your detox takes place on our beautiful CA campus, and is supervised by a physician and nurse. After detox, residents can immediately enter the active stages of addiction treatment and therapy.

To begin your own safe-detox process, call 877-228-4679 or submit a confidential contact form and begin the addiction treatment process today.

Looking for a Good Night’s Sleep? Alcohol Won’t Help!

photo of unhappy young woman sitting on a sofa and drinking alcohol

For 20% of Americans who have trouble going to sleep at night, having a glass of wine or a drink at bedtime seems like a good solution. Unfortunately, it isn’t. In fact, recent studies have shown that alcohol can disturb your sleep patterns and lead to repeated bouts of insomnia.

Alcohol Does Make You Feel Sleepy
Alcohol is a known to be a sleep inducer, and probably will help you go to sleep initially. There’s a trade-off, though. Later in the night, you may awaken and be unable to fall asleep again. Scientists believe that alcohol interferes with the body’s natural sleep regulation function, called homeostasis. This function balances a person’s time awake with his need for sleep. A drink or two at bedtime could cause a shift in this function and result in disrupted and poor sleep.

Drinking Causes Sleep-Related Problems
In addition to a disrupted sleep pattern, alcohol is believed to affect an individual’s type and quality of sleep. Drinking alcohol as a sleep aid can:

• Reduce REM sleep, the most restorative type of sleep
• Suppress breathing & lead to sleep apnea
• Cause long-term problems with memory
• Increase your chance of sleep walking & sleep talking
• Lead to alcohol dependence

Recovery with an Emphasis on Health
Drug and alcohol rehab at 10 Acre Ranch is about more than clinical treatment and individual therapy. We believe that restoring you to healthy living habits will help you maintain your sobriety and live a fulfilling and productive life.

Healthy food preparation, regular exercise, social support, and a meaningful routine help you gain control of your health, your relationships, and your time. Residential addiction treatment for men 18 and older at 10 Acre Ranch begins with a phone call to 877-228-4679. Our friendly admissions team will verify insurance, explain our healthy living program, and start your enrollment. Take a step toward sober living and sleep better tonight.