Helping a friend or loved one detox from alcohol can be difficult, report counselors at the Mount Regis Center in Virginia, a drug and alcohol treatment center. Many people addicted to alcohol are in denial about the severity of their problems and may resist help. The alcoholic may be involved in a legal or medical emergency and comes asking for your help. No matter why you are doing it, there are certain steps that you can take to help you help someone detox from alcohol.
Step 1
Call a treatment center and talk to a counselor about the options that are open for your friend or family member. Find out if there is an opening at the facility so that you can have somewhere prepared to take the alcoholic once you are ready. Use the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's treatment locator if you aren't familiar with any local programs.
Step 2
Contact a trained intervention specialist to help you confront the person. A person trained in alcohol intervention will advise you about who to gather to perform the intervention and what kinds of things you need to tell the alcoholic. An interventionist can help you hold firm to your demands and maintain equilibrium in the session when participants become emotional. Most alcohol treatment centers make referrals for interventions.
Step 3
Offer to accompany the person to a meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous, which is an organization comprised of recovering alcoholics who meet regularly to help each other get and stay sober. Sometimes your presence can take the edge off the first meeting and provide moral support. The person then can meet others and continue to go to meetings without you.
Step 4
Stay with a person for at least 48 hours if she plans on detoxing off alcohol on her own. In addition to the uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms of headache, nausea and diarrhea that may occur. If the person was a heavy drinker, there is a possiblity that she could go into seizures or fall into a coma. Be prepared to call emergency responders if this occurs.
Tips and Warnings
- Take care of yourself during the process before, during and after you become involved in helping an alcoholic detox. Find a support group, such as Al-Anon, that is designed for family members and others who deal with alcoholics. Many of the participants know how you feel and can provide tips and suggestions on how to deal with your feelings. They also can share practical advice about how to take care of yourself as well as continue to educate you about the disease.
- Prepare to walk away if you must. If the person refuses to accept your offer of treatment, then you need to be able to allow him to experience his own consequences. Enabling an alcoholic to continue drinking without having to reap the consequences is only hurting the person.
