Can I Do Outpatient Alcohol Detox?

Nearly 29 million people struggle with the effects of alcohol dependency — a crippling disease that can leave no part of one’s life untouched. Alcohol use disorder can affect your physical and mental health and your relationships and lead to intense cravings, where, at alcoholism’s worst, nothing else in life matters except having that next drink.   

If drinking has become problematic and these sentiments resonate with you, you may have tried quitting drinking cold turkey, with no outside help, but found the subsequent withdrawal side effects too difficult to bear.  

One effective way to minimize these pains is by pursuing alcoholism treatment and alcohol detox, which conventionally takes place in an inpatient setting. As important as getting sober is, can detoxing from alcohol happen in an outpatient capacity? Keep reading to find out what your options are to set you on the path to alcohol recovery. 

What Is Alcohol Detox?  

Alcohol detoxification, or “detox,” is the very first step you take in treating alcohol addiction. It’s a deliberate, planned-out process of managing the withdrawal symptoms that happen when you stop drinking as your system clears itself of alcohol.  

Studies show that up to half of people with a history of chronic alcohol abuse will endure some manner of withdrawal when they curb drinking, with symptoms usually appearing quickly within the first day. Headaches, anxiety, a racing heartbeat, insomnia, and sweating are just a few of the telltale signs of alcohol withdrawal.  

In severe cases, hallucinations, seizures, delirium, and tremors can be so debilitating-even life-threatening-that many people keep drinking just to avoid feeling ill.  

Detoxing from alcohol is designed to do two things: wean you off alcohol and mitigate these sometimes-unavoidable withdrawal symptoms in the safest, most comfortable manner possible. It’s always carried out in the safe, relaxed clinical setting of an inpatient rehab facility, where you’re put up in comfortable accommodations, not unlike a restful hotel or resort stay. The compassion and care of staff, such as doctors, nurses, and addiction specialists, shine through during detox. They’ll monitor your vital signs, and in some cases, they might administer alcoholism-specific medications intravenously for more serious withdrawals. 

Can I Do Outpatient Alcohol Detox?  

The short answer is no — while outpatient alcohol detox can be an option for mild-to-moderate alcohol withdrawal syndrome, inpatient detoxification is the most recommended for the most optimal chances of reaching recovery for many reasons.  

The main concern when it comes to addiction is that detox requires constant medical supervision — sometimes round the clock — which can’t adequately be provided in an outpatient detoxification setting. Withdrawal symptoms and complications can escalate quickly and unpredictably, making it dangerous to be away from professional care.  

“Among the drawbacks associated with outpatient detoxification is the increased risk of relapse resulting from the patient’s easy access to alcoholic beverages,” notes one study. “Outpatients can more easily choose not to keep their detoxification appointments and, consequently, fail to complete detoxification.” 

The study cites further research of alcoholics randomly assigned to both inpatient and outpatient alcohol detox and found that the inpatient group was more likely to complete treatment. The study added that outpatient alcohol detox isn’t safe for alcoholics at risk for: 

• Severe withdrawal 

• Those suffering from alcohol-related illnesses, such as pancreatitis or liver cirrhosis 

• Suicidal patients or those at risk of harming others 

• People who have unsupportive, unhealthy, or substance-using family or work situations 

• Individuals whose addictions hinder them from attending the rehab center daily

The Cleveland Clinic notes that alcohol withdrawal symptoms generally peak within 24 to 72 hours but can sometimes last for a few weeks. Inpatient detoxification builds and maintains the momentum you need to tackle this timeline without delaying your recovery. An outpatient setting could set this progress back — you’d begin your withdrawal symptoms and return home with them without the constant clinical care you deserve. 

Likewise, leaving the facility could put you at risk. At their worst, withdrawal symptoms can leave alcohol abuse sufferers unable to drive home, care for themselves, rest properly, and then return to rehab the following day on their own accord.  

Why Is Alcohol Detox Necessary?  

It’s easy to assume that sobering up after a few times getting drunk from heavy or binge drinking is enough to clear alcohol from your body. But the addictive power of alcohol is capable of more damage than this, posing risks that create addictive tendencies.  

According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), alcohol can make tangible changes to the neuropathways in your brain. Drinking sends pleasurable signals to the brain’s reward centers, incentivizing you to drink more. Over time, tolerance and dependence build. “These and other neurocircuits help develop and strengthen habitual drinking and may lay the groundwork for compulsive use of alcohol,” says the NIAAA. 

Over time, once your brain and nervous system adapt to the presence of alcohol, suddenly stopping that intake can cause a shock to your system. This is why withdrawal symptoms happen — they’re your body’s response to the absence of alcohol.  

Alcohol detox is a necessary step to safely manage those withdrawal symptoms, regardless of whether your experience with alcohol addiction is mild, moderate, or serious.  

Detox also sets a proper template for recovery. Entering therapy while skipping detox dilutes and diminishes the benefits that alcoholism treatment gives you. Only then will you be able to objectively assess and address your relationship with alcohol without remnants of it influencing your body and brain.