Alcohol Detox at home

yes, thank you

Okay, read your reply in the other thread and I'll reply to it here, to keep it tidy.

A relapse isn't dangerous, stoppin alcohol without a detox can be, it just makes people despondent and lessens their morale. The downside of it can be, alcohol kindling - each time this occurs, the body finds it harder and harder to give up alcohol - so it is not good to become one of these people constantly giving up and then starting drinking again.

As for Campral, although it doesn't work for everyone, there are a copy of people here that it worked well for, myself and Vickylou. It should really be taken when the detox starts, as it takes a week to build up in the system.

It is harmless with virtually no side effects. It is mainly made of calcium and blocks the ion channels, that start the brain off thinking, Mmm, alcohol, it's time for a drink. I remember going to the shops with the wife and we were down the drinks aisle and I just wasn't bothered about putting anything in the trolley, whilst she got herself a bottle of wine. At this point I should just explain, that alcohol is not sold like in the States, where you have to go to a bar or a liquor store which is away from the main town and you get served in a brown paper bag which screams - he's got alcohol. Nope, over here, you have a big aisle in supermarkets, so you buy it with your 'groceries'. The local shop that sells newspapers, cigarettes, sweets and soft drinks will sell alcohol, petrol (gas) stations sell alcohol and all in a normal plastic carrier bag. So you are never far away from alcohol and no brown paper bags.

It's funny that you think in America that you have to go to a bar or liquor store to get alcohol. You can go to the grocery store and buy it right with your groceries.  We are never far away from alcohol.  And thanks for your other info.  

I'm wondering if I am qualified for this or if I should just encourage him to go to a detox place?

Charlotte, there's another possibility you might want to check out. The Sinclair Method slowly backs the addiction out the way it came in, by blocking the endorphins released by drinking. Without the endorphins, the addicted part of the brain (the Striatum) begins to forget about alcohol and eventually one becomes indifferent to it. 

I'll PM you some links, it's something your son could use now or after detox should he decide to stop drinking again. It took me about 6 months to go from at least a 12 pack per day to under 5% of that. As the traditional approach often ends in relapse, The Sinclair Method is a good option to know about.  

Edit - 

" ...should he decide to stop drinking again."

should have been

" ...should he decide to start drinking again."

I watched the links you sent. Totally blew my mind.  I understand now a lot more about the craving.  He is going to detox I believe this weekend but if he should start again I will definitely see about this.  and get him more help.  This seems to be the miracle drug.  I wonder if it could be used for my sugar addictions?

I really think that you need to have a plan in place for post detox, as so many people relapse.

Sugar addiction is something that you have to watch for when people come off alcohol. They swap one addiction (transference) for another, all the carbs in alcohol can quite often be replaced by carbs in sweets.

Google 'alcohol withdrawal sugar cravings'.

I would second RHGB’s comment about post detox. Detox is the relatively easy bit, staying sober is the hard bit.

Google acamposate (campral), it’s an anti craving medication. It’s best taken when starting detox as it takes 7/10 days to kick in.

I've never heard of it being used that way Charlotte, but some have noticed that it suppresses the appetite overall. One company developed a nasal spray containing Naloxone, to be used for bulimia (Naloxone is shorter acting and the molecule is too big to be absorbed orally). The principal is the same, block the endorphins released by the behavior, which stops the neurochemical cascade that ends up as elevated dopamine levels in the Striatum. The addicted part of the brain "forgets" that the behavior yields endorphins and the associated neural pathway in the Reward System is slowly discarded. As this happens, the compulsion weakens and connection between the substance/behavior and the reward is lost.  

Best of luck to your son Charlotte. First week is tough. For certain and my thoughts are with you and your family. Robin

Thank you Robin