Alcohol Detox is something that many people with a drinking problem don’t realize they should do. Many people think they can quit simply by not drinking, but not only is this extremely difficult and uncomfortable due to withdrawal symptoms, it can actually kill you.

For this reason, it is important to go through alcohol detox and manage your withdrawal symptoms under the care of a drug and alcohol medical professional. There are several medications available which may help you minimize the withdrawal symptoms or even eliminate them all together while going through alcohol detox.

The most commonly known medication for alcohol detox is Librium. Librium is a brand name for the drug Chlordiazepoxide (try saying that one three times fast!). It is a sedative/hypnotic drug which is a benzodiazepine derivative which can help alleviate alcohol withdrawal symptoms. It needs to be taken with care however - it can be just as habit forming as other drugs and alcohol and can cause its own set of uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms and needs to be monitored while using. For this reason, do not use Librium without the supervision of medical staff.

Other medications may be used instead of Librium, depending on the care you are receiving, your level of alcohol dependency, and any special needs you have. Most drugs that are used in treating alcohol withdrawal symptoms are also benzodiazepine derivatives.

For severe alcohol addiction, the alcohol detox process is usually recommended to be administered in a hospital. You will be admitted to the hospital or rehab facility and begin taking the alcohol detox drugs while being carefully monitored. It usually will last between a few days to a week.

When you are finished taking alcohol detox drugs, you will no longer feel the physical symptoms of being addicted to alcohol. But this by no means will be the end of your drinking problem. If you do not make an attempt to change your lifestyle habits, you can quickly fall back into your addiction again. For this reason, most people who go through alcohol detox immediately begin alcohol therapy to learn how to cope with being sober and ways to improve your life.