As a recovering alcoholic with over 22 years of sobriety, I have been blessed with the opportunity to help a number of fellow alcoholics new in recovery. Recently, a good friend who sought out my help was deathly afraid of one particular thing—going through detox.

In years past, alcohol rehabilitation didn’t have the resources available today with modern technology and medical advances, so detoxification from alcohol could indeed be very painful to endure. Detox symptoms can vary depending on the length of use and average amount of alcohol consumed daily. Nausea, vomiting, headaches, insomnia, the shakes (delirium tremens or DTs) are the more common symptoms of alcohol withdrawal, however, for alcoholics who have been drinking for longer periods of time, symptoms can be severe.

Fortunately, there are newer methods of treatment and medications that can help to greatly reduce the painful process of detox.

For many addicts who have made the decision to enter drug rehabilitation after a life filled with pain and misery, they will need to go through a period of safe detox before dealing with other factors associated with the addiction, and it’s important to understand the safe detox process thoroughly.

First, safe detox can be very uncomfortable. The process of safe detox involves removing all of the harmful toxins that are brought into the body by drugs. Withdrawal symptoms are the side effects that occur during the safe detox process, and if left unsupervised by a certified medical professional can be very dangerous.

12 Palms Recovery Center is a drug rehab facility where the detox process is completely monitored by a staff of medical professionals throughout the length of the detox process. An evaluation is made of each client to determine if safe detox is needed.