Is It Safe to Detox From Alcohol at Home?

If you or someone you know is thinking about alcohol detox at home, there are a few things that are important to know first. In comparison to other substances, alcohol withdrawal can be particularly dangerous. This is because withdrawal symptoms can lead to things like confusion, hallucinations, and seizures. In severe cases, it can even be life-threatening. 

But that doesn’t mean at-home detox is unsafe for everyone. There are steps you can take to detox at home that make it safer, and more comfortable. 

Medical detox vs. alcohol detox at home

In the past, all alcohol detox programs were in hospitals. This is because the body goes through unique changes that can be sometimes dangerous when you first detox from alcohol. These include withdrawal symptoms like extreme changes in heart rate and blood pressure, and alcohol withdrawal seizures. 

When you detox in a hospital, a healthcare professional monitors you closely and gives you medications as needed. The goal is to help prevent your alcohol withdrawal symptoms from getting more serious. And if you do develop any complications, like a seizure, someone is there to respond right away. 

Now, many programs offer outpatient detox treatment that you can do from home. At-home detox means you can live at home while going through treatment. Although you won’t be staying in a hospital, you will have regular visits with a healthcare professional. They will teach you how to monitor your symptoms, and how to safely give yourself medication at home when you need it. 

Inpatient detox is the safest option, especially if you have severe alcohol use disorder. But for some people, a supervised detox at home can be a safe alternative.

Is it safe to detox from alcohol at home?

Yes, it can be safe to go through alcohol detox at home. Many people have been satisfied with the process. And they’ve detoxed successfully and safely. 

The goal of detoxing at home is the same as in a hospital: to help prevent the development of more serious alcohol withdrawal. We will touch on what these might look like below. 

A good candidate for an at-home detox program is someone who:

• Has stable housing and a good support system

• Has the ability to get to the pharmacy and medical appointments

• Hasn’t recently drank large amounts of alcohol

• Doesn’t have any serious medical or other psychiatric or mental health conditions

• Doesn’t have thoughts of self-harm or suicide

• Isn’t using any other substances, including benzodiazepines

• Doesn’t have a history of withdrawal seizures or delirium tremens (DTs)

• Hasn’t experienced severe alcohol withdrawal in the past

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Whether you choose inpatient or at-home detox, the safest way to detox from alcohol is under the care and coordination of a healthcare professional. 

Alcohol withdrawal symptoms: What to expect

If you drink regularly, your body has gotten used to the numbing effects of alcohol. So when you detox and remove alcohol from your system, it can cause your body to go into withdrawal. Everyone’s symptoms will be a little different based on their drinking and health history. 

The following provides a picture of the typical alcohol detox timeline. But it’s important to note that this is what alcohol withdrawal looks like without the help of medication, so it includes more severe symptoms. When you work with a healthcare professional, you’ll receive medication to prevent some of the more severe symptoms. This is for your safety and comfort.

Initial withdrawal (within the first few hours) 

Withdrawal symptoms can start as soon as 2 hours after your last drink of alcohol. These include symptoms like:

• Anxiety

• Mood changes or irritability

• Difficulty sleeping as well as feeling tired

• Tremors

• Headaches

• Palpitations (a feeling like your heart is beating really fast)

• Nausea and an upset stomach

• Sweating

Typically these symptoms are uncomfortable but can be managed at home. And even though they’re the first to show up, they can also linger for a few weeks.

Seizures and hallucinations (12 hours)

Seizures and hallucinations typically start within the first 12 to 24 hours of detox. But they can also start a little later, around 48 hours. These are both signs of more severe withdrawal. 

With hallucinations, people will hear, see, or even feel things that are not really there. Alcohol withdrawal seizures are usually big seizures, called tonic-clonic seizures. With these types of seizures, someone will lose consciousness and their whole body will convulse. In rare cases, they can be deadly.

If you’ve ever had hallucinations or seizures from alcohol withdrawal, it will be safer for you to detox in a facility. But if you and a healthcare professional agree it’s safe for you to try alcohol detox at home, they will likely prescribe you medications to prevent a seizure. Even then, it’s best to have someone there with you. That way, if you do have a seizure at home, they can call 911 and get you to a hospital as soon as possible. 

Delirium tremens (48 hours)

Delirium tremens (DTs) is a medical term that describes a group of severe symptoms. It’s the most dangerous part of the alcohol detox. DTs usually start about 48 hours after your last drink. 

Symptoms include:

• Confusion and agitation

• Shakiness

• Delirium, a change in your mental state that can cause severe disorientation 

• Hallucinations

• High blood pressure

• A fast heart rate

• Elevated temperature

• Sweating

It’s important to avoid this stage of alcohol detox in order to stay safe. This is why a healthcare professional will monitor your symptoms and prescribe medication to prevent this from happening. 

How long does it take to detox from alcohol?

Alcohol withdrawal symptoms tend to peak around 5 days after your last drink. And even though the most severe symptoms tend to happen in the first few days, withdrawal symptoms can last up to a few weeks. A healthcare professional will work closely with you to taper (slowly decrease) your medications. This will help treat ongoing symptoms and allow you to transition back into your daily life. 

How to safely detox from alcohol at home

The above symptoms can sound scary. But remember that it’s possible to safely detox from alcohol at home. To be successful, it’s important to take the following steps. 

1. Connect with a healthcare professional

If you are ready for alcohol detox, you might be thinking you want to start right away. This is understandable. But it’s important to first find a healthcare professional and work with them to develop a plan. 

A healthcare professional’s assessment will include:

• A blood test to check your liver function and nutrient levels

• A discussion about your drinking patterns so they can understand your risks for the more serious alcohol withdrawal symptoms 

• Prescription medications, including instructions on how much medication to take and how often

• A discussion on when you should get immediate medical attention

Some healthcare professionals may also ask you to sign a treatment contract. This can help keep you both on the same page about your detox program. The goal of the treatment contract is to help keep you safe and allow you to detox successfully.

2. Understand your current drinking patterns

Some medical professionals may ask or encourage you to keep a daily diary of alcohol intake or cravings. Some things to record include:

• Date and time that you desire a drink

• What triggered the desire to drink

• What thoughts and feelings you had in that moment

• How much, if any, alcohol you drank

Keeping this type of diary helps you be aware of your thoughts and emotions related to drinking. It also helps you identify common situations that make you want to drink. When you understand these patterns, it helps you avoid potential triggers that can make it harder to detox at home. Also, simply recording the information can help you feel more in control of your cravings.

3. Know when to get medical attention for alcohol withdrawal symptoms

When detoxing at home, it’s important to know when to get additional help. The American Society of Addiction Medicine recommends getting help in a hospital setting if:

• Symptoms like agitation or tremor don’t get better with detox medication. 

• Any of your symptoms worsen, like repeated vomiting or hallucinations.

• You have a seizure or lose consciousness.

• You are sleepy to the point where someone has trouble waking you up.

• You start drinking alcohol again.

• Your blood pressure and/or heart rate is very low or very high (a healthcare professional will likely have you monitor this during your detox).

4. Tips to staying sober through detox 

Detoxing from alcohol, and the journey of staying sober, can feel overwhelming at times. There are a few things you can do to help increase your chances of staying sober throughout the detox. 

First off, remove alcohol from your home. Minimizing your access to alcohol decreases the temptation to drink. 

Here are some other tips to consider: 

• Ask for help. Talk with your family and friends about your goals and ask for support. You can also ask someone to stay with you to keep you safe and help you successfully detox. 

• Stay hydrated with nonalcoholic drinks. Anything from water to juice can be good alternatives to stay hydrated.

• Clear your schedule. It will be hard to guess how you’re going to feel during this time. You can reduce your commitments and take time off work. 

• Try to eat something. Even though you may not feel like eating, try to take in at least some calories and nutritious foods every day. Since long-term alcohol use can lead to malnourishment, it’s important to give your body the energy and nutrients it needs. 

• Take your prescribed medications. This may include prescription medications to help with your withdrawal symptoms, as well as vitamins like vitamin B1 (also known as thiamine). 

• Join a support group. It can help to talk with people who have been through this before and know how to support you. And it really increases your chances of success. 

• Track your progress during your detox. You can write things down like when and how often you’re craving alcohol, and what your reasons are for quitting alcohol. And be sure to celebrate the daily wins, no matter how small. This can be an easy but powerful way to keep you motivated on your detox journey.

5. Continue on the road to recovery

Even though detox can feel like the hardest part, remember that it’s just the first step in recovery. After that, connect with a treatment program that provides therapy and education. Support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) are also available. These options help keep you on the road to recovery and reduce your chances of a relapse. You can also consider working with a therapist who can support you through your journey. 

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Written by:

Nicole Andonian, MD

Nicole Andonian, MD, is a private practice anesthesiologist in Orange County, California. Her focus is in general anesthesia, regional anesthesia, and acute pain management.

Edited by:

Alex Eastman, PhD, RN

Alex Eastman, PhD, RN, is a California-based registered nurse and staff medical editor at GoodRx, where he focuses on clinical updates and Latino health.

Reviewed by:

Farzon A. Nahvi, MD

Dr. Nahvi is an emergency medicine physician and author of “Code Gray: Death, Life, and Uncertainty in the ER.” He works clinically at Concord Hospital in Concord, New Hampshire, and is a clinical assistant professor of emergency medicine at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth. Prior to this, he worked as an ER physician and clinical assistant professor of emergency medicine at the Mount Sinai Health System, NYU Langone Health, NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue, and the Manhattan VA. He is a graduate of Cornell University and NYU School of Medicine.

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