Alcohol detox at home is possible in the UK. Home detox programs are actually quite common. But detoxing at home isn't easy. A person thinking about it really needs to line up the help and support of loved ones. Likewise, those who will provide help and support need to be prepared for what could be a difficult experience.

Supporting someone going through home alcohol detox requires a combination of practical help, emotional backing, and the ability to maintain a safe environment. Alcohol detox carries with it significant health risks, so it's always important to check with medical professionals before undergoing a home detox program.

Medical and Safety Precautions

Before agreeing to help someone undergo home alcohol detox, encourage them to speak with a GP or home detox provider. It is important to know whether home detox is suitable for that person. You might even go with your loved one to the consultation to provide support and ensure that all the right questions are asked.

Be aware that certain medications, like chlordiazepoxide, might be recommended by the GP. Any such medications must be used with supervision. In a home detox scenario, that will likely mean daily visits to a clinic or having a nurse visit your loved one's home.

Fortunately, outpatient and remote medical support are available for home detox in the UK. The medical support is crucial in ensuring patient safety for as long as prescription medications are being utilised.

Create a Supportive Environment

Assuming you and your loved one get the go-ahead for a home detox program, one of the first things for you to think about is how you can create a supportive environment. Your loved one is going to struggle as their body attempts to get used to no longer having alcohol in the system. Here are some tips:

Remove Triggers – If anything in the patient's home is a trigger for alcohol or drug consumption, remove it. Even a bottle of cooking sherry can be too much of a temptation when withdrawal symptoms kick in.
Encourage Relaxation – If you can help your loved one relax throughout the process, detox should be easier. Consider things like soft lighting and calming music. Incense and essential oils could create smells that help your loved one relax.
Establish Boundaries – Establish behavioural boundaries that everyone will abide by during detox. For example, one of your boundaries might be not discussing alcohol.

Detox success is often made or broken by the amount of support a patient receives during withdrawal. The overall theme here is to make the process as easy as possible by ensuring the patient is comfortable and is not unnecessarily tempted to reach for a drink.

Emotional and Practical Support

How you interact with your loved one during detox is just as important as the environment you create. Remember that your loved one will be leaning on you emotionally and mentally. They will expect you to help carry the emotional burden. Again, here are some tips:

Remain Neutral – Remain a neutral party throughout, which is to say that you maintain an open and non-judgmental attitude. Communicate in a non-judgmental way so that your loved one feels safe sharing what they are experiencing.
Encourage Healthy Activities – Some people undergoing home detox do much better if they engage in healthy activities during the process. Encourage your loved one to engage in a favourite hobby or try relaxation techniques like meditation and deep breathing. Join your loved one in healthy activities for additional support.
Offer Practical Help – Offer to help with practical things. Perhaps you could cook some meals or tidy up the house. You could run to the shop or handle other errands. Detox is both mentally and physically exhausting. So doing practical things can really help your loved one.

In light of these tips for practical support, it's important to realise that detoxing at home isn't an overnight exercise. Detoxing from alcohol can take several weeks. Withdrawal symptoms alone can last up to a week. That's why doing things like cooking meals and running errands is so valuable.

Encourage Good Nutrition and Hydration

Nutrition and hydration are always a concern during supervised detox. This is because alcohol dependence has a nasty habit of preventing a person from eating properly. After many years of alcohol abuse, a person's body is likely to be nutritionally deficient.

This matters during detox because nutritional deficiencies can be exacerbated as a person's body purges itself of alcohol. Although rare, they are serious complications that could arise during detox as a result.

You can help by encouraging your loved one to stay hydrated and eat a balanced diet throughout detox. Make sure they are eating enough fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins.

As far as hydration is concerned, encourage them to drink 6-8 glasses of non-alcoholic beverages per day. Clean, fresh water is ideal. The combination of plenty of water and a nutritionally balanced diet will make the transition from alcohol to no alcohol easier.

Finding Additional Support Systems

Finally, one last thing you can do for your loved one is help them find additional support systems. The reason is simple: while home detox may be completed in a couple of weeks, they might still struggle with the temptation of alcohol for months. Utilising additional support systems can be an incredibly useful tool when it comes to preventing any potential relapse.

Additional support is offered by way of:

Support group participation
Professional therapy
Individual or group counselling

In the detox field, we refer to these additional support systems as 'aftercare'. Appropriate aftercare significantly increases the chances that a patient will not relapse. As a person providing help and support, do not make the mistake of ignoring the importance of these additional services.

Helping a loved one through home detox is a noble and worthwhile thing to do. Your willingness to help could make all the difference in the world.