Battling alcoholism during lockdowns has been a global struggle. According to the Alcohol Change Organisation, the rate of people admitted in hospitals during the years 2017-2020 increased by 7%, and this is before COVID-19 was upon us. Since then, the numbers have only skyrocketed.
In an interview with The Drinks Business, Matt Lambert from the Portman Group shared that even though the UK has experienced an overall decrease in alcohol consumption in the current decade compared to the last decade, alcohol-related deaths have increased by 20% since 2020.
For persons struggling with substance use disorder (SUD), COVID-19, and its lingering lockdowns have been even more impactful.
Whilst rehabilitation facilities have now somewhat adapted and initiated measures necessitated by the uprising of COVID-19, home detoxification from alcohol is given more and more importance.
So much so that the BBC did a feature on how it’s been like for dependent drinkers to be stuck at home during the pandemic. The stories, and the experiences, are painful to learn about and go to show how difficult it must be to battle alcoholism during the continuous lockdowns.
As a result, home detoxification from alcohol has surfaced. At the rehabilitation centre, the experience for recovery is balanced and programmed to facilitate the well-being and health of the recovering individual.
At home, this can also be easily managed with adequate and appropriate tools. Special care experts from all over the world are talking about it. For those who are in this situation, there are certain factors to take into consideration.
Even though it might seem scary, at-home detoxification is still doable, and there are success stories too.
Benefits of Home Detoxification
Home detoxification from alcohol can be a challenging measure but is a necessary one. Detoxing from alcoholism requires detox from all substances.
During this time, the person dealing with SUD can develop a change in behaviour, eating habits, and sleep schedule. They can also adapt to violence, and show more anger than usual. This is all normal, and nothing to worry about for the family members.
For this, loved ones can seek guidance from resources that talk about how to tend to, and care for an individual recovering from alcoholism.
There is no denying that it can be a struggle for the family of the loved one suffering from SUD. At the same time, it has created the opportunity for trusted family and community members to come together, and create a safe space for their loved ones.
At the same time, specialists are confident that several individuals recovering from SUD can be treated at home, and do not necessarily need to seek rehabilitation at a hospital.
Dietary Considerations
In the early stages of detoxification from alcoholism at home for those battling with alcoholism during the lockdown, meals must be planned with carbohydrates, protein, and fats in check. Meals must be slowly introduced as the immune system is weak, hence it will be a good idea
It’s a good idea, to begin with, small and frequent meals and then move to larger meals. It is also normal for digestive problems to show up, such as nausea, diarrhoea, and vomiting.
Malnutrition is a common side-effect for individuals coping with alcoholism and this can show up in many forms, and so is immediate weight gain.
Furthermore, on their road to full recovery, healing of the immune system is also a time-consuming process.
For the caregivers, it’s important to remember that the dietary needs, and habits, of their beloved son/daughter/partner/parent, might not look the same anymore and it’s nothing to worry about.
Advantages of Recovery Coaches
A recovery coach is similar to having a sponsor but trained in facilitating recovery from addiction and addictive behaviours. They follow a therapy model and have proven to be a useful resource when it comes to battling alcoholism during lockdowns at home.
It’s a proactive measure to keep persons recovering from SUD from relapsing. It works exactly as therapy does when dealing with mental health. It benefits to have them as guides who help transition the dependent drinkers out of the alcoholic dependency and gain back control of life.
Sober Coaching, or recovery coaching, is a plan and action-oriented, and very much focused on enabling the innate sober person, and returning focus to the joys and satisfactions of life.
Summary
The pandemic itself has been a difficult time for all of us, and for individuals battling alcoholism, it’s an even more severe situation.
With no distractions, spending days at home, not having access to outdoor activities, or safer places to explore, the unpredictability of it all can increase the chances of relapse.
#1 Understanding that home detoxification is challenging but doable is the first step to full recovery. The world pausing due to a pandemic is not a reason to drink.
#2 Connecting with support such as recovery/sober coaching, therapy, and more tools and methods of outpatient detoxification can bring a sense of control, safety, and also predictability for those doing home detoxification.
#3 Looking after your health, and strengthening your immune system, are two very important parts of recovering via the home detoxification method. At home, the person recovering from SUD can receive more personal and loving care.
#4 Meals must be planned and cater to the nutritional needs of the individual. It’s wise to plan small and frequent meals so that the immune system is restructured to introduce complex food items.