Can You Quit Drinking Without Detox?

One of the most difficult things about alcohol addiction recovery is facing your addiction and deciding to quit. There are many reasons why this isn’t easy. For one, it’s hard (but necessary) to come to terms with how your addiction has negatively impacted your life and those around you. Then, there’s the fear that you’ll fail or hurt yourself when you try to quit.

While many people won’t suffer dangerous withdrawal symptoms when they quit drinking, it is a reality that some people will have to face if they decide to give up alcohol. That’s why it’s important to confer with a medical professional when you’re deciding how you should go about quitting drinking.

There are many factors that influence how serious withdrawal will be. These include, but are not limited to:

• Your general health.
• Whether you’ve gone through withdrawal before and how severe it was.
• The amount you’ve been drinking and for how long.

Severe alcohol withdrawal is known as delirium tremens (or “DTs”). This condition is very dangerous and requires immediate medical attention. Anyone that is at risk for experiencing DTs should consider detox at a treatment facility, as seizures caused by alcohol withdrawal are potentially fatal.

Medical Detox

Medically assisted detox makes the withdrawal process much safer and more comfortable. At Sunrise House’s detox facility in New Jersey, licensed medical staff is prepared to administer medication to lessen the likelihood and severity of seizures and other painful or unpleasant symptoms.

Upon admission, you will be evaluated for any potential health concerns. Staff will then outline a treatment plan to make sure you’re stabilized and kept as comfortable as possible while detoxifying.

You will be given your own private room and have staff on hand 24/7 to help when needed. After medical detox, you’ll be ready to move onto the next stage in recovery: rehabilitation.

After Detox

Detox is an extremely important step in alcohol recovery. Without it, people with a severe alcohol dependency may be unable to safely withdraw. However, detox by itself is often ineffective in helping someone achieve long-term sobriety. This is because alcohol use disorder (AUD) is more than just physical dependency—it is a chronic brain illness that often requires vigilance and continued to treatment to manage.

Behavioral therapy is perhaps the most important component of rehabilitation treatment. With various forms of therapy, you’ll learn to:

• Recognize and overcome the triggers that lead you to drink.
• Form and maintain positive interpersonal connections.
• Alter behavioral patterns and form positive coping mechanisms.
• Become motivated about remaining sober.
• And more!

Following rehabilitation, you may benefit from joining an aftercare program, such as staying at a sober-living facility (often a good option if you lack a safe and supportive home environment or are at a high risk of relapse) or attending weekly meetings with a 12-step peer-support program. Sunrise House will help you map out your aftercare plan, so that your adjustment to life after rehab goes as smoothly as possible. You’ll even get access to the alumni app that helps you track your progress and keep a journal and be alerted to milestones and upcoming alumni events.

If you or a loved one is considering addiction treatment, please call an admissions navigator at to learn more about the care at Sunrise House.