The Hidden Dangers of Morning Drinking and Alcohol Use During Detox

Posted on May 6, 2025May 6, 2025 by Joseph Gerard

drunk man drinking alcohol at table at night

Written by Jeremy Carter,

Alcohol abuse can take many forms, some of which are so normalized in everyday life that they often go unnoticed or unchallenged. One such behavior is drinking in the morning, particularly before work or daily obligations. This habit is frequently brushed off as a stress reliever or coping mechanism, but it’s actually a red flag that may signal deeper issues, including alcohol dependency.

Even more dangerous is the behavior of drinking alcohol during detox, a time when the body is already under extreme physiological stress. Attempting to detox while continuing to drink—or trying to “wean off” alcohol without medical supervision—can be fatal.

In this article, we’ll break down why these behaviors are warning signs, how they’re connected, and what steps individuals can take toward safe, sustainable recovery.

Morning Drinking: A Serious Warning Sign

The idea of “a little hair of the dog” or a drink to “take the edge off” in the morning is often romanticized in movies or minimized in casual conversation. However, morning drinking is not a harmless quirk—it’s a significant indication that a person may be losing control over their alcohol consumption.

According to LifeSync Malibu, drinking in the morning—especially before work or responsibilities—is both a social and professional risk. More importantly, it may point to an advanced stage of alcohol dependency.

Common characteristics of individuals who engage in morning drinking include:

Physical Dependence

People often use alcohol in the morning to stave off withdrawal symptoms, such as shakiness, nausea, sweating, or anxiety, which begin to emerge after several hours without drinking. This means the body has become reliant on alcohol just to feel “normal.”

Psychological Reliance

Morning drinking may also signal that a person has developed emotional or psychological reliance on alcohol to manage stress, anxiety, or daily obligations. When alcohol becomes a tool for coping rather than occasional enjoyment, that’s a clear red flag.

Functional Alcoholism

This term refers to people who appear to function normally—holding down jobs, maintaining relationships, and fulfilling responsibilities—while secretly struggling with alcohol addiction. Morning drinking is often a part of this hidden pattern.

Repeated morning drinking can lead to:

Increased alcohol tolerance
Chronic liver damage and other health risks
Mental health issues such as depression and anxiety
Emotional volatility and interpersonal conflict

It may start as a way to cope with daily stress, but it often evolves into a cycle of addiction that becomes increasingly hard to break without help.

The Link Between Morning Drinking and Alcohol Detox

Morning drinking doesn’t occur in a vacuum—it’s often an early sign of alcohol withdrawal, which sets the stage for the need for detox.

When someone who is alcohol-dependent goes without alcohol for several hours (even just overnight), their central nervous system becomes overstimulated. This happens because alcohol is a depressant, and the brain compensates by increasing excitatory activity. When alcohol is suddenly removed, the system is left unbalanced—leading to withdrawal symptoms.

These symptoms can range from mild to severe:

Mild: Anxiety, insomnia, irritability, tremors, sweating
Moderate to severe: Seizures, hallucinations, disorientation, high blood pressure
Life-threatening: Delirium tremens (DTs), which can lead to death without medical treatment

If someone is drinking in the morning to feel better after a night of not drinking, this is a strong indicator of physical dependence. And when that cycle is broken—by choice or circumstance—it can trigger dangerous withdrawal symptoms.

This is why medical detox is essential for people with a history of morning drinking. It’s not just a matter of willpower; it’s a matter of safety.

Drinking During Detox: A High-Risk, Life-Threatening Behavior

Choosing to detox from alcohol is a brave and necessary first step toward recovery. But drinking during detox, or attempting to “self-detox” by tapering off alcohol without supervision, is extremely dangerous.

As highlighted by Pacific Bay Recovery, drinking alcohol while detoxing undermines the entire detox process and puts the individual at significant risk. Here’s why:

Delays the healing process: The body remains in a state of chemical confusion, slowing down the return to normal function.
Increases risk of seizures and DTs: Alcohol during detox interferes with the body’s attempt to stabilize, heightening the risk of complications.
Hides progress: Ongoing drinking can make it hard to track withdrawal stages, confusing both patients and caregivers.
Heightens relapse risk: Self-detoxing rarely leads to successful sobriety and often ends in relapse due to poor symptom management and lack of support.

Many people attempt to “wean off” alcohol by gradually reducing their intake on their own, but without clinical support, this often leads to relapse or severe health events. Medical detox programs offer medications, monitoring, and emotional support to guide individuals through withdrawal as safely as possible.

How to Know If It’s Time for Help

Whether you’ve noticed yourself drinking earlier in the day or you’re considering quitting alcohol altogether, it’s important to assess your relationship with alcohol honestly. Some signs that you might benefit from professional support include:

Drinking to relieve hangover symptoms or morning anxiety
Hiding how much or how often you drink
Experiencing withdrawal symptoms such as shaking, sweating, or insomnia when not drinking
Unsuccessfully attempting to quit or cut back
Continuing to drink despite negative effects on your health, relationships, or career

If these behaviors sound familiar, it’s not a sign of weakness—it’s a signal that your body and mind may be asking for help.

Safe Solutions: Medical Detox and Supportive Care

The most effective way to stop drinking safely is through medical detoxification. Detox centers offer a controlled, supportive environment where withdrawal symptoms can be managed and long-term plans can begin.

Here’s what a quality medical detox program typically includes:

24/7 supervision by medical professionals
Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) to relieve withdrawal symptoms
Mental health evaluations to address underlying issues like anxiety, trauma, or depression
Transition planning into inpatient or outpatient rehab, therapy, or sober living

After detox, treatment should continue with a personalized plan that includes:

Individual and group therapy
Family support and education
Peer support groups (AA, SMART Recovery, etc.)
Holistic and wellness therapies
Life skills coaching and relapse prevention planning

Recovery isn’t just about quitting alcohol—it’s about rebuilding a healthy, meaningful life without it.

Final Thoughts: Respect the Process, Prioritize Your Health

Morning drinking and drinking during detox are more than just habits—they’re serious signs of alcohol dependency that require immediate attention.

These behaviors, while sometimes hidden or rationalized, are dangerous and unsustainable. But there is hope.

If you’re caught in this cycle—or watching a loved one struggle—now is the time to act. Seek guidance from professionals who understand the physical, emotional, and psychological aspects of recovery.

You don’t have to do it alone. Recovery is possible, and it starts with one brave, informed decision to get help.

Bio: Jeremy Carter is a researcher and writer specializing in higher education, ethical research, and online learning, with a strong focus on healthcare billing and revenue cycle management. With a passion for exploring the intersection of technology, academia, and medical billing, he advocates for accessible and impactful doctoral education. His work highlights the transformative power of digital learning in fostering global collaboration and ethical scholarship.

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Please also review AIHCP’s Substance Abuse Practitioner Certification programs and see if it meets your academic and professional goals. These programs are online and independent study and open to qualified professionals seeking a four year certification

The Role of Mental Health in Youth Rehab

Posted on November 22, 2024May 7, 2025 by Joseph Gerard

Helping family through addiction can be difficult. It can also be difficult to know where to draw the line. Please also review AIHCP's Substance Abuse Counseling Program

Written by Mark San Juan

Can you even imagine a teenager, who is actually a child, locked away in a detention center, struggling with not just the mistake they made, but also the emotional scars they carry? It’s a tragic picture, but it’s the reality of so many of these young people that face a lot more than just legal battles. They fight against trauma, anxiety, and issues with mental health that might have even caused them to be there in the first place.

Sometimes, we think of mental health care as a bonus, especially in rehabilitation, but it’s not a perk; it’s an essential part of the process. If you don’t address the deeper issues, then what chance do these young offenders have of breaking the cycle and being a valuable part of society? Slim to none, that’s what. Current statistical analysis data supports this and reveals the scale of the issue.

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) has reported that more than 70% of youth in the juvenile justice system experience some form of mental disorder. But only approx. 15% of them receive appropriate/effective treatment.

Youth detention centers absolutely must focus on mental health because it’s the way to heal the offenders and to give them a chance to take control of their future – outside the bars.

2 Reasons Why Mental Health Support Is So Important in Juvenile Rehabilitation

Taking care of mental health is important for everyone, even if you live a normal life, but it’s especially important for those that are vulnerable, like the young people in detention centers.

The Illinois Juvenile Court Act of 1987 (statute) outlines procedures for how to handle juvenile cases, and emphasizes rehabilitation over punishment while mandating consideration of a minor’s mental health needs.

Furthermore, Public Act 102-0193 (signed into law in 2021) amends the Juvenile Court Act to enhance court reviews and oversight. This act has the aim of improving outcomes for minors (especially those with mental health concerns/issues).

If issues with mental health are handled on time, then there’s less chance of future offenses and young offenders have a foundation for a healthier life.

Common Mental Health Issues in Youth Detention

Anxiety and Depression

These are the most common issues and they’re often the consequence of trauma they’ve experienced in the past, being uncertain about their future, and the stress of being in a detention facility.

If they’re not treated, these conditions can result in withdrawal, aggression, and negative behaviors in the future.

Trauma and PTSD

A lot of people in youth detention centers have experienced abuse, violence, and neglect. This can lead to PTSDs, which manifests in flashbacks, serious anxiety, and not being able to trust others.

Anyone in this situation, whether they’re in jail, detention center, or free, has to get help through therapy to work through the trauma and start to heal.

Behavioral Disorders

Conditions like ADHD and ODD (oppositional defiant disorder) can worsen in environments like youth detention centers and as a result, you get conflicts with the staff and other detainees.

Proper mental health support can help with managing these conditions and provide young people with healthier coping mechanisms.

Substance Abuse

Approximately 50% of detained youth have a history of drug/alcohol use. These addictions/dependencies are often masking deeper underlying mental health issues and require specialized treatment approaches to address both the addiction and what’s underneath.

Based on the report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), facilities that have adopted trauma-informed practices have reported a 25% reduction in recidivism rates.

Ignoring substance abuse can worsen the youth’s chances of successfully integrating back into society, and is increasing the risk of recidivism.

What Happens When Mental Health Issues Go Untreated

Increased Risk of Recidivism

With no mental health support, young offenders are far more likely to commit a crime again, and the way to break this cycle is to address the underlying mental health issues.

In fact, According to Mental Health America, youth with untreated mental health issues are far more likely to re-offend. While the data varies from region to region, it still supports this data point.

Let’s take a look at some worldwide data:

Region	Recidivism Rate (%)	Access to Mental Health Treatment (%)	Impact of Treatment on Recidivism Reduction (%)
United States	60	40	25
Canada	50	50	30
Europe	35	70	40
Asia	50	30	15
Africa	70	20	10
Australia	40	65	35

If you take Europe and Africa as an example, you can see a correlation between the rate of reoffending and access to mental health treatment. The data shows that high access to mental health treatment results in a low recidivism rate, and vice-versa.

Of course, other factors (e.g., socio-economic status, exposure to violence/trauma, substance abuse, availability of community resources, family structure, education, etc.) could also be contributing to this, but it goes to show how treatment (or the lack of) can affect reoffending rates at a significant rate.

This way, these young people can develop skills to make better decisions and to control themselves.

Challenges with Rejoining the Society

Untreated mental health issues make life hard in general, but when you have an offender, they’ll also struggle with reintegrating into society, relationships, education, and getting a decent job.

Rehabilitation programs that are actually effective and not just a formality can improve their chances of being a functioning member of the community.

Effects on Relationships with Family and Community

When you deal with mental health issues, you’re not the only one affected; the people around you go through it, too.

If the issues aren’t treated, then the relationships with everyone suffer, and reintegration becomes much more difficult.

(Long-Term) Benefits of Mental Health Support

Today, mental health is being recognized and prioritized in youth rehabilitation at a much larger rate than in the past. And beyond simply helping the youth in question, the correct treatment can have a positive ripple effect on others, as well.

For example, their families, their friends, communities, and society as a whole.

Reduced Crime Rate

As we can see from the table above, effective mental health programs reduce recidivism rates. In the U.S., about a quarter of (future) offenders are being steered off their paths, and are being reintegrated into society.

And that is a good thing. Both for the youth that’s been rehabilitated, so that they can have better lives (outside of detention or correctional facilities), plus there’s also the benefit for the whole society, as they won’t need to experience crime that would’ve otherwise happened.

Community Integration

Rehabilitated youths who’ve received mental health support are more likely to contribute towards their communities (e.g., education, employment, etc.).

Breaking Generational Cycles

When you address mental health issues and correct them, especially in young offenders, you’re helping break cycles of trauma that (possibly) were occurring in preceding generations, but more importantly, pave a brighter future for the next generation.

Legal Support and Advocacy for Survivors of Abuse

There are cases that need more than just mental health support; those that are the most vulnerable and that have suffered abuse. Along with therapists, they need legal representatives to find justice and hold those responsible accountable.

Here’s a deeper dive into this.

Seeking Justice and Accountability

Legal professionals can get justice for detained youth who have gone through abuse.

For example, a youth detention center sexual abuse lawyer can represent these young people and take legal action against those that are responsible. This legal process will hold the guilty party accountable, but it will also help with survivors’ healing because it will show them that they are heard and protected.

Creating Safe Spaces for Disclosure (to Speak Up)

Support also means creating an environment where people feel safe to talk about their experiences.

In 2020, a survey by the PREA Resource Center revealed that juvenile facilities across the U.S. that established confidential reporting systems, saw a 50% increase in abuse disclosures.

Legal representation is here to protect their rights so they can openly share their stories and start to heal.

Working Together for Recovery

Therapists and attorneys can join forces to support the people in juvenile detention centers. Therapy and legal representation can address trauma and also give directions on rights and options.

The Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA) is a Federal Law (established in 1974) that mandates that standards are being enforced for the treatment of juveniles in the U.S. justice system.

This approach makes rehabilitation much more effective and compassionate.

Conclusion

A youth detention center doesn’t hold just young offenders, but also stories of trauma, survival, and hope for change. It’s supposed to be a rehabilitation institution, so the key is to look past the offenders’ mistakes and focus on helping them heal and grow. This can’t happen without addressing mental health issues and for those who have gone through extreme trauma, competent legal representation.

We should all keep in mind that true rehabilitation isn’t serving time but giving people a way to take control of their future and make changes.

And such institutions, with their access to mental health treatments (therapy, support), can surely be life-changing.

Author’s Bio

Mark San Juan is a distinguished author and health care professional with a passion for transforming health care delivery through innovative approaches. With over two decades of experience in the field, Mark has established himself as a leading voice in health care reform and patient-centered care.

Does Adult ADHD Lead to Alcoholism or Drug Use?

Posted on September 15, 2022September 15, 2022 by Joseph Gerard

Written by Fay Smith

ADHD is a common diagnosis for kids who struggle in school, but what happens when kids grow up and struggle in their offices, communities, and relationships?

Adults with ADHD have difficult challenges, and many turn to drugs and alcohol to cope.

In this article, we’ll look at how and why that is.

How Adults Cope with ADHD

ADHD presents many challenges for adults, but one of the biggest is regularly lacking dopamine.

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that is largely responsible for the pleasure that you feel when you accomplish something. A sense of accomplishment boosts you and makes it easier to take on your next tasks. For people with ADHD, this doesn’t happen the same way.

Adults with ADHD have a different reward system than neurotypical adults. A normal work routine, including meetings, might be somewhat boring for an office manager who is neurotypical, but it could send someone with ADHD into a spiral.

Without feeling like they are accomplishing anything important to them, and receiving the dopamine boost that goes along with that, it becomes increasingly hard to concentrate.

Having ADHD and needing to do things you don’t want to do and aren’t interested in can be extremely difficult, and even painful.

It’s a process of trying to force your brain to act in ways it doesn’t want to. The result is usually a drop in neurotransmitters and the onset of depression. Up to 53% of people with ADHD also struggle with depression.

There are legal substances that can provide a lot of help to adults with ADHD. Coffee can help to stimulate the brain to produce more neurotransmitters, and legal CBD can help to relax the nervous system and provide the restful sleep that adults with ADHD need to maintain good brain health. Know more about it here.

However, there are many adults with ADHD who turn to alcohol and drugs – not just to cope with the pain of having ADHD as an adult in a world designed for neurotypical people, but to help manage an unruly brain that won’t seem to follow directions.

Why do ADHD Adults Turn to Drugs and Alcohol?

It’s important to note that every adult with ADHD was once a child with ADHD, and it is typically in pre-adolescence or adolescence when substance abuse problems or tendencies first arise.

An 8-year longitudinal study found that at the age of 14.9, 40% of ADHD subjects and only 22% of control subjects had used alcohol (Barkley et al. 1990). This suggests that alcohol and other drugs are more appealing to people with ADHD in early adolescence.

A different study found that at age 25, alcohol use was roughly equal between ADHD adults and control groups, but we know that early and intense alcohol use is a risk factor for later alcohol and drug problems.

Growing up is when most people start to face increasing demands on their time and attention, which is also when young adults with ADHD begin to face significant struggles and shoulder the shame that comes from not being able to act or be like everyone else.

ADHD adults use drugs to cope, practically and emotionally.

In a practical sense, drugs and alcohol change the brain and produce the mental states that people with ADHD are looking for. When you are unable to feel happy or concentrate, a cup of coffee can help. So can other drugs. When you can’t seem to calm down or regulate your energy or emotions, alcohol can help. So can other drugs.

Neurotypical adults might be able to take a deep breath and restore calm and focus, but this just doesn’t happen for ADHD adults, who struggle to regulate themselves.

On an emotional level, it is easy to blame yourself for your problems as someone with ADHD. An inability to focus can be mistaken as a lack of interest or care. Disinterest in boring and unrewarding tasks can come across as laziness.

Adults with ADHD have to deal with a disabling inability to focus, as well as being blamed personally for that inability to focus.

In a culture that values constant productivity and readiness, adults with ADHD often struggle to regulate their attention and emotions and use drugs or alcohol as tools to cope.

Recovery for Adults with ADHD and Drug Problems

Although alcohol and other drugs might relieve temporary symptoms of ADHD, they invariably make life worse.

This is not just for all of the reasons that you’re familiar with – the cost, the health impacts, the social impacts, etc – but also because alcohol and most other drugs are harmful to the brain and end up making symptoms worse in the long run.

A healthy brain releases more neurotransmitters that help focus and attention. An unhealthy brain doesn’t regulate itself well. When you start messing with your brain’s reward system, it makes it even harder to set things right.

If you or someone you know is an adult with ADHD and a drug or alcohol problem, find a treatment solution that also addresses the impacts of ADHD. True recovery requires solutions to multiple problems.

Author Bio: Fay Smith

Fay Smith worked in communications for five years before settling down with her husband. She’s now a mother of two young children and takes care of three lovable Pomeranians. Fay Smith is a regular contributor on various health and wellness sites. She also works as a freelance writer and researcher on wellness topics, such as alternative treatments and CBD.

Please also review AIHCP’s Attention Deficit Consulting certificate program and see if it matches your academic and professional goals. The program in online and independent study and open to qualified professionals.