Alcohol Addiction, Treatment and Rehab

Alcohol Info

• Alcohol Addiction and Abuse
• Alcohol Symptoms and Warning Signs
• Alcohol Treatment and Rehab
• Alcohol Withdrawal and Detox

Alcohol is one of the most readily available and socially acceptable substances worldwide, can be extremely affordable, and can induce pleasant feelings of euphoria and disinhibition – factors which combine to make it one of the most problematic of all drugs, leading in countless cases to abuse and addiction.

Abuse involves regularly consuming significant amounts of alcohol. This type of behaviour can in turn result in alcohol addiction (also known as alcoholism or alcohol use disorder), a disease in which you feel an uncontrollable urge to consume alcohol. If you are suffering from this disorder, you may be unable to stop drinking, despite the negative consequences of alcohol abuse.

There are a huge number of social, physical and psychological effects that can result from alcohol abuse, including a breakdown of key relationships, loss of income/inability to keep a job, domestic violence, liver failure, damage to unborn children, brain damage and even death.

Alcohol abuse and addiction treatment at a professional alcohol rehab clinics can help mend your health and begin the steps to overcome alcoholism. You’re more likely to achieve and maintain sobriety when you undergo treatment than if you choose not to. The right treatment for you will depend on your individual goals, personal history and general condition. You might find that a combination of treatments is most effective, and you can access them simultaneously through specific programmes. Some of the best treatment can be found in inpatient or residential programmes, where you are expected to stay during your time at the centre. There are also outpatient programmes, where you’ll attend the centre for treatment and return home afterwards.

Alcohol Addiction Treatment

When alcohol use turns into addiction, it can be difficult to focus on your normal day-to-day life. However, with the help of a treatment programme in addition to ongoing support, your addiction can be addressed, amended and resolved, no matter how severe it may be. Alcohol treatment centres are designed to help you deal with addiction in several ways. Generally, treatment centres require you to spend a pre-agreed amount of time there, depending on whether you receive long or short-term treatment. During treatment, you’ll undergo medical alcohol detoxification, which is the process of expunging the alcohol from your body and stopping any physical dependence.

Treatment centres are also designed to provide you with support in the form of individual therapy. This will ensure that you have a full understanding of your addiction before you leave the centre. During therapy sessions, you can explore the reasons behind addiction in addition to what you can do to break free from it. Therapists and counsellors at treatment centres are trained to provide you with practical ideas and alternatives to drinking. During your treatment, you may also be provided with the tools you need to progress from alcohol addiction and into a more productive lifestyle.

What is Alcohol Addiction?

According to experts, factors such as sex, race, socioeconomics or genetics may predispose you to alcohol addiction. However, there is no single cause.

It’s essential to understand that this substance abuse disorder is a real disease. It can lead to changes in your brain and neurochemistry. Therefore, if you have an alcohol addiction, you might be unable to control your actions. Alcoholism may manifest in several ways because the severity of the disease, as well as the frequency and quantity of consumption, varies from one person to the next. Some people may drink heavily, while others may engage in binge drinking and then stay sober for some time. Alcohol addiction is certainly serious, but it can be managed. You can get the medical and psychological support you need to change your life by reaching out for care.

Warning signs of Alcohol abuse and Addiction

Drinking is a socially accepted activity, mostly because alcohol is a legal substance in most countries. However, not everyone who drinks is an alcoholic. Therefore, it can be helpful to know at what point abuse turns into addiction. Alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse are commonly used terms to describe excessive alcohol consumption. However, they do not describe the exact same types of behaviour. An alcoholic is an alcohol abuser, but not all people abusing alcohol can be labelled alcohol addicts. In certain cases, it can be easy to identify the warning signs of alcohol abuse. At other times, they may take longer to show up.
Some of the common signs of alcohol abuse include:

In addition to the signs of alcohol abuse, the warning signs of alcohol addiction include:

When alcohol addiction is discovered in its early stages, the chance for a successful recovery increases significantly.

Short and Long-Term Effects of Alcohol

The short-term effects of alcohol differ, depending on your weight and on other factors including whether you drink on an empty stomach. Typically, effects begin with relaxation and reduced inhibitions, which may be pleasant at first, before progressing to poor coordination, lowered reflex and response time and reduced concentration. All these effects result from a slowdown in the brain’s activity. Other short-term effects of alcohol include vomiting, breathing difficulties, headaches, slurred speech, distorted vision and hearing, unconsciousness, anaemia (loss of red blood cells), memory lapses (blackouts where you may be unable to remember events that happened whilst under the influence) and even coma.

Long-term alcohol abuse can result in the death of brain cells, leading to brain disorders in addition to weakened mental or physical function. Liver damage as a result of alcohol abuse can lead to cirrhosis, a chronic medical disease that can require treatment via a liver transplant. Pancreatitis – a dangerous inflammation of the pancreas, causing nerve damage – can also result from long-term consumption.

In addition, you may become tolerant to alcohol, where your body becomes accustomed to higher and increasing doses. Tolerance can lead to dependence and then alcohol addiction, as you can consume dangerously high amounts of alcohol without experiencing the short-term warning effects that might otherwise convince you to stop.

Why You Should Seek Rehab for Alcohol Abuse and addiction

It can be tough to admit that you or someone you love is abusing or addicted to alcohol. However, this is the first and most essential step in seeking rehab for alcohol abuse and addiction. With the right support and utilising the treatments provided at rehab centres to treat your physical, emotional and mental disorders, you can have the chance to change your current lifestyle, and break free from the hold of alcohol, achieve sobriety and live the life you’ve always wanted.

The medical staff at alcohol rehab centres work together to help you recover from your addiction. They provide treatments that enable you to divert your attention from alcohol to more productive ways of passing the time, dealing with stress and coping with depression. These doctors, counsellors and therapists understand that people are different and therefore no single method of treatment will effectively treat everyone. Subsequently, you receive treatments, therapies, medication and counselling specifically tailored to your needs.

Typically, inpatient alcohol rehab programmes can be completed in about 28 days, though some may take much longer. Addiction treatment doesn’t stop after completing your initial treatment process. Follow-up care may also be provided to improve your chances of maintaining sobriety. Aftercare for alcohol addiction can last from months to years and usually includes transitional accommodation, psychotherapy and support group attendance.

Outpatient alcohol rehab also requires you to undergo an initial assessment to determine a suitable treatment plan. However, you aren’t required to check in and stay at the centre for the duration of your treatment. Instead, you have meetings with addiction experts individually or in a group setting. You can therefore go about your usual activities – like work or school – whilst getting the treatment you need. In this type of alcohol rehab facility, you can receive counselling and therapy sessions, in addition to family counselling to help you reconnect with your loved ones and fix any alcohol-related damage that has occurred.

Rehab: This is a typical first treatment option and can be taken in an outpatient or inpatient form. Inpatient rehab can last from 30 days of treatment to a year and is very effective for helping you cope with emotional challenges and withdrawal symptoms.

Alcoholics Anonymous and Other Support Groups: 12-step programmes such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and other groups such as SMART Recovery or Sober Recovery (which do not follow the 12-step model) offer a support system that can be useful as you work towards recovery. These sober communities offer a healthy space to share relatable experiences and can help you deal with the day-to-day challenges of sobriety.

Other Options: Other options you could benefit from include drug therapy, counselling and nutritional changes. These help you manage the stress of recovery and teach you effective ways to prevent a relapse.

Types of Alcohol Addiction Treatment

One of the biggest decisions you will face is choosing to seek help for alcohol addiction. Different types of alcohol treatment are available, based on the frequency and severity of abuse. The process of recovery also continues long after rehab, so it takes commitment to put into practice the skills learnt during and after treatment. The main types of alcohol addiction treatment include:

Detoxification: This treatment is ideally completed with the help of medical specialists as a result of the potential for severe, uncomfortable and potentially highly dangerous symptoms. In some cases, you may be given medications to help relieve the painful side effects of withdrawal.

Rehabilitation: Rehabilitation for alcohol treatment may involve inpatient or outpatient treatment. While inpatient rehabs offer intensive treatments and require your fixed presence in the facility for a certain period of time, outpatient options allow you to take part in a recovery programme whilst still going about your daily obligations.

Maintenance: This type of treatment continues after you’ve completed rehabilitation. Lasting sobriety requires ongoing therapy, counselling, support groups and other recovery resources. These can help you sustain sobriety and continue on an alcohol-free path long into the future.

When to Choose Inpatient vs. Outpatient

After deciding to seek help for alcohol addiction, you’ll need to choose whether an inpatient or outpatient facility is best for you.

Not all cases are so severe as to merit 24-hour care at an inpatient facility. Outpatient rehabilitation is a solid option if you’re able to function well enough to handle school or work responsibilities simultaneously. It offers a part-time treatment programme that allows you to receive treatment whilst fulfilling your obligations to your employer and family.

Alcohol usage doesn’t have to determine your future. You can begin a life of sobriety by registering for a treatment programme today.

Choosing the Best Alcohol Rehab Centre

Selecting a rehab programme can feel overwhelming and it’s not a decision you should rush into. Alcohol rehab centres offer a variety of services, from limited options to luxury rehab facilities. Although you want to begin treatment as soon as possible, it’s essential to keep several factors in mind before you make that final decision. The best alcohol rehab centres will help you reach your goal of sobriety.

You should carry out comprehensive research on the rehab facilities you are considering: find reviews and learn about the quality of care they offer. Although most centres are reputable and provide adequate assistance, other facilities have a poor track record.

When choosing the best alcohol rehab centre, there are some questions you can take into consideration, which may help you make the most suitable choice:

Specialised Treatment and Therapy Options

These types of treatment attempt to address the whole range of issues (contributing or otherwise) associated with alcohol and other substance abuse recovery, in order to best prepare you for long-term recovery after completion of your programme. Specialised treatment and therapy options can include family and marital counselling, help with financial or legal troubles, medical attention (focused on your physical and mental health), and post-treatment accommodation. Specialised treatment programmes are usually tailored towards your individual needs. This can result in an increase in your comfort level and willingness to comply with treatment processes, and hopefully promote successful recovery.

There are a variety of specialised options available, which focus on individual considerations.
They are:

However, if you’ve experienced alcohol withdrawal once, there is always a possibility of going through it again, the next time you choose to quit. Symptoms of alcohol withdrawal can range from mild to serious. Mild symptoms usually appear as early as six hours after your last drink. They can include: nausea, vomiting, shakey hands, anxiety, headaches, sweating and insomnia.

Severe withdrawal symptoms typically begin with hallucinations from around 12 to 24 hours after your last drink, to seizures within the first two days after you quit. Delirium tremens (or ‘DTs’ as they are often called) usually manifest 48 to 72 hours after your last drink. These include severe symptoms such as vivid hallucinations and delusions, where you can see, feel, or hear things that aren’t there. Other withdrawal symptoms at this stage include confusion, fever, high blood pressure, racing heart and excessive sweating.

Long-term, heavy abusers of alcohol are at risk of death if they suddenly stop drinking. A treatment centre will be able to advise if you are at risk in this way.

Continuing Care: What Comes Next?

Continuing care is primarily designed to help you maintain sobriety after completing your treatment. Comprehensive aftercare services can make a difference in whether your treatment is successful or not. Some rehab centres provide sober houses, where you can live under the supervision of staff members. Along with other residents, they offer support, encourage regular attendance of meetings and therapy sessions and give you the chance to live in a trigger-free environment.

It is essential to have this kind of supportive environment – either at home or in sober houses – to give you continuous help when it comes to avoiding temptation. This involves members of your support system avoiding the use of alcohol or other intoxicating substances in your presence, removing any mind-altering substances from the home, and encouraging consistency in complying with your aftercare plan. You can also have sponsors or someone who is always available to listen to you if you feel you need support at any time. In continuing care, individual, family, and group therapy are also offered, depending on your needs.

Relapse Prevention

Ideally, preventing a relapse should begin early – even before temptations appear. A comprehensive relapse plan will take into consideration emotional triggers, social interaction and how you can develop positive coping mechanisms. In recovery, staying sober should not be a solo attempt. Addiction naturally isolates you, while recovery requires an active support network. While taking steps to recover, it’s crucial to interact on a regular basis with other people who understand your situation and offer much needed support. These people can be found in different support groups, especially Alcoholics Anonymous (AA).

Such groups provide relapse prevention techniques through reducing stress or depression with appropriate social interactions, providing assistance with alcohol relapse prevention plans, and helping you develop positive and healthy friendships. Relapse prevention can be effectively planned and implemented when you understand the warning signs and risk factors that typically lead to relapse. These factors vary from one person to the next and may include social pressures, a change in employment, loss of a loved one or major financial changes.

Live a Sober Life Again: Call Now for Treatment Options

Helping you get sober and maintain an alcohol-free lifestyle are the main goals of any alcohol treatment programme. This is generally achieved through a combination of intervention, detox, rehab and long-term follow-up care. You may be anxious about beginning the journey to recovery, but choosing to get treatment is the best step you can take for your health and happiness. Before getting clean, you’ll need to first recognise that there is a problem that needs to be treated. It may be difficult to admit you have a problem, but it’s a necessary step towards living a life free from alcohol addiction.

If your alcohol abuse is interfering with your career, education or personal relationships, then you need help. When undergoing treatment for alcohol addiction, it is crucial to address the underlying problems that contributed to the initial abuse. The right alcohol treatment programmes can offer you professional evaluation, support, therapy, counselling and medication to help ensure sobriety.

Alcohol Addiction: Fast Facts

Alcohol: True Stories of Addiction

“My addiction to alcohol was so severe, it made me sick and I suffered constant physical discomfort – from blackouts to shaky hands and bleeding ulcers. I used up every lie I could to get money out of my parents to pay for drinks. I would say I needed to buy groceries, gas and so on. Eventually, I hurt a lot of people with my habit, including my parents, who were sure they would outlive me.

“When I decided to get sober, it was a life or death decision for me. I also knew I couldn’t handle it on my own. I got the help I needed and here I am today, two years later. I’m living a better life than I could have dreamed of whilst under the influence. I’m on good terms with my family and I even went back to school for a counselling degree.”

Matthew D.

“My addiction journey has taught me that there is no right path to sobriety, and recovery takes time. It’s never easy, but it is definitely worth it. Beforehand, I’d spent several months trying to moderate my drinking and failed miserably. I was so powerless over alcohol, despite the effects I could see it was having on my life and relationships.

“I decided to come clean with my doctor and spoke to him about my struggle to quit binge-drinking alcohol. He prescribed some medications and recommended treatment and support groups that were of immense help to me. Now, I feel complete and am happy to share my success through hard work and commitment. I didn’t give up and am now looking at my husband and children. I’m quite glad I stuck it out.”

Dorothy M.

FAQ

Sources

(1) https://www.ukat.co.uk/alcohol/rehab-treatment/
(2) https://alcoholrehab.london/alcohol-rehab-treatment/