Alcoholism, which is also known as Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) is one of the most common addictions. Despite the fact that many people do not take alcohol addiction as seriously as drug abuse, in fact, it is a major problem that can lead to physical health issues and mental disorders. Moreover, alcohol abuse often results in a breakdown of social ties, misunderstanding, a sense of isolation, and sometimes, even the disintegration of families.
Undoubtedly, most people consume alcohol every weekend, so it might be difficult to track when alcohol consumption becomes a habit and addiction. However, if you realize that you cannot quit drinking alcohol, this will be a sign to seek treatment.
If you encounter alcohol issues, we will recommend you to contact our rehabilitation center. We are a respected treatment provider who carries out alcoholism treatment programs. Specialists will help you overcome alcohol abuse.
Keep reading this alcohol rehab guide to become familiar with the reasons and consequences of alcohol issues, as well as a possible treatment plan.
How To Understand That You Are Addicted?
The first step to coping with problematic alcohol use is to admit that you have disorders. Most people refuse to admit that they abuse alcohol. Unfortunately, until a person realizes that substance abuse prevents them from leading a rich and healthy life, it will be extremely difficult to get rid of unhealthy alcohol use.
In general, alcohol addiction differs in that a person cannot control the amount of alcohol consumed and cannot stop themselves from excessive substance abuse. Moreover, an addict continues to drink alcohol even though they cannot longer ignore the problems with physical and mental health that arise as a result of substance use disorders and significantly worsen the quality of life.
We have prepared a detailed list of facts that may indicate the presence of alcohol use disorder. Check whether you have observed them in your daily life to understand if you need the help of alcohol counselors in the fight against AUD.
- The process of drinking takes up most of your life;
- Family members have pointed out that you may have alcohol use disorder, as your addiction to alcohol becomes an obstacle in your relationships with loved ones. Perhaps you feel that you are losing a close connection with your family and friends;
- You often suffer from headaches, nausea, and other hangover symptoms after consuming alcohol;
- You have already thought about the fact that you need to stop drinking or even made attempts to cope with alcohol dependence on your own, but were not successful;
- You have noticed that alcohol use disorders caused mental health issues such as depressive thoughts or memory problems;
- You often find yourself drinking for hours, although you usually plan to drink only a couple of glasses of wine;
- Finally, you realize that you cannot live without alcohol, you have a strong craving for booze.
Thus, if you have recognized yourself in at least two of the above situations related to alcohol use, you should seriously think about treating alcoholism right now.
Prerequisites of Alcohol Use Disorder
Now let us look at the causes of alcohol use disorder. Firstly, it is important to understand that a habit is formed only when a person consumes alcohol extremely often. Moreover, the larger the amount of alcohol consumed regularly, the more likely it is to acquire substance use disorder.
Consequently, the main cause of alcoholism lies in people themselves and their subjection to bad habits. Thus, in order to prevent the occurrence of addiction, it is necessary to be able to control yourself. By the way, drinking from an early age can also negatively affect a person and lead to alcoholism. Medical scientists have proven that young girls are more likely to acquire alcohol dependence than boys. Obviously, mental problems can also cause a predisposition to addiction or worsen the situation.
However, it is also essential to understand that alcohol misuse can often be partially caused by genetic characteristics and parental drinking behavior. For example, if a person was faced with the fact that their parents abused alcohol at an early age, then this childhood trauma can impact their future life. In addition, grandparents may also have been predisposed to alcoholism, which makes alcohol use disorder a family issue.
It does not matter what caused alcohol use disorder, if you feel helpless in the fight against this addiction, we will strongly recommend that you seek treatment professionals’ help.
Alcohol Addiction Treatment Types
In order to overcome alcohol addiction, you need to decide on a treatment program. Fortunately, nowadays, there are many treatment options that suit different people to varying degrees, depending on their mental health and the severity of addiction.
1. Alcohol addiction treatment centers
The first thing you should decide on is the type of treatment. This can be both in- and outpatient programs. Inpatient treatment is suitable for those who want to stay in the alcohol addiction treatment center for several weeks. This type of treatment is perhaps the most effective since the patient is under constant supervision and is also isolated from the unfavorable environment and alcohol itself, so they have no chance to return to the past way of living.
Outpatient rehab is not suitable for everyone, but it allows you to save money for treatment if you do not have enough funds to pay for accommodation in alcohol addiction treatment center.
2. Behavioral therapy
Both types of therapy that we mentioned earlier cannot be effective without behavioral therapy, which most often consists in alcohol counseling with a specialist alone or in a group.
In addition, there are numerous types of behavioral treatment that differ in purpose. First, you can find ways to cope with difficulties without harming your health or discuss motivation to fight problems and lead a healthy life within the framework of motivational enhancement therapy. If you feel the need to establish relationships with loved ones and come to an understanding during the treatment process, marital and family counseling will be the best therapy option for you.
3. Support groups
If you have an issue drinking alcoholic beverages, then discussing this addiction as part of group therapy will be another step towards recovery. You can become a member of one of the support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous to cope with mental health issues and overcome feelings of isolation and helplessness more easily.
4. Medication
While being under the supervision of doctors, some patients struggling with alcohol addiction may also take medications in order to overcome symptoms and alcohol cravings. Medications recommended by the National institute on alcohol abuse and alcoholism include acamprosate, naltrexone, and disulfiram.
It does not matter which treatment methods you choose, the main thing is that you can trust your treatment provider.
What Happens After The Alcohol Addiction Treatment?
The last point that should be present in our alcohol rehab guide is that the recovery process does not end after the primary treatment. Every person with addiction should understand that it is not enough just to get rid of drinking habits and unpleasant symptoms. The treatment process can continue for years even after leaving the rehabilitation center or completing treatment with special medications. Treatment success can be achieved only as a result of the development of coping skills that will allow a person to get rid of addiction and continue to lead a full life.
Follow-up care is extremely important for most people who are trying to cope with alcohol addiction. In this case, talk therapy helps many people. This can be alcohol counseling in the form of either individual or group meetings with a specialist. Some even live with people who have faced similar problems in order to provide each other with mental support. All of these therapies are aimed at providing ongoing treatment to a person who may still feel isolated and insecure to continue a healthy life without alcohol.
Now that you know that although being an extremely serious issue, alcoholism can be successfully cured, you can start planning your treatment.
Frequently Asked Questions — FAQ
What is the most effective treatment for alcohol dependence?
To deal with alcohol use disorder, one might want to resort to behavioral treatments as well as attending group classes such as Alcoholics Anonymous. Correction of habits and support from people with similar problems are often the most effective means of combating alcoholism.
What is the most common form of treatment for addictions?
Nowadays, inpatient or outpatient treatment related to behavior correction is the most popular way to treat alcoholism In addition to individual psychotherapy sessions and medical treatment, family therapy sessions also help a person with alcohol use disorder to overcome all the problems.
Can health recover after alcoholism treatment?
When drawing up a detailed treatment plan, a patient can count on healing and restoration of health. However, it is important to understand that a person must show strength in order to avoid relapses. What is more, when dealing with alcohol withdrawal symptoms, one should not forget about the aftercare and behavioral therapies.