Alcohol Addiction Treatment: A Way To a Better Life

alcohol addiction treatment

No Shame in Getting Alcohol Addiction Treatment

Alcohol addiction is a real disease; it changes the neurochemistry of the brain causing a problem in controlling one’s own actions. Shaming addicts would never work because when it becomes compulsive, it’s harder for the person to focus on daily life activities. With proper alcohol addiction treatment, this problem can be resolved.

Moreover, asking for someone’s help won’t make you weak, but rather it increases your chance of success.

The consequences of alcoholism get worse with time. There is no better time to quit than now.

Why Should You Seek Alcohol Addiction Treatment

Alcohol addiction can cause serious complications to your body. It can cause chronic liver disease by scarring through inflammation (cirrhosis). Alcohol affects your lungs and heart which can lead to high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, stroke and ultimately heart failure.

It prevents your digestive system from absorbing vitamins and nutrients, causing malnutrition and inflammation in your stomach which can lead to an ulcer.

Alcohol reduces the coordination between your body and brain, it affects long-term memories and reduces thinking ability, emotional control and decision making.

Untreated alcohol addiction can also cause erectile dysfunction in men.

The First Steps Toward Alcohol Addiction Treatment

The first achievement in getting treatment is your ‘personal dedication’ to become a sober person. Your family, friends, self-help groups, alcohol rehabs, your physician and counselor are all your biggest support. All of these give you hope and confidence to change.

The first step you can take is speaking to your primary care doctor, who may make a diagnosis and recommend the next steps that would be best for you in terms of alcohol addiction treatment.

Your doctor may recommend the following possible treatments.

Self-Help Groups

Self-help groups are one of the more effective sources of treatment. These are readily available, locally accessible and free. Alcohol addiction is a disease that isolates you from all others. So, self-help groups help you realize you aren’t alone.

Self-help groups give you confidence that you can live a life in recovery. You will be relieved that no one will judge you or disrespect you. Knowing people who have recovered from this illness will give you self-reliance and encouragement that you can get better.

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Counseling

Sometimes self-help groups are not enough to encourage you to seek further treatment or stop drinking. You might have a problem in convincing yourself that you need help.

Professional counselors can help you from going back into that place of denial. They can keep you on track by looking at the signs of the problem and giving possible solutions. Only these professionals can help you uphold your motivation for a better life as well as helping you to develop skills to prevent a relapse.

Behavioral Treatments

Behavioral alcohol addiction treatments require the help of counselors to change behavior related to drinking and addiction. These treatments help in developing skills to reduce drinking habits, avoiding relapse triggers, and setting goals towards betterment.

Behavioral treatments involve cognitive therapy to identify factors that contribute to your addiction, learn more productive ways to manage stress and change negative thought patterns.

Motivational enhancement therapy help in finding advantages of seeking treatment, building confidence and strengthening motivation to change this addiction.

Marital and family counseling help in repairing relationships and also helps more in getting better than individual counseling.

Detox Medications

Most of the different types of alcohol addiction treatments start with detoxification which will help break the physical dependence on alcohol. It usually takes a week to complete this process. During detoxification different medications are given to prevent shaking, hallucinations and convulsions.

You may be treated with alcohol-sensitizing medicine which will help you avoid alcohol in the early days of treatment and recovery by making you sick whenever you consume it.

Specific medications may be given that will help restore the chemical balance of your brain. Medications or injections are suggested which will block the good feelings that alcohol has on your brain and it will make you less inclined to get drunk.

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Rehabilitation Centers

There are different rehabilitation programs which usually run from 30-90 days. Rehabilitation centers give you a chance to step outside of your environment to fully focus on your recovery without any distractions.

These will help you learn different skills and knowledge to handle your cravings for alcohol. You can learn how to manage your stress with relaxing, safe, coping mechanisms. These will help you change your negative thinking through cognitive therapy as well as to identify your high-risk situations.

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Many rehabs provide you at least one-year aftercare module that will provide you with support to practice all the skills you have learned in your daily life outside of those centers.

After getting all treatment being sober is the responsibility of the person although loved ones should keep on encouraging that person to maintain a healthy lifestyle and providing full emotional support.

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