Thousands of people die annually from alcohol-related circumstances. They ruin their lives and the lives of their loved ones by turning to this substance.
If you are looking for help with your addiction, you don’t have to do it alone. Read here if you want assistance with alcohol treatment and what to do.
How Do I Know if I’m Addicted to Alcohol?
The signs of alcohol addiction aren’t quiet or secret. They affect the individual’s life and the lives of those around them.
You may be addicted to alcohol if you drink to escape reality. You may drink it to forget about the present, dull your pain or anxiety, or maybe just to feel better about life in general.
While it may start out this way, it only gets worse. Eventually, you might start passing out from drinking so much, and obsess over it when you are unable to get it. Obsessive thinking is a tell-tale sign that you are headed in the wrong direction.
You may start to become irritable and easily agitated, making excuses or lying to cover up the fact that you are drinking so much. You start choosing it instead of doing your responsibilities, such as calling out of work, not taking your kids to a soccer game, or making dinner.
Eventually, alcohol will overwhelm every aspect of life and alienate you from the people you love.
But there is hope and redemption from this addiction.
What Is Alcohol Treatment?
Alcohol addiction isn’t something that just goes away or you can treat by yourself. You need outside sources and accountability to help you.
Alcohol treatment involves detoxing your body from the alcohol and using resources such as counseling and therapy, inpatient or outpatient rehab, and sometimes medication.
Detox
This is the first step in treatment, and this is when it’s most important to have accountability.
You have to detox your body from the alcohol to let it get entirely out of your system. This can take a few days or several days, depending on the extent of the addiction.
When you detox, it is important to understand that you will experience withdrawal symptoms. This is especially true if you were a heavier drinker.
These withdrawal symptoms can include but are not limited to:
- Tremors
- Hallucinations
- Epileptic seizures
- Headaches
- Agitation
- Sweating
While these symptoms can be scary, it is the first step for you to live a better life. The good news is, there are inpatient and outpatient rehabs that you can go to while you detox for alcohol treatment.
These rehabs and hospitalizations are there for you to help you when you experience these symptoms. They can help you overcome and fight against your addiction.
Inpatient Rehab
Inpatient and outpatient addiction rehab are helpful options for your recovery process. They offer more support and more care than just seeing a counselor on a weekly basis would.
These rehabs will not only include counseling and therapy, but they will help you get back to normal life and replace the desire to drink with proper resources.
Inpatient treatment is a good option for you if need 24-hour care and more accountability and guidance. Inpatient residential care can especially be helpful during the detox process.
Through this process, you can also build deep connections with others who are on a similar journey.
These inpatient treatments can be helpful if you had an intense and serious addiction to alcohol. Outpatient treatments, on the other hand, can be helpful if you have a more mild alcohol addiction.
Outpatient Rehab
Outpatient rehabs for alcohol treatment involve the patient staying home but attending the rehab during the day. These can help you maintain a daily schedule and offer less intense treatment. With that being said, they may not give you the accountability you need 24/7, which is why they are better for milder addictions.
You can also decide on both treatments. You can start out in inpatient rehab and work your way towards being outpatient once you are in a better place. This is the best option to handle your addiction properly and make sure you have the help you need, no matter what level your addiction was at.
Therapy and Counseling
Therapy and counseling are an important part of your journey to recovery. A therapist will be able to offer guidance and support in your struggles and help you overcome shame and guilt.
Your therapist or counselor will help put together a realistic recovery plan that will suit your needs for your journey. They will help you get to the root of your drinking addiction and what led you to it in the first place. Getting to the root of the problem will help you figure out how to stop it from happening in the future.
Your counselor can offer guidance as you go through the recovery process and eventually into a long-term sober-living life. They are a resource for you to take advantage of during your recovery journey.
Medication
On some occasions, medication may be helpful to the patient in their recovery process.
Certain medications can help lessen the alcohol craving and make it less desirable. Others can block the chemicals in your brain from developing a feel-good reaction to alcohol. Without this feel-good reaction, you will not crave alcohol as deeply.
Your therapist and rehab can decide with you if medication is a route you want to take.
So, How Do I Begin?
If you are ready to take the first step in alcohol treatment and recovery, you don’t have to wait any longer.
There is hope for you. You can live a normal life and no longer have alcohol taking control of you.
Contact us today so we can help you in your journey to sobriety.
