Alcohol is a very addictive substance, and at times, it brings more trouble than intended. If one finds themselves consuming alcohol on an almost daily basis and can’t stop, one may be dependent on it. Alcohol dependence is a severe issue.
Consumption of alcohol in such quantities is terrible for the body. It can be fatal in many cases. It also affects the people around an individual. With the substance controlling the person, most of the things one does would be in a drunken haze.
It is a terrifying situation not to have control over your actions to that extent. In cases of dependence, alcohol addiction treatment are the way to go. The patterns seen in addicts people can be observed to understand when one falls into a state of dependence. These are as follows:
- No control over drinking – Most people plan their drinks out and can stick to that plan. This is not the case if one is dependent. Dependence causes people to think they need to drink, and that feeling is tough to overpower. This causes addicts to drink without much control over when and how much they are consuming.
- Drinking alone – If one finds themselves avoiding being seen drinking, they probably have a bad relationship with alcohol.
- Drinking to feel normal – In most cases of addiction, drinking for fun stops after a while. Most addicts drink to feel normal as their bodies use the presence of alcohol. Social interactions also start to feel irritating when one is sober. Advice from loved ones might also be annoying at this point.
- Making excuses – Addiction also causes one to make excuses for it. It can be about the stress from work, and for others, it can be about getting sleep. Excuses are just a way to justify the overuse of the substance.
Alcohol De-Addiction Treatment
Once it is figured out that one has an issue of dependence, alcohol de-addiction treatment is the next step. Centers with good facilities and caring professionals should be the priority as recovery from addictions can be very hard, and one will need all the support and care they can get.
The treatment is designed to help people come out of addiction by helping them develop a healthy and sober lifestyle. The recovery can be divided into stages depending on their progress.
- Initiation of treatment – This is the start of the treatment program, and the primary goal of this period is to accept that the decision to abstain from alcohol has been taken. There may be feelings of ambivalence or denial.
One may think that this wasn’t necessary or that the addiction could’ve been controlled otherwise. These feelings should be kept aside. Treatment is the proper course of action, and it is designed for this very specific purpose.
- Early abstinence – This is the second stage of the treatment. Being aware of social situations that may cause drinking and dealing with them properly is the main goal in this stage.
Coping mechanisms are taught during the treatment, which helps in dealing with such issues. The main challenge in this stage is going through withdrawal symptoms. Craving to start consuming again will also be very high during this period. Methods to deal with these cravings without drinking are also taught.
- Maintaining abstinence – This is the third stage, and it starts about 90 days after the beginning of the program. If the treatment required one to reside at the facility from the start, this is the stage where it changes to a follow-up approach.
The main goal of this stage is avoiding relapse. One will be taught to identify situations or steps that may lead to a relapse, and coping mechanisms will also be taught.
The tools taught in the previous stage will be put into use in managing issues. One will start to realize that a healthy and positive future depends on not drinking. Exercise and proper dietary habits will also help to establish a sober lifestyle.
Care should be taken to not substitute alcohol with other addictions. Management of anger and other negative emotions in a healthy way is also essential in this stage.
- Advanced Recovery – This is the final stage of the recovery process. This starts five years after one has given up alcohol. This stage requires using all the tools learned during the previous stages in maintaining a healthy, sober lifestyle.
Making long-term goals can help maintain a positive outlook towards life. Investing recreational time in activities that do not involve drinking is also a great step.
Including more people who do not drink in one’s social circle can help with this. Other engagements like spirituality or social work can be pursued to create a more fulfilling lifestyle.
The whole point of creating awareness about alcohol addiction treatment is to help people achieve a healthy and happy lifestyle. Everything possible should be done in achieving this. Moving towards such a content state should always be your priority.