Alcohol addiction is the most common of all addiction across the world. The emergence of alcoholism has brought with it various mental and physical concerns. However, there are many available methods and treatments for recovery. The addiction programs help guide the former user through an effective and safe medical detox, followed by counseling, which targets the main reason behind addiction.
Overcoming alcohol addiction begins with a competent treatment center that can help address the underlying and co-occurring disorder. The treatment centers must help the recovering person to find effective ways of managing cravings and impetuses.
The withdrawal symptoms of alcohol addiction
Drinking heavily and continually makes the body physically dependent on the drug. It eventually goes through withdrawal on suddenly halting the intake. The withdrawal symptoms include shaking, headache, anxiety and restlessness, nausea and vomiting, trouble sleeping, stomach cramps, and elevated heart rate along with high blood pressure.
The withdrawal symptoms start within hours after you quit drinking. It heightens in a day or two and improves within five days. In some cases, the withdrawal can be life-threatening. A medically supervised detoxification becomes mandatory for the long term and heavy drinkers. A patient can undergo detox on both an inpatient or outpatient basis; they usually prescribe medications for preventing medical complications and withdrawal symptoms.
Getting support
Overcoming alcohol addiction requires support from friends and family members, counselors, health care providers, etc. Getting the help of friends and family members is an expensive asset in the recovery process. In their absence, you may go to a counselor for the required support. Try to build a sober social network that can support you in the recovery process. Join courses, civic group, church, attend events in the community, and volunteering can help you build social networks. Various recovery support groups try to provide relevant support. You may benefit from the shared experiences of other alcohol users who recovered from the situation.
The feasible treatment options you need to scrutinize
People undergoing severe alcohol addiction may experience withdrawal symptoms. Effective alcohol detox is necessary to prevent potentially fatal complications. Sweating, hallucinations, shaking, and seizures are all apparent withdrawal symptoms. A proper medical detox may prevent complications and discomfort during alcohol withdrawal.
- Residential treatment:it involves living at the treatment facility while undergoing different therapies and intensive treatment. They usually last from thirty to ninety days. It also involves partial hospitalization for those individuals who require ongoing medical monitoring. These programs get designed for three to five days a week. Each day the therapies are conducted for four to six hours. Studies reveal that long-term follow-up care is vital for recovery. Substance abuse often leads to mental health problems, like anxiety and depression. They should get treatment for psychological issues while undergoing therapies for alcohol addiction for complete transformation. Residential treatment centers provide a combination of mental health and physical health addictions treatment.
- Medications: One benefit of inpatient rehab in Delaware is the medical management of addiction’s physical aspects. The use of stipulated drugs, in combination with therapies, boosts the recovery success rate. Medications may help ease the withdrawal symptoms by avoiding relapse by creating an adverse physical reaction to the drug. It helps to eliminate the desire to drink. The common medicines used in alcohol detox include Vivitrol, disulfiram, naltrexone, and acamprosate.
- Inpatient rehabilitation: The option is appropriate for those wanting to focus on the recovery without the distraction or stress of school, work, and social obligations. It is useful for individuals who have tried other options with no success. The inpatient alcohol rehab in Illinois has programs of duration thirty days to six months. The treatment method encompasses behavioral therapies, cognitive behavioral therapy being the most celebrated one. The therapies motivate participants to alter the way they react to stressful stimuli. They promote healthy ways of coping with the situation. They also offer individual and group counseling, training on health and proper nutrition, and experiential therapies.
- Ongoing recovery: finding support for comprehensive recovery is essential after rehabilitation. It is necessary to share the struggles which you faced with other people. It may be a group of other recovering users or family members. Support from friends and family is vital in the recovery process. External support groups, including Alcoholics Anonymous, established the 12-step program for best results. The program is highly effective as it focuses on the participant’s submission to a higher power.
Alcohol addiction affects not only the person concerned but also the family members and loved ones. Witnessing a family member struggling with a drinking problem can be heart-breaking. It is only with the utmost care and support that you can help a family member overcome the problem. Try to research the different kinds of treatment options available. Learn all that you can about addiction problems.
Try to express concern and encourage your family member to get help. The person struggling with a drinking problem has to take responsibility for the action. Never try to cover up things or lie to protect the person from covering up drinking habits. It is true getting judgmental with the person suffering from alcoholism is not right, but at the same time, you should not encourage their behavior in any manner.