Alcohol Rehab - Rehabilitation Information and Resources

Alcohol rehab centers treat the disease of alcoholism. Alcoholism is characterized as a clinical disease, like drug addiction, and for this reason, alcohol rehab is an essential element in the rehabilitation recovery process.  Alcoholics cannot stop the vicious cycle of alcoholism independently of assistance from alcohol rehab centers, addiction counselors and medical professionals. Alcoholism is a debilitating disease that not only has psychological addictive qualities, but also physical.  Alcoholics need to find recovery in alcohol rehab programs – a setting where addicts can learn the characteristics of their disease and learn the coping skills to avoid relapse after treatment, with the careful help of qualified counselors and addiction therapists.  For most all alcoholics, solace and a safe pathway to recovery and a productive life free from alcoholism can be found in alcohol rehabilitation centers.  While most rehabilitation (rehab) centers treat drug addiction as well as alcoholism, there are centers specifically designed to skillfully treat alcoholism and guide alcoholics through the recovery process.  Some alcoholics find it more comfortable to undergo treatment at an alcohol rehab center because of the intense and specific focus on the disease of alcoholism. 

In alcohol rehab and drug rehabilitation centers, alcoholics learn skills to help them understand the nature of their disease and train themselves to focus their minds and bodies away from alcoholism and towards sobriety and productivity.  Many alcoholics and addicts refer to alcohol and drug rehab programs as the “best last chance” for their sobriety because so many addicts and alcoholics have to hit a “bottom” before they actually seek treatment to save and regain control of their lives.  This is not necessarily true for all addicts and alcoholics, as many are able to recognize the problem of addiction before a bottom is reached.  Unfortunately, the disease of addiction is extremely insidious in the fact that by it’s very nature, the addict or alcoholic is convinced that the drugs or alcohol is necessary for them to be able to function properly.  For alcoholics and some drug addicts, this can actually be a matter of truth.  Once the disease of addiction has taken hold, substances like alcohol and heroin create a physical dependence where the body cannot function without the substance.  This is known as withdrawal and it is characterized by mild to extremely severe physical effects from the absence of alcohol or the abused drug.  These effects can range anywhere from flu-like symptoms to severe seizures and potentially death, depending on the drug or amount of alcohol used.  The best way for alcoholics and drug addicts to safely manage their withdrawal symptoms is through a medical process called detox, where the addict undergoes medical monitoring while the drugs/alcohol is withdrawn from the body.  This is the first step of alcohol and drug rehab, the length of which depends on the substance abused and the tolerance of the addict or alcoholic. Although alcohol rehab and drug rehab are sometimes considered an alcoholic’s last chance at sobriety, the nature of alcoholism and drug addiction is chronic, so many alcoholics and drug addicts may require several attempts at alcohol rehab and drug rehab before they are able to have complete success in overcoming their addictions.  Just like with drug addiction, alcoholics are not born that way.  It takes the first, voluntary drink of alcohol to begin the devastating cycle of alcoholism.  Also like drug addiction, alcoholism is non discriminatory and it can invade and destroy any life. 

Dangers of Alcohol and Alcoholism

Alcohol is one of the oldest and most dangerous drugs in our society, in large part due to the fact that it is so widely available and so few people recognize alcohol as a drug because of it’s legal status.  Many people erroneously believe that just because alcohol is legal and virtually always available, it poses less of a threat.  Since alcohol consumption usually begins in a social setting like restaurants, bars, or parties, it’s considered to be one of the only acceptable drugs to use, making the disease of alcoholism perhaps more insidious than other addictions because it’s widely considered as acceptable.  The truth of the matter is that alcohol is the most dangerous and most insidious drug known to our society.  Alcoholism is the most common addiction because of these factors.  Aside from the millions of people who recognize their alcoholism, millions more are completely unaware of their own addiction, using the term “social drinker”, although almost any situation outside of isolation can be considered “social”. It is because of this misused term that so many alcoholics are usually in a state of denial when they are first confronted about their alcoholism.

Alcoholism is a disease that affects disturbingly massive numbers of people in our society and it destroys virtually every aspect of an alcoholic’s life.  The truth is that alcohol has a propensity to negatively affect an alcoholic’s life in a more rapid and devastating manner than many other addictions because of it’s legality and availability.  Along with it’s availability, alcohol is appealing due to it’s sedative affect on the drinker caused by toxins in alcohol.  The closer to alcoholism an individual gets, the more indestructible and peaceful he becomes, but this illusion becomes evasive when alcohol is not present.  Another symptom of the onset of alcoholism is the alcoholic’s inability to recognize his own state of inebriation, causing that individual to engage in activities that may otherwise be considered safe, such as driving.  Alcohol is the leading cause of all fatal traffic collisions in this country for that reason.

There are many resources available to overcome the horrible addiction of alcoholism, including alcohol rehab centers, sober living homes, and support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous.  Alcohol rehab centers and groups such as these have been found to save millions of lives on the brink of destruction by alcoholism.  It is a long road to sobriety from under the grip of alcoholism, with the most physically challenging part being the detox part of recovery.  Alcohol is the main offender in the statistics of deaths from withdrawal because of it’s propensity to cause physical addiction and damage to the alcoholic’s body.  Alcoholics who try to withdraw from alcohol on their own, without the medical supervision and treatment put themselves at a very serious risk.  Many alcoholics suffer from severe withdrawal symptoms such as seizures, tremors, and heart failure, leading to death.  Alcohol alone is not necessarily an insidious drug, but it’s ability to be abused without any recognition gives it a much higher potential to become a catalyst for the most insidious disease know to our society.  Alcoholism damages so much more than the stability of an alcoholic’s life.  Several alcoholics suffer from cirrhosis of the liver, brain damage and severe issues with the immune system, making it extremely difficult to live a healthy life, even after recovery has been achieved.  Alcohol has direct toxic as well as sedative effects on the individual, and failure to take care for nutritional and other physical needs during prolonged periods of excessive drinking will further complicate matters.  Alcohol intoxication is the leading cause of traffic fatalities in the United States.

Alcohol Rehab

Because of the viciousness of alcoholism and it’s potentially fatal withdrawal symptoms, professional and medical assistance is necessary to begin and complete the recovery process.  These factors have increased the demand for alcohol rehab centers worldwide.  There are a plethora of alcohol rehab centers available for alcoholics to receive the help they need to recover from alcoholism.  In patient alcohol rehab generally takes place in more of a hospital setting for those alcoholics suffering from severe alcoholism and withdrawal.  Outpatient alcohol rehab is considered lower intensity rehab, generally serving alcoholics who do not have such a severe problem and can endure a mild withdrawal process, returning home at day’s end.  There are also residential alcohol rehab centers that are in more of a home setting where the alcoholic lives with other alcoholics and addicts in a sober home.  All three of these alcohol rehabs employ counselors and addiction therapists to aid in the recovery process for the alcoholic.

Depending on the severity of the addiction, an alcoholic may need to stay in rehab for a minimum of 30 days, which is the average length of time for most programs.  Many addicts, need to remain in treatment for periods of several months to years.  Each addict and alcoholic has different needs to suit their individual addiction and any other co-occurring mental disorders.  Many times addicts and alcoholics suffer from more than just the addiction as it is rarely the addiction that is the cause, but rather the result of an underlying mental health disorder.  The majority of rehabilitation programs these days treat these conditions with the addiction.  This method is known as dual diagnosis. This kind of treatment requires intense psychological evaluations, managed medical support and administration, along with intense therapy sessions to delve deeper into the mental health issue and any hidden catalysts or sources.  Nowadays, alcohol and drug rehab is not limited to the 12-step program.  There is treatment available for virtually everyone.  Holistic treatment centers that focus more on the union on the mind, body, and soul are widely available for addicts and alcoholics who gravitate more towards acupuncture and other alternative forms of rehabilitation.  There are treatment programs designed specifically for gay, lesbian, and transgender addicts and alcoholics, focusing on the special needs and stressors encountered in that specific community.  Addicts and alcoholics will find religious treatment centers, depending on their individual beliefs.  There are even treatment centers that focus on spa treatments and saunas to cleanse the addict or alcoholic’s body of the toxins from addiction.  No matter the individual or his specific needs, there is more than likely a rehab program somewhere that can meet those needs.  With all the different kinds of alcohol rehab programs available and all the distinct differences between them, they all have one thing in common and that is their goal – to rid the alcoholic of the mental and physical grip of their addiction and lay groundwork to prevent relapse after treatment has been completed.  It is commonly advised for alcoholics to remain in treatment for a longer term so that they can get as much time as possible with sobriety and begin to realize the rewards of being a healthy sober individual.   With alcoholism contributing to so many deaths, from fatal traffic accidents to death from withdrawal or alcohol poisoning, alcohol rehab centers are often considered the only hope for an alcoholic to survive.

Alcoholism and Alcohol Rehab

As with any addiction, alcoholism is chronic, lasting the rest of the alcoholic’s life.  For this reason, the battle does not end when rehab is completed.  Alcoholics and drug addicts must remain cognizant of their addiction and live everyday in the mindset of sobriety in order to prevent relapse.  With any addiction, especially those that endured a long period of time prior to successful treatment, the disease has had time to firmly engrave the need for the substance in the addict’s body and brain.  This is a difficult cycle for an alcoholic or addict to break.  It’s like growing up being taught that you chew food and swallow it in order to actually eat, then suddenly having to learn to eat through your ear.  It’s a complete rewiring of the brain and thought process.  This kind of thing takes time to accomplish and for this reason, several alcoholics and addicts can easily fall back under the grip of their addiction.  It is always easier to go with what one knows than to learn a new trick.

Alcoholism is a serious problem in our society, affecting not only the alcoholics in devastating ways, but also the family and friends of the alcoholic. While the signs of alcoholism seem to be obvious, in early stages, they are subtle and easy to miss, but the symptoms and severity of the disease rapidly grow out of control once the addiction has taken hold.  Alcoholism, like drug addiction convinces the alcoholic of the need t drink alcohol to be normal and be able to handle daily life and stressors.

Alcohol Detox

Detox is an important and essential element in the recovery process from drug addiction and alcoholism.  Depending on the severity of the addiction, the process can be extremely painful and sometimes fatal.  Detox requires medical supervision and is defined as the process in which drugs or alcohol is withdrawn from the body.  Detoxification is a prerequisite to most all alcohol rehab programs as the spiritual and mental healing cannot begin until the physical body is cleansed of the toxins from alcoholism and drug addictiom.  The length of time detox takes varies from individual to individual, based on their personal consumption of alcohol and use of drugs.  This process can be life threatening with substances like alcohol and benzodiazepines, as these two substances create a devastating physical addiction when withdrawal often results in seizures, convulsions, tremors, and has proven to sometimes be fatal. Mostly for these reasons, it is imperative for addicts and alcoholics to have some kind of professional medical setting in which to undergo detox..

Alcohol Withdrawal

Withdrawal is the symptom that detox is intended to treat.  Once an addict or alcoholic ceases the ingestion of drugs or alcohol to their systems, certain affects take place due to the lack of that substance in their system.  For many addicts, the withdrawal symptoms are both behavioral and physical.  More often then not, the brain will be severely damaged by addiction and alcoholism and that is one of the biggest challenges to overcome in recovery.  This is something that alcohol and drug rehab centers deal with intensely once the addict finishes the detox process.  Withdrawal is an extremely difficult thing to endure and dangerous for many addicts and alcoholics to attempt to endure alone.  Many withdrawal symptoms can include, but are not limited to psychosis, tremors, seizures, high fevers, hallucinations, black outs, agitation, and even death depending on the substance abused and the severity of the addiction.  Withdrawal is a process of the body attempting to adapt to the absence of the substance, so this can take anywhere from 48 hours to several weeks, again depending on the severity of the addiction.  Withdrawal is one of the leading causes of continued drug abuse and alcoholism.  Addicts cannot endure the uncomfortable and often painful affects of withdrawal, so they will continue to use to avoid these symptoms.  

Treatment-Centers.net

It is a daunting task, to say the least to find the right alcohol rehab center for addiction.  Considering the fact that there are thousands of addiction treatment centers worldwide, and many different philosophies and methodologies available in all kinds of price ranges and settings, there seems to be a never-ending road of rehabs and treatment centers to filter through.  Regardless of the philosophies and settings of any given alcohol rehab or drug rehab, the goal remains the same – to help the alcoholic or addict understand his/her illness and learn the essential coping and life skills to overcome the perilous affects of their disease.

No matter the severity of the addiction or alcoholism, there is always promise for a better tomorrow.  It takes many factors, as alcohol rehab centers cannot do all the work.  These systems are in place for support for the alcoholic or addict, but each individual will only get out of a treatment program what they put into it. Alcoholics and addicts must be dedicated to their recovery in order to make healing a reality for themselves and those who love them.
For more information on addiction and alcoholism, please feel free to explore the links on our website.  If you are concerned about yourself or someone you love, please fill out our free, confidential assessment form or call us.  We are here to help.