When you decide to take the journey toward alcohol addiction recovery, it is going to be a challenging path. However, with the right tools and treatment options, recovery can be your tangible reality – where sobriety is built brick-by-brick toward a brighter, healthier future. In this article, we will explore effective treatment options for alcohol addiction so that you or your loved one can make informed decisions that will be the right fit in their recovery journey.
When Is the Time to Seek the Care You Need and Deserve?
Alcohol use disorder or alcohol addiction is a severe condition that affects an estimated 400 million worldwide. The path to recovery can be challenging, but early diagnosis and intervention can significantly enhance the prognosis. So, being aware of the right time to seek the care you need is a journey well begun.
The National Institute for Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) says that alcohol use disorder is the outcome of drinking too much, too often, or too fast. For instance,
- 15 or more drinks per week or 8 or more drinks per week among males and females, respectively, is drinking too much and too often.
- 5 or more consecutive drinks within 2 hours for males and 4 or more consecutive drinks within 2 hours for females signals binge drinking, which is drinking too fast.
Regardless, the encouraging news is that no matter how severe your drinking has become, you can benefit from the right substance use treatments going forward. So, here are some signs you need to watch out for:
- Drinking too much and more often than you intended.
- Wanted to cut down or stop drinking, but were not able to.
- Spend a lot of time obtaining, using, and recovering from alcohol use.
- Continuing to drink despite its ill effects on physical and mental health.
- Prioritizing alcohol use over everything else, including education, job, family, friends, and other activities.
- Engaging in highly risky activities like drinking under the influence (DUI) or operating heavy machinery while using alcohol.
- Developing a tolerance for alcohol, which refers to needing larger quantities of alcohol to achieve the desired effect over a period of time.
- Experiencing discomforting withdrawal symptoms, like restlessness, vomiting, diarrhea, sleeplessness, hallucinations, or seizures, in the case of suddenly reducing or stopping alcohol consumption.
If you have experienced any of the above-mentioned symptoms, alcohol use is a matter of concern. It is time for a change, so please contact your primary healthcare provider, who can then connect you with experienced and trained addiction medicine specialists to tailor a treatment plan for your alcohol addiction recovery needs and goals.
Understanding Alcohol Addiction Recovery Treatment Options for You
Alcohol addiction recovery requires comprehensive rehab – either in inpatient or outpatient settings. Rehab takes a whole person approach to healing your mind, body, and spirit – it will typically involve the following:
Detox – The Safe First Step, When Done Under Medical Supervision
Withdrawal symptoms can follow heavy, frequent alcohol use – they can range from discomforting to dangerous. This is why a medical detox will be the first step to your treatment.
During detox, alcohol levels will gradually be tapered off from your body so as to minimize and manage these symptoms. While many consider detoxing at home, this can be dangerous, whether it is mild, moderate, or severe alcohol use. So, it is best done in a clinic or a hospital.
Medication-Assisted Recovery – Where Recovery Is Well-Rounded
Medications in alcohol addiction recovery are tools to enhance recovery outcomes, as they reduce cravings, other related symptoms, and the risk of relapse. Here are some of the medications used to treat alcohol use disorder:
- Acamporsate is meant to ease the unpleasant feelings that follow giving up alcohol.
- Disulfiram creates an aversion to drinking by triggering unpleasant reactions just in case.
- Naltrexone curbs cravings.
Behavioral Therapies – Get to the Bottom of Alcohol Use Toward Healing
Behavioral therapies are the mainstay of your recovery, as detox or medications are akin to a band-aid on a deep wound. Therapies reframe your thinking patterns and teach you the tools so that you can reclaim control over your life:
- Motivational Interviewing: Instills motivation from within to move toward a transformational change from alcohol use.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: Reshapes your thinking patterns to change emotions and behaviors leading to alcohol use and equips you with productive coping mechanisms.
- Contingency Management: A behavioral technique used to reward positive steps toward recovery, like attending therapy, taking medication on time, and abstinence.
- 12-Step Recovery Models: Incorporates social support from peers on similar recovery journeys to foster commitment and a sense of community.
From Rehab to Aftercare
Alcohol addiction recovery is not a one-stop destination, but a journey. While rehab involving detox, therapy, medication, and peer support offers an intensive, structured setting, a shift from this to the outside world can be jarring.
Specially crafted aftercare plans involve supportive counseling, medication monitoring, personalized relapse prevention, sober living, and peer support involving groups like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and SMART Recovery, so that you can maintain your hard-earned sobriety.
Your Recovery, Your Way – There Is No One-Size-Fits-All Solution
Your recovery is very personal to you. No two recovery journeys are the same, and where recovery journeys can typically involve detox and medication, therapy, and peer support use a wide range of modalities to fit in with your alcohol addiction recovery needs and goals.
Either way – building your own roadmap with professional direction is key. Which is why Sober Living West is here for you. Please contact us at (310) 218-5158; we are always there to answer your queries and offer the right direction whenever you are ready.