April is Alcohol Awareness Month. Alcohol consumption is usually initiated by recreational or social events, however, not everyone who drinks alcohol develops dependency on this substance. Many individuals have found that they somehow must drink larger amounts to enjoy or relax themselves. This article categorises those individuals who become dependent and explains that there is a process for recovery from alcohol addiction.
Alcoholism usually correlates with cravings that are intense enough to alter people’s routine. Persons who suffer from this sort of chemical abuse tend to develop a progressive need for larger amounts, which also increases their tolerance levels for alcohol. The difficulty becomes evident as their sense of control for the intake of alcohol diminishes.
The saying “one is too many, and a thousand is never enough” describes such patterns. For the alcoholic, the alcohol consumption normally starts with intentions for one or two drinks, yet the powerful desires lead to more drinks than intended.
An effective measure to alcohol recovery can be considered as a three-stage process that cares for persons suffering with alcoholism. These stages can be explained as, firstly, the intervention stage. The intervention stage usually looks at the persons who are concerned about the alcohol abuser, and they are gathered with a professional or mental health organiser.
The clinician usually guides the concerned group in ways that offer the person affected with alcoholism to get help by way of enrolling in residential care/rehab centre. Mainly this stage intervenes with potential patients to recognise their negative consequences and how the next level of care can be helpful.
Once that person affected with alcoholism decides to enter treatment the second stage is accomplished; it is during this stage he/she receives detox and medical care within rehab facilities, known as the residential stage.
The management of detoxification and medication usually allows the body to rid itself of alcohol and its influence. During the 28-day residential period, the client remains in a safe place that is usually an alcohol-free environment.
Within treatment facilities, a variety of programme settings assist its clients in ways to remain sober through activities such as varying forms of group therapies, coping skills education, individual counselling, relapse prevention skills, and holistic approaches to help individuals.
Following residential, clients who receive a successful discharge are directed to the outpatient stage. Intensive outpatient treatment for alcoholism can be considered as a type of continuum of care whereby, after residential care, clients are transferred to outpatient centres for either transitional halfway home living, or daily sessions that can occur two to three times per week upon their return home.
This gradual transition enables ongoing support for individuals that is contingent on their home and social environments being substance-free. Even though this level of treatment-type may be a step down from residential, it allows for the recovering alcoholic to receive longer support that intensely addresses alcoholism. This level of care usually lasts from 90 days to six months.
Overall, the benefits of a treatment programme will help the person break the cycle of addiction, to think more clearly and to educate themselves about addiction, to delve into underlying issues and gain insight into the cause of their use and build new habits and practices to establish healthy boundaries.
