Alcohol Addiction

Statistics on Alcoholism

What Causes Alcohol Addiction?

How alcohol affects the body and behavior is influenced by several variables, such as genetic, social, psychological, and environmental factors. Specific hypotheses contend that some people are predisposed to alcoholism, which explains why some people develop alcohol use disorders more quickly than others. Alcohol may affect the brain's ability to process judgment, pleasure, and behavior when used often.

Drinking Steadily

Alcohol addiction sometimes results from drinking excessively or frequently binging during nights out with friends or in other situations.

Drinking From a Young Age

There is an increased chance of developing an alcohol use problem in those who start drinking at a young age.

Genetics

If a parent or another family member struggles or has struggled with alcoholism, the chance of developing an alcohol use disorder increases. In certain cases, this may be due to hereditary causes.

Psychological Issues

Depression, schizophrenia, anxiety, and bipolar disorder are just a few mental health conditions often associated with alcohol abuse and AUD.

Trauma

Drinking alcohol may lead to addiction in those who have experienced past trauma.

Socio-Economic and Cultural Influences

One’s likelihood of developing an alcohol use disorder may increase if they have friends, coworkers, a significant other, or parents who use alcohol often. The media also often portrays alcohol positively, which may promote excessive drinking.

Short-Term Physical Symptoms

Short-term physical indications of alcohol addiction include:

Long-Term Physical Symptoms

Long-term physical signs can include:

Psychological Symptoms

Various mental health issues may be exacerbated or even caused by addiction symptoms. These include:

Short-Term Behavioral Symptoms

Addicts change their behavior to disguise their consumption from family members. Short-term behavioral symptoms include:

Long-Term Behavioral Symptoms

Long-term behavioral changes may include:

How is Alcohol Addiction Diagnosed?

When you contact a doctor or addiction expert about your drinking issue, you'll complete an intake evaluation to establish what kind of care you require. The physician will first inquire about your drinking patterns and other pertinent health information.

Alcohol Detoxification

The process of getting addictive substances out of the body is by detoxing. This is often the first part of any substance abuse care plan. Alcohol detox programs run under the direction of drug treatment specialists are often the safest and most effective ones.

Residential or Inpatient Rehab

Both inpatient and outpatient alcohol addiction rehab and talk therapy are available in recovery programs. Inpatient or residential rehab is when you spend the full treatment term living at a facility. It offers around-the-clock supervision in addition to other crucial recovery programs.

Outpatient Rehab

In an outpatient program, patients are able to attend therapy programs during the day but spend the evenings at home. This flexible structure helps patients be able to both attend the rehab programs they need while still providing for their family or going to work.

Medications

There are several alcohol treatment drugs, but the most frequent ones are Acamprosate, Disulfiram, and Naltrexone. In addition to medications, psychotherapy may be useful in treating alcohol use disorders.

Behavioral Therapy

Common behavioral treatments for alcohol abuse include cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), and dialectical-behavioral therapy (DBT).

CBT is usually regarded as the most effective kind of psychotherapy during alcohol addiction rehab. CBT integrates cognitive and behavioral strategies to assist patients in recognizing and resolving their thinking patterns, which often impact their behavior and contribute to alcohol addiction.

For DBT, the term "dialectic" refers to the presence of opposites. So, DBT teaches people two contradictory concepts: acceptance (i.e., that your feelings and behaviors are legitimate) and transformation (i.e., you can make a positive change to manage these emotions and behaviors and move forward).

Interpersonal Therapy

This type of therapy is a short-term treatment that typically lasts between three to four months. Some therapists believe that addictions and mental diseases stem from connection deficits or role conflicts and that repairing these relationships is crucial to recovery.

Family Counseling

Family therapy may assist family members in enhancing communication and resolving disputes. Specific treatment strategies will depend on the circumstances of each family. It may involve the whole household or those who are ready and willing to join.

Aftercare Programs

The phrase "aftercare" refers to any continuing or follow-up care for drug misuse after an initial rehabilitation program. These can include:

Does Alcohol Addiction Rehab Work?

There is no one answer to this question, as each person's experience with an alcohol addiction treatment program is unique. What matters is whether or not the individual in need of treatment can fully commit to sobriety and engage in the complete program given by their rehab center.

How Long is Alcohol Addiction Rehab?

Some concerns that spring to mind while considering the timetable of alcohol rehabilitation are how long it will take to overcome addiction and what variables may alter rehab duration.

The short answer is that each one is distinct and influenced by various circumstances. Depending on the acuteness of a patient’s disorder, they have a choice of three basic therapy treatment lengths that vary from one month, two months, or three months, most commonly.

Sober living homes and halfway houses are examples of long-term treatment options in case patients need more assistance and care after rehab is over.

Does Insurance Cover Treatment?

Care at Anew Treatment Center

If you or anyone you love are grappling with an alcohol substance use disorder, please contact the Anew Treatment Center immediately! We will be with you every step of the way during recovery.

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