This guide is created for people with alcohol addiction and their loved ones who care deeply about them. By learning more about the treatment options, such as the ones we have here at our Desert Rose alcohol addiction rehab, you can have a better mindset to make the proper decisions in your own care or the care of your loved one with the addiction.
When Does Someone Need Treatment
Unfortunately, there are millions of people throughout the United States who drink too fast, drink too much or drink alcohol more often than they should. If you fall into any of these categories, it would be a good idea to enter an alcohol addiction treatment program.
Does Alcohol Addiction Rehab Treatment Work
Whether you or a loved one have a mild, moderate or severe alcohol addiction, rehab treatment does work. Just about everyone, even those who do unfortunately relapse, gets some benefit from treatment programs. In fact, studies show that about ⅓ of those who attend a professional addiction treatment program have little cravings for alcohol a year later. Many others only have one relapse and then get back on track with their recovery program.
What Are Common Signs of an Alcohol Abuse Disorder or Addiction
Not everyone is able to easily identify an alcohol abuse disorder or addiction and that is okay. This guide is going to help you determine if you or someone in your life has an AUD or alcohol addiction.
There are some questions you can ask to determine if you or your loved one or friend may need to enter an alcohol addiction rehab program such as:
- Have you had times when you drank more or longer than you had intended to?
- Have you wanted to drink in moderation, only to end up getting drunk?
- Have you spent a lot of your time drinking alcohol by yourself or with others?
- Do you regularly get sick because you drink too much?
- Do you drink so much that you no longer get a hangover?
- Do you experience alcohol cravings?
- Have you found that your drinking leads to problems in your relationships?
- Do you continue drinking despite the negative consequences in causes in your life?
- Have you given up on other fun activities, so you could get drunk instead?
- Have you ever drank alcohol and driven machinery (boat, car, tractor, etc.)?
- Do you continue to consume alcohol despite the negative effects it has on your mental and/or physical health?
- Do you often have alcoholic blackouts where you can’t remember parts or entire periods of time while under the influence of alcohol?
- Do you experience withdrawal symptoms when you stop drinking for a period of time?
If you or someone you know can answer yes to any of these questions, it would be a good idea to enter into an alcohol addiction rehab treatment program.
What Are Common Alcohol Addiction Treatment Options
Many people want to know what alcohol addiction treatment options they have. The truth is that there are many treatments, so that everyone can have an individualized treatment program that works best for them. With this being said, some of the common alcohol addiction treatment options include:
- Inpatient, partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient, and outpatient treatment
- Yoga, meditation, fitness therapy, outdoor therapy, and other alternatives/holistic therapy options
- Individual, group, and family therapy
- Medication such as with medication-assisted detox programs
- Other detox services
- Support groups such as AA
- Help from doctors and nurses in the addiction rehab center
- Help from a psychiatrist
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy, motivational enhancement therapy, marital counseling, brief interventions
Ultimately, the exact combination of treatment programs is going to depend on the person. In addition, you may start by receiving certain treatments and your recovery/treatment plan may change over the course of your recovery. This is normal and it is a good thing as it means you are doing better with your recovery plan and making progress in your recovering lifestyle.
What Medications Are Approved by the FDA to Treat Alcohol Addiction?
As noted above, there are some medications that are used to help treat alcohol addiction. If you are thinking about entering a medication-assisted detox or recovery program, it could be beneficial to learn a bit about these medications here today.
Some of the FDA-approved medications used in alcohol addiction rehab treatment programs include:
- Acamprosate (helps with abstinence)
- Naltrexone (helps people to stop drinking so heavily)
- Disulfiram (blocks the way alcohol metabolizes in the body making it feel very unpleasant to have even one drink)
It is vital to remember that not everyone needs each one of these medications. There are many recovering alcoholics who never use any of these medications. When you first come to our Desert Rose addiction treatment center and meet with our team, we can help you to determine if any of these medications would be beneficial for your recovery.
Should I Attend an Inpatient or Outpatient Alcohol Addiction Treatment Program?
If you are ready to overcome an alcohol addiction, how are you supposed to know whether to attend an inpatient or outpatient treatment program? Well, there are many factors that you may want to consider, but don’t forget, you can always talk to our Desert Rose team to help you make this decision, as well.
Some of the factors to consider when choosing whether you will attend an inpatient or outpatient alcohol addiction rehab treatment program include:
- Your family life (do you have children to care for?, a spouse you live with, etc.)
- Support system (do you have family members and/or friends who support you?)
- A job (do you need to keep working to support yourself and/or your family?)
- Previous treatment history (do you just need a refresher in recovery techniques?)
If you answered yes to these questions, you may be okay attending an intensive outpatient or outpatient treatment program. However, if you do not have these things or you can get away from home even with these things, you may want to attend an inpatient or partial hospitalization program.
Give our Desert Rose team a call today to discuss these treatment options further. That way, you can start off your recovery in the treatment program that is going to be best for you.
Why is Persistence Important in Alcohol Addiction Recovery?
It is crucial for everyone to know that alcohol addiction and all alcohol abuse disorders are diseases. So, just as with treating and overcoming any other disease or health issue, you must be persistent in your efforts. It is not uncommon that someone who enters a treatment program will relapse or has a drink later on at some point. However, there are relapse prevention tips and techniques that, when employed, can greatly lower your chances of relapsing. In addition, if you work your recovery program, that can go a long way in helping you to stay sober, long after you have left the addiction rehab center.
Get Alcohol Addiction Rehab Treatment Today
Do you or someone you know have an alcohol abuse disorder or alcohol addiction? If so, now is the time to get into an alcohol addiction rehab treatment program.
Contact us, here at Desert Rose Recovery Center, today to start your recovery journey.
