How to Overcome an Addiction

Treatment for alcohol use disorder can vary, depending on your needs. Treatment may involve a brief intervention, individual or group counseling, an outpatient program, or a residential inpatient stay. Working to stop alcohol use to improve quality of life is the main treatment goal. Many people don’t know it, but there are medications that treat alcohol use disorder,  the term for the condition that you may know of as alcoholism and alcohol abuse. Understanding the available treatment options—from behavioral therapies and medications to mutual-support groups—is the first step.

This includes 16.8 million males (12.1%) and 12.0 million females (8.3%). Primary care and mental health providers can provide effective AUD treatment by combining new medications with brief counseling visits. Because AUD is a chronic, relapsing disorder, persistence is key. It is rare that someone would go to treatment once and then never drink again.

Examine alcohol health effects

An AUD can range from mild to severe, depending on the symptoms. Severe AUD is sometimes called alcoholism or alcohol dependence. Treating alcoholism isn’t easy, and it doesn’t always work the first time around. Often a person has been contemplating abstinence for some time, yet couldn’t get sober on their own. Don’t blame yourself if the first intervention isn’t successful.

Time

Finding a strong reason to quit alcohol serves as a cornerstone for successful recovery, offering motivation and focus throughout the process. This reason stems from personal goals, such as ameliorating health, rebuilding relationships, or achieving professional success. To solidify this step, individuals need to reflect deeply on the adverse effects of alcohol in their lives and envision the benefits of sobriety.

See, Play and Learn

While there is no one-size-fits-all alcoholism treatment plan, many rehab facilities follow a general guideline. These offer a baseline for putting together a comprehensive recovery plan that will provide the greatest chance for lasting sobriety. In the United States, there are many government-issued services and resources that can help with alcoholism. One of the most common, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), serves as an information hub and treatment referral service. Additionally, more states are focusing on affordable treatment options to make sure anyone who is in need of treatment receives help. Unfortunately, with an increasing demand for alcoholism treatment services, many government-funded programs have wait Sober living house lists and other requirements such as financial and medical need.

• Others are outpatient programs, where you live at home and go to the center for treatment.
• Treatment can include counseling, medications, residential programs, and support groups.

Alcohol (ethanol) depresses (slows down) your central nervous system (CNS). If you consistently consume significant amounts of alcohol, your CNS gets used to this effect. Your CNS must work harder to overcome the depressant effects of alcohol to keep your body functioning. Each of these symptoms can increase in intensity depending on the severity of the withdrawal. The Grove Estate is an approved provider for Blue Shield of California and Cigna, while also accepting many other major insurance carriers. The Grove Estate is an approved provider for Blue Cross Blue Shield and Cigna, while also accepting many other major insurance carriers.

If you have an AUD and a mental illness, it is important to get treatment for both. Standing by your friend or family member’s progress during and after treatment is important, too. Even after recovery, your person will be in situations they can’t predict. Ways you can help include avoiding alcohol when you’re together or opting out of drinking in social situations. Ask about new strategies that they learned in treatment or meetings.

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• Delirium tremens (DTs) is a serious condition that some people struggling with alcohol withdrawal go through.
• If you do relapse, it is important to return to treatment right away, so you can learn more about your relapse triggers and improve your coping skills.
• The process involves identifying safe spaces or people to confide in and expressing your struggles and goals.
• If they use your object of addiction, ask them not to do so in front of you.
• While you may not feel like exercising during withdrawal, a small amount of exercise is a great tool for coping with alcohol withdrawal.

If you want to stop drinking without rehab, one of the best tools at your disposal may be your smartphone. Online alcohol treatment is becoming more popular, and can give you many of the tools you’d get in traditional rehab with less disruption and cost. You don’t need to put your life on hold, and it’s easier to be discreet about your recovery process if you wish to. There are many options for treating alcohol use disorder without rehab, including free support groups, quitting on your own, online programs, and medication- or moderation-based programs. There is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to addiction recovery.

The decision to change is one of the most important steps in overcoming an addiction. By acknowledging that a change is needed, it means that you recognize that there is a problem and have a desire to address it. During these early stages of the process, you might be in denial about the effects of your addiction.

• Frequent meetings with an alcohol counselor are important for individuals to communicate and receive guidance during their recovery.
• The Grove Editorial Team is a dynamic group of professionals at The Grove, a leading addiction treatment center in Indianapolis, Indiana.
• Brief Interventions are short, one-on-one or small-group counseling sessions that are time limited.
• That’s why detoxification is almost always done with medical supervision.
• The risk of dying from an overdose is extremely high if you have been through withdrawal because your tolerance of the drug will be much lower than it was before you quit.

But there are other factors as well, including genetics and pre-existing health problems. For this reason, we strongly advise speaking with a medical professional before trying to quit on your own. Quitting drinking without rehab generally means choosing one of these alternate approaches, finding a support system, and staying consistent over time as you establish lasting change. Detoxing from alcohol is generally a one week process, but achieving full recovery can take months or even years. It’s essential to commit yourself to staying the course, and gathering the resources you know will help you stick with sobriety. Most people with mild to moderate alcohol withdrawal don’t need treatment in a hospital.

How To Know If You Can Quit Without Rehab

That’s why detoxification is almost always done with medical supervision. Alcohol, tobacco, and opioids are among the drugs most frequently misused. Misuse can be mild, or it can be severe and become an addiction. A full-time facility provides a supportive environment to help people recover without distractions or temptations.