Does Alcohol Addiction Treatment Work?

a woman partakes in night treatment for addiction

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When you are struggling with alcohol addiction, you probably won’t realize what a serious problem you have until you hit rock bottom. This is normal, but it can jar your senses. At the same time, at that point, you are in a much better position to get help for your addiction.

You may not know where to turn, but there are plenty of avenues that offer help. Once you have narrowed down your choices of detox and rehab for alcohol addiction treatment, you might begin to ask yourself some questions. One of the biggest is whether alcohol addiction treatment works.

When Should You Seek Treatment for Alcohol Addiction?

After you have acknowledged that you have a serious alcohol use disorder and need help, you can work toward getting the treatment that you need. Sometimes, this occurs on your own after a specific situation occurs while other times, a person close to you helps you to realize you need help. Loved ones often stage an intervention to open your eyes to your harsh reality.

There are also warning signs that you or your loved ones may recognize that indicate you need rehab treatment. They include the following:

• Erratic mood swings
• Frequent binge drinking
• Problems at work or school
• Continuously making excuses for neglecting responsibilities
• Denying that you have a problem with alcohol
• Committing acts of violence or other criminal behavior
• Loss of interest in hobbies and things you normally enjoy

Treatment for alcohol use disorder is urgent, especially if you’ve been addicted for a long period of time. Ignoring your addiction and neglecting to seek help can only exacerbate your symptoms, worsen your overall health and damage your personal and professional relationships. The sooner you get help, the better your odds of regaining your sobriety and staying clean for the long term.

Does Alcohol Addiction Treatment Work?

When you’re addicted to alcohol or any other substance, it’s always possible to find the right treatment facility to fit your needs. If you have struggled for a long time with alcohol addiction, you might wonder if rehab treatment will actually work for you. It’s not unusual to feel skeptical when your alcohol use disorder is overwhelming and out of control and you’ve battled it for many years.

While no two people are exactly alike in their own personal stories of alcohol addiction, everyone can benefit from rehab. Even if a relapse occurs, many are able to pick themselves back up and start from square one with their treatment and stay the course. Alcohol addiction treatment can achieve the following:

• Reduce your alcohol use and abuse
• Improve your ability to stay employed or at school
• Improve your personal and interpersonal relationships
• Improve your mental health
• Reduce criminal activity and behaviors

Again, everyone is different, so no two people will have the exact same experience during alcohol rehab treatment. Some people may only need a month or so of treatment while others may have to stay longer in the facility to overcome their addiction.

How to Be Successful with Alcohol Rehab Treatment

Alcoholism affects millions of people and kills nearly 100,000 annually. It’s one of the most highly abused substances next to opioids. Due to the vast number of people struggling, there are many programs tailored toward alcohol addiction treatment in facilities all across the country. These programs are centered around long-term sobriety.

When entering one of these facilities to undergo treatment, the first step is detoxification or detox. This is the initial phase you must take to ease all the alcohol out of your system. It must be done before you can continue with your treatment on an outpatient basis. In most cases, that means staying for at least 30 days.

Unfortunately, the majority of people end up relapsing at least once after they undergo detox. This is because of the way alcohol affects and changes the natural brain chemistry. After abusing it for so long, you become dependent on alcohol and often need it to function normally. However, the longer you are able to go without alcohol, the slimmer your chances of relapsing.

Alcoholism is a disease that requires a lifelong commitment on your part, which is why you need to stay on top of your treatment. Regular attendance in group therapy like Alcoholics Anonymous and others are good, healthy ways to stay on top of your sobriety.

Ready to get started? We can help you take that first step. Call us at 833.970.2054 today.

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Reviewed By:

Clearhaven Recovery Clinical Staff

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