Do You Have What It Takes to Succeed in Alcohol Rehab?

A lot of people make up excuses to avoid entering alcohol rehab. Some people say the cost is too high. Others argue that they can’t miss school or work. And still others assert they cannot succeed in rehab; they aren’t the right type. The reality is that every person is equipped to succeed in alcohol rehab.

The following discussion will cover some basic pieces of information about alcohol rehab and should make clear that you have what it takes. To learn more about alcohol rehab or to be referred to a rehab center that is ideal for your success, call 888-646-0635Who Answers?.

Do You Need to Be a Certain Type of Alcoholic to Succeed in Rehab?

No. There is a stereotype of an alcoholic. They are disheveled and often out of control. They rage at those around them or cry into their drink or engage in risky sex practices. In short, they are a mess. But, alcoholism isn’t just for derelicts and lushes. It affects all people, regardless of:

Many alcoholics don’t fit the stereotype, and therefore don’t seek the treatment they need.

• Income
• Occupation
• Age
• Race
• Gender
• Intelligence
• Education

Any person who cannot control their drinking has an alcohol use disorder and it is a form of denial to reject alcohol rehab because you do not fit a narrow cliché mold.

That said, there are actually factors that put you at a higher risk for alcoholism. These are:

• A pattern of steady drinking: Binge drinking and drinking excessively on a regular basis can lead to alcohol use disorders.
• Age: People who start drinking early in life, particularly if they binge drink, have a higher risk of developing an alcohol use disorder. Typically, alcohol abuse sets in during a person’s 20s and 30s.
• Family history: Genetic factors, like having a parent or close relative who abuses alcohol can put you at higher risk of abusing it.
• Mental health problems, like depression: People with mood and anxiety disorders are twice as likely as people in the general public to have an addiction.
• Cultural and social factors: If you socialize with people who drink excessively or consume a lot of media that presents drinking in a positive light, it puts you at greater risk of developing an alcohol use disorder.

These factors may make you more likely to attend alcohol rehab, but they will not improve your chances at success.

Can Treatment Really Manage My Alcohol Use Disorder?

Yes. It won’t be simple, but it can be done. You can’t simply stop drinking for a few days and be magically cured. Because alcohol addiction is, in the words of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), “a chronic disease characterized by compulsive, or uncontrollable, drug seeking and use despite harmful consequences and changes in the brain,” you will likely need long-term and/or repeated care to stop using completely.

The NIDA asserts addiction treatment must help you to:

• Stop using alcohol
• Remain alcohol free
• Be productive in society, at work and in your family

You are perfectly able to work with treatment to achieve these goals.

Is There a Treatment That Works for Everybody?

No. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism estimates 16.3 million people in the US alone suffered from and alcohol use disorder in 2014. How could one method possibly be appropriate for 16.3 individual cases? It couldn’t. Alcohol addiction treatment varies depending upon qualities of the patients and of their addictions. Matching treatment environments, methods, and services to a person’s specific issues and needs is a vital to their success in rehab.

When you go to rehab, you will receive an individual treatment plan that is tailor made to give you the best chance at success. You can do it!

Drug Rehab Success

What Does Effective Treatment Do?

It isn’t enough to focus on the alcohol addiction alone. For rehab to be successful, a patient’s addiction must be treated alongside other concerns, like

• Medical problems
• Psychological problems
• Social problems
• Vocational problems
• Legal problems
• Their age
• Their gender
• Their ethnicity
• Their culture

Care must be comprehensive. By addressing all these issues, alcohol rehab gives you the best chance at beating your addiction.

What Are the Stages of Treatment?

Although each treatment plan will be individual, most follow a basic outline with steps that build upon one another. These are:

• 1. Detoxification: the process that transitions a patient from actively intoxicated to alcohol and drug free
• 2. Behavioral therapy: common forms of counseling include cognitive-behavioral therapy, family therapy, motivational interviewing, and motivational incentives
• 3. Medication: this is common in alcohol addiction treatment and can include naltrexone, acamprosate, and disulfiram
• 4. Assessment and treatment of any co-occurring mental or physical health issues
• 5. Aftercare to prevent relapse

Because the treatment is complex, you will learn a number of strategies and coping methods that will work together to help you succeed.

You can do this. To get started, call 888-646-0635Who Answers?.