Why Alcohol Is Considered a Drug
Often, when people think of the phrase’ drug addiction,’ they think of a person addicted to a substance such as heroin, cocaine, or prescription medication. However, you may be surprised to learn that when you’re categorized as having an alcohol addiction, you’re also classified as having a drug addiction because alcohol is considered a drug. The reason for this is that alcohol, similar to any other drug, is a substance that negatively impacts your central nervous system. Therefore, a person suffering from drug addiction will likely experience many things that a person with an alcohol addiction experiences and needs alcohol rehab to overcome it.
What Makes Alcohol So Addictive?
If you have ever taken a drink before, you know that the first few sips or even the first few drinks can make you feel relaxed and carefree. That is because alcohol encourages your brain to release dopamine which is a substance that makes you feel happy. However, when your drinking turns into a chronic problem, you will need to drink more and more to get your brain to have the same type of reaction. At a certain point, your body and brain will not produce this reaction. In this case, you find yourself struggling with an addiction. It’s key to understand that alcohol has severe negative impacts on you physically and psychologically. In time, certain parts of your body will begin to struggle to keep up with your alcohol consumption and start to shut down. Psychologically, alcohol addiction could also lead to severe anxiety or depression.
Dangers of Alcohol Addiction
There are several dangers associated with alcohol addiction. In time, alcohol addiction can impact you both personally and professionally. When your alcohol consumption starts to get out of control, it’s possible that you may lose your job and that your loved ones may begin to distance themselves from you as a result of your drinking. If your addiction isn’t addressed through alcohol rehab, it’s also possible that this addiction may lead to your death.
One of the things you will focus on during your time in alcohol rehab is the root cause of your addiction. This process is primarily done by taking part in certain forms of therapy. Although counseling can be uncomfortable at times, it’s critical so you can come to peace with events in your life that may have triggered your addiction. Counseling can also help you to better manage things that may trigger you in the future. It’s essential to understand that even though you’ve been through a treatment program during alcohol rehab, it doesn’t mean that you will never experience any possible temptation again. Therapy will help you learn how to handle these situations better.
Examples of therapy that you will experience during the time that you’re in alcohol rehab include:
- Individual treatment
- Group counseling
- Behavioral therapy
- Family therapy
- Trauma-based therapy
Your treatment team will help you put together a personalized recovery plan that will help you to address these different aspects of your life. Your team will also continuously review your recovery plan with you to ensure that it is still meeting the goals you have for yourself and helping you take full advantage of the tools and resources available through that treatment facility.
Going to Alcohol Rehab: What Happens?
When you have come to a place in your life where your alcohol addiction has taken over your life, you must reach out to a substance abuse treatment center that offers treatment options for alcoholism that you need to turn your life around. A treatment center will provide you with a multitude of options with different levels of care that you can tap into to receive the care you need if you are alcohol dependent.
One of the most decisions you will need to make is regarding the addiction treatments you will commit to. If you feel as though the people, places, and things around you contribute to your alcohol addiction, it may benefit you to commit to an inpatient rehab program. Inpatient rehab also referred to as a residential treatment program, can provide you with the foundation you need to overcome your addiction and abuse of alcohol once and for all. During residential treatment, you will have the opportunity to live on the campus of your substance abuse treatment facility. You will have around-the-clock access to your treatment team as well as the chance to interact with other people who are working through their own abuse treatment plan.
For some clients, committing to a residential treatment program is out of the question due to their personal or professional responsibilities. In cases like this, the team at a treatment facility may recommend that you commit to an outpatient rehab program. Outpatient rehab is much more flexible in comparison to inpatient rehab. The reason for this is that an intensive outpatient program or a general outpatient rehab doesn’t require you to live on campus, which means that you can still see to work or school responsibilities that you may have. The main difference between an intensive outpatient program and a general outpatient rehab is the hours per week that you will need to commit to therapy each week. An intensive outpatient program requires slightly more hours per week than a general outpatient rehab program.
It’s important to remember that even though you completed a program at a treatment facility, that doesn’t mean that your journey through recovery from alcohol addiction and abuse is complete. It’s strongly recommended that once you complete your treatment program, you take advantage of other resources that may be available to you through an aftercare program. An alcohol and drug aftercare program will help you interact with other people who completed their alcohol and drug treatment program. It will also help you stay in touch with your treatment team and reinforce the premise of relapse prevention. Another relapse prevention technique that is recommended is participating in Alcoholics Anonymous meetings whenever possible. Alcoholics Anonymous meetings take place throughout the world on almost any day throughout the week. Alcoholics Anonymous meetings are a great way to meet other people in your area and continue building and developing your system of support.
Alcohol Withdrawal
Before you can begin a program to address your addiction to drugs and alcohol, you may need to start your alcoholism treatment in an alcohol detox program. An alcohol detox program is an example of one of the treatment programs that will provide you with the safe environment you need as you begin to experience symptoms of alcohol withdrawal.
Alcohol withdrawal is something that can be particularly dangerous. When you go through withdrawal, you will experience many symptoms that can make it all but impossible for you to care for yourself properly. When a person suffers from alcohol use disorders, their body will begin to go into a tailspin when they do not consume their drugs and alcohol of choice within just a few hours from the last time you took that substance. Withdrawal symptoms are unpredictable, which is part of what makes them so dangerous and even deadly. You must never attempt to go through the withdrawal process unless you are in an alcohol addiction and abuse program that can provide you with the help and support you need.
On average, alcohol detox lasts approximately seven days, with the worst of your withdrawal symptoms manifesting within the first 72 hours from when you last consume your drink of choice. By the end of your time in alcohol detox, you will be in a much better place to focus on the steps you need to take during your substance use treatment. You should always follow alcohol detox with an alcoholism treatment plan to address your addiction issues.
Letting Go of Alcohol Addiction at Muse’s Alcohol Rehab Center
At Muse Treatment Center’s alcohol rehab facility, our focus is on providing ways to help our clients when they are ready to tackle their substance abuse. Stopping drinking is something that will change your life. Our intake team is available around the clock to answer many common questions you may have regarding substance abuse and alcoholism treatment. We pride ourselves on providing our clients with the unique level of care they need to work through their substance use disorders. Remember that we’re always available to speak with your loved ones if they have any questions regarding our alcohol addiction programs. For more information regarding the substance abuse options available at Muse Treatment Center, please get in touch with us at (800) 426-1818.
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