It is a myth that alcohol rehab is only for the worst cases and wayward celebrities. The reality is that even if you are able to keep your alcoholism in check most of the time, it is still going to be causing real damage in your life. It is also a fact that even high functioning alcoholics eventually lose their control and, when this happens, their downfall can be dramatic.
What is a High Functioning Alcoholic?
The term ‘high functioning alcoholic‘ can be a bit vague. The problem is that the majority of people who are addicted to alcohol would categorise themselves in this way – even when it is obvious that they are only barely functioning. Things are complicated further because the same person can fluctuate from believing they are a high functioning alcoholic to believing they are a hopeless case.
High functioning alcoholics could describe anyone who does not fit the stereotype of the homeless person who slurs her/his words and drinks a can of Special Brew from a paper bag. When most people use this term, they are referring to those individuals who seem to be doing well in life despite their addiction problem. The high functioning alcoholic is highly skilled at hiding their excesses and even their closest friends and family may be fooled into believing there is no problem.
Alcohol Rehab for High Functioning Alcoholics
Probably the majority of people who end up in a private alcohol rehab would fall into the high functioning category. These are people who have usually been doing okay in their careers – some are very successful – but they understand that alcohol is an extremely negative force in their life.
Just as there can be very negative stereotypes of alcoholics there can also be very negative stereotypes of alcohol rehab. There can be this image of these places being like Victorian hospitals or even prisons. The reality is that most of these treatment centres offer a good level of luxury; the private places can offer the same type of experience as going to stay in an upmarket resort.
The Reasons High Functioning Alcoholics Need Rehab
There are a number of reasons why high functioning alcoholics need rehab; we have listed some in the paragraphs below.
Unless they are able to break free of their addiction, the high functioning drinker is at risk of losing everything. It is not possible for them to keep things under control indefinitely because the impact of addiction is going to keep on rising. The downwards spiral of a high functioning alcoholic tends to occur for the most part internally in the beginning but eventually it leads to havoc in this person’s life.
Breaking away from addiction can be tough when trying to do this alone. Most attempts to break free of alcohol end within the first few days because the individual is unable to handle the withdrawal symptoms. By entering a rehab programme (one that has detox facilities), it greatly increases the likelihood that the person is going to make it to long-term recovery.
There may be many people depending on the high functioning alcoholic, which means that if this individual goes into meltdown they can then destroy the life of many of those around them; this can be the case when the boss of a company is struggling due to alcohol abuse. People who are dealing with addiction alone can make very bad choices, so it is important that they get the help they need.
The prospects for a high functioning alcoholic are just as poor as for any other substance abuser. Things are just going to keep on getting worse, so it makes sense to get help from an alcohol rehab before anything more is lost.
