How Does Alcohol Treatment Work?

Abuse of alcohol is a common problem in the UK. However, most people do not understand how their consumption of alcohol could be classed as abuse, or even harmful. With the Government recommending that you drink no more than fourteen units of alcohol per week, spread over the course of the full week, it is not difficult to see how some individuals can end up abusing alcohol.

Fourteen units equate to around six pints of lager or six glasses of wine. There are many people who admit to drinking more than this when they go for a night-out with their friends. This is classed as binge drinking and can be just as harmful as drinking every day.

Regular alcohol abuse and binge drinking can both result in an alcohol addiction – an addiction that can eventually rip lives apart. Fortunately, though, alcoholism is an illness that can be treated. If you have found yourself asking ‘how does alcohol treatment work?’, you’ll be glad to know that there are many different types of treatment available. But before considering treatment, it is important to determine if you need it.

How Much Alcohol Do You Drink?

It is difficult for most people to come to terms with the fact that their alcohol consumption may be out of control. Even those who drink regularly may think that they have a handle on their consumption levels and that they do not need any intervention. The very idea of having to quit drinking might be something they are unwilling to even consider.

However, regular alcohol consumption does not necessarily mean there is a problem. There are some people who drink more than they should on a weekly basis but who can still control what they consume. They are making a conscious decision to drink and have the ability to stop at any time. They do not drink out of a compelling need to do so but because they are choosing to drink.

Think about your own alcohol consumption and how much control you have over it as this will give you an indication of whether you need treatment or not. For example, if you drink even when you have promised yourself that you won’t, it could be because you no longer have any control over your drinking.

If you have tried to quit, or even cut back on the amount you drink, but have not been able to, it may be that you have a physical dependence on alcohol. Have you noticed that you experience withdrawal symptoms such as sweating, shaking, headaches, nausea, and mood swings when in need of alcohol? If so, then it is likely that you are already on the path to addiction. If this is the case, treatment will be the best way for you to turn your life around. But just how does alcohol treatment work? This is a question we are asked all the time and the answer to which you might be interested in.

What Is Alcohol Treatment Like?

Alcohol treatment works by tackling the issues that have caused the illness. The first part of the treatment process involves breaking the cycle of alcohol abuse, which is done with a detox. It is important that you quit drinking, and you must be prepared for a lifetime of abstinence as this is the only way to keep you from falling back into the grip of addiction again.

If you have a physical addiction to alcohol, you will need to complete a detox before you can begin a programme of treatment for the psychological issues relating to your illness. Although detox begins automatically when you quit drinking, the process can be a complicated one because of how alcohol has affected your body.

When you stop drinking, your body will attempt to get back to normal and will start the healing process. This can lead to many different withdrawal symptoms occurring, which can be mild, moderate, or severe in their intensity.

It is impossible to know what type of symptoms you might experience, or how severe these will be before the detox begins. Moreover, while you can detox at home, it is preferable to complete the process in a supervised facility because you will be monitored at all times. Therefore, should any severe symptoms occur, staff will be on hand to act?

What to Expect from Alcohol Rehab?

If you have ever wondered ‘how does alcohol treatment work?’, you might be keen to know a bit more about the entire process as well as what to expect. Alcohol detox works by flushing out the toxins and chemicals that have built up in your system over your time of drinking alcohol. Although this process can be unpleasant, it is vital in terms of helping you on your way to sobriety and it must be carried out before you can tackle rehab.

Alcohol rehab is not a quick fix. With an inpatient programme, treatment is condensed over a period of around four to twelve weeks, but long-term maintenance will also be required. You should remember that you did not become addicted to alcohol overnight, and so it makes sense that you will not recover overnight either.

Alcohol rehab can also take place in an outpatient facility. If this is your preferred option, you will attend regular counselling sessions but will not stay in the clinic. Outpatient programmes are usually the preferred option for those who have realised quite early in their addiction that they have a problem as well as for those with a strong network of support at home. It is not usually suitable for those with a severe addiction to alcohol as it may be harder to stay sober while trying to recover in the real world.

The benefit of inpatient rehab programmes for those with a severe alcohol addiction is that these individuals are removed from everyday life and placed in an environment where there are no distractions and no access to temptations or triggers. When in this type of setting, there is little choice but to focus on recovery.

The aim of alcohol rehab is the same regardless of whether you opt for an inpatient or outpatient programme. The biggest difference is in how intensive they are as well as the length of time required to complete the programme. But both types of the programme will mean working closely with counsellors and therapists to overcome your illness.

It is likely that you will be given a plan of care when you start your treatment, a plan that will be designed with you and your requirements in mind. Counsellors use a range of therapies and methods to help you overcome your addiction to alcohol, and they will choose the ones that they feel will work best for you.

Your treatment plan is likely to include a combination of individual and group therapy while you may also have holistic treatments such as yoga, massage, and mindfulness. Holistic therapies are effective in the treatment of various addictions when used in conjunction with traditional therapies. They can help to ease pain associated with withdrawal symptoms and may even help to reduce cravings. They can also be used to reduce stress levels and improve overall wellbeing. Holistic therapies are also useful in terms of preventing a relapse after rehab has finished.

After Rehab Help Services

The issue of how alcohol treatment work is one that many individuals query before considering getting help for an addiction. The answer is that treatment is designed to tackle all elements of the illness separately. Detox works by addressing the physical element of the addiction while rehab works by addressing the underlying issues that could have caused it in the first place.

Nevertheless, recovery does not stop when treatment does. Just because your rehabilitation programme is over does not mean that you can become complacent and go back to the same life that you had before.

Alcohol treatment is all about helping you to change. You must adopt a new way of life and be prepared to make massive changes to enjoy a healthy, substance-free life. This is something that your counsellors and therapists will help you with, but when you leave rehab, you can access additional support. This is something that is highly recommended.

Staying sober is not easy when you have previously had an addiction to alcohol. However, with support from your local recovery community, you can do it. You will need to maintain your sobriety for the rest of your life and work hard to avoid the temptations that will present themselves at various stages.

If you require information or advice about alcohol addiction and treatment, please contact UK Rehab today. Our helpline is staffed by fully trained advisors who can answer your queries and provide information to help you with the next stage of your recovery journey. Please call to find out more about how you can get your life back on track with a programme of detox and rehabilitation. We are here to help.