Unfortunately, alcohol abuse is not so uncommon, a lot of people struggle with it all around the world. But nowadays it’s easier to seek help and get the right treatment! The only important thing is to reach out and find the most suitable option for the patient. Here are some alcohol use disorder treatments that have been proven effective!
Establishing a routine
It all starts with the first step of seeking help, it’s not easy but it’s necessary in order to get better. People who struggle with alcohol abuse need to get a treatment plan – something that they can follow until they become fully sober. Being goal-oriented in this phase is a must in order to get used to the sudden change – these changes are both on a physical and mental level, so it will involve going to the care center and establishing a cycle that works for the specific person!
Depending on the care center
Not all hospitals and rehabs are the same, and the same goes for patients – it all depends on the case and the level of severity. The only important thing is that the person who is in need seeks help from a professional for alcohol treatment if they want to get the best results. If you want to get the most effective results and get better, your first step is to find quality help, someone who will take care of you and guide you through this tough process.
Detoxing
In almost all alcohol abuse cases, patients need to go through a detox phase – getting rid of all the alcohol from their system, which will involve a withdrawal phase as well, as those two go hand in hand. In order for a person to get clean – depending on the level of addiction and how long it’s been going on, the body of the patient needs to slowly become less and less dependent on the alcohol. Thankfully, rehabs and care centers offer medication that helps in those times of crisis so the patient can move on to the next level of help.
Different kinds of medication
Nowadays there are many different kinds of medications that help with addiction, both for physical and mental well-being. Obviously, there is no such thing as a miracle drug that can instantly cure this kind of disorder, but it definitely helps in the process. Medications such as Disulfiram (Antabuse) helps with keeping you away from drinking, as it makes you sick from alcohol, whilst on the other hand Naltrexone will help with reducing cravings and lessen the chances of you getting back to old drinking habits.
Injections
Depending on the facility, a lot of the same medication used to help with alcohol abuse can be found in a form of injections. It’s not that uncommon for professionals to take this route and give their patients a shot of Vivitrol or in other words Naltrexone, but it all depends on the patient and the facility they are in.
Counseling
Medications are only a fragment of the process, there is so much more that goes into sobriety, it’s not that black and white! Counseling is necessary, alcohol abuse affects your body and your mental state so you’ll need to work on both. Focusing on building a life during and after rehab is extremely important and through counseling and therapy, it can be easier to see the light at the end of the tunnel. In order to get better, a person needs to be both mentally and physically over the alcohol abuse, and the only way to properly do so is to talk to people, go to therapy and focus on setting goals for yourself.
Support groups
The most important thing to remember is that you are not alone! Going through something like alcohol addiction can make you feel isolated and alone, but in reality, a lot of people carry the same struggles and it’s completely normal to share. One of the vital parts of any kind of addiction treatment is to have a solid support system – regardless if it’s family, friends, or support groups you started attending along the way. This can help in so many ways, maintain your social life, meet people who relate to your struggles, who understand you – you are in this together!
At the end of the day, getting better from alcohol abuse is a whole process, it takes time and it’s extremely intricate. Every case and every person is different, a professional will decide what suits their needs the most in order to reach success faster. The road is long and hard, but if you are in the right hands, you have nothing to worry about!
