Alcohol Abuse White Plains
Chronic, progressive, and equally detrimental to your health, relationships, and stability, alcohol abuse and alcoholism are often categorized by binge drinking, preoccupation with alcohol and where you're getting your next drink, having issues controlling your drinking habits, a physical dependence on the consumption of alcoholic beverages, physical discomfort or withdrawal symptoms when you decrease or stop your drinking, and an inability to stop your drinking despite the chaos it causes in your life. What's more, it's completely possible to be in need of alcoholism treatment or be at risk of alcohol abuse, even if you don't drink on a daily basis.
Also known as "problem drinking," alcohol abuse is usually characterized by binge drinking during certain times or functions, even if you maintain complete sobriety the majority of the day.
Call Drug Rehab Centers White Plains today at (877) 804-1531 to learn more, hear options, and for help searching for rehab centers.
The Difference Between Alcohol Abuse and Addiction
If you're worried about alcoholism, problem drinking or alcohol dependence, it's important to be on the lookout for some of the signs and symptoms. Keep in mind that the signs for teenagers and children are different than those for adults. For adults, some of the most common signs of addiction and dependency include:
- Needing increasing amounts to achieve the same effects, or simply to achieve a sense of normalcy and calm
- An inability to stop drinking, despite a desire to do so, or despite the repercussions drinking is having on your life
- Experiencing withdrawal symptoms when you stop drinking, including anxiety, nervousness, sweating, shaking, headache and nausea
- Giving up other activities or missing out on things you would normally enjoy because of your drinking or being drunk
- Feelings of guilt or shame, including hiding your drinking, drinking alone, or purchasing your alcohol at different stores so you aren't recognized or to hide the actual amount of alcohol you are consuming
When is it Time for Treatment?
Alcoholism treatment often involves a combination of approaches. Counseling, medication, group therapy, holistic methods, and classic 12-step approaches, (including recovery programs like Alcoholics Anonymous) are often the best course of action when it comes to taking on the complex problem of addiction and problem drinking. That is because a successful alcoholism treatment plan will address not only the dependency itself, but the underlying issues, problems and concerns that caused a person to turn to alcohol as a crutch in the first place.
Successful treatment for alcohol dependence and alcoholism can begin only after alcoholics acknowledge and accept that they have a problem. Agreeing to stop drinking and agreeing that they need to make changes to their lifestyle and habits is the catalyst on which a treatment program is built. From there, alcoholism treatment has three major stages, beginning with what is known as detoxification.
Detox begins upon the cessation of the use of alcohol, and should always be supervised by highly trained medical professionals, as it can cause severe side effects, including tremors, seizures, physical illness, hallucinations, fevers, and has even been known to cause death if not treated, supervised and watched carefully. Following detoxification, the patient moves on to the rehabilitation phase, where either inpatient or outpatient counseling, as well as medication will give the recovering alcoholic a new set of skills and tools to handle their problems and maintain their sobriety.
The last step in alcohol abuse treatment is what is known as maintenance. In this self-driven step, the recovering alcoholic will attend regular meetings, find a sponsor, and otherwise maintain their sobriety on their own, and may even step in and help other people facing the struggle of overcoming alcohol abuse.
Drug Rehab Center White Plains can help you with your search for rehab centers. Call us today at (877) 804-1531.