Choosing an Alcohol Abuse Treatment Center

Alcohol abuse can lead to many tragedies and most people are unaware that a problem exists until the tragedy strikes. If you or someone you know has concerns about the effects or consequences of your alcohol use, it’s time to take a closer look at the situation. You don’t need to be an alcoholic or wait for a tragedy to occur before you seek help.

What Does Alcohol Do?

Alcohol significantly alters the mind and affects mood, memory, judgment, inhibition, cognition, behaviors, and emotions. In addition to psychological impairments, alcohol causes drowsiness and decreases motor functions. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse, it contributes to more than 200 diseases or injury related health conditions.

Choosing an Alcohol Abuse Treatment Center

Choosing the best suitable alcohol abuse treatment center may seem like a difficult task, but, it doesn’t have to be and understanding how treatment can help with your unique needs is important to remaining engaged in the recovery process because abstinence from alcohol takes more than willpower, it takes time.

Detox

Alcohol abusers may or may not have withdrawals, but, a detox assessment is the first step in any substance abuse treatment. A safe detox plan, if needed, can be determined after an assessment is made of your unique needs.

Inpatient versus Outpatient

It is important to find a program that will offer an individualized approach to treatment.

If there are co-existing complications of physical, psychological, or poly substance abuse disorders, an intake evaluation can help the person determine their overall needs and which may mean a more intensified or specialized treatment setting of inpatient versus outpatient treatment.

Durations and locality are also important considerations and it may be helpful to know that treatment in inpatient facilities may be less abundant in local communities while their durations may be longer.

Therapy

Psychologists are trained to recognized and treat alcohol abuse in many helpful ways and a behavioral therapy that works for one person may not be suitable for another. Some people may prefer a spiritual approach versus a clinical approach and some people may be more comfortable in another certain type of setting. Some people may benefit from group therapy and others may need more motivational incentives to help them along. There are a multitude of programs, settings, and treatment options available, but, it is best to choose one that provides proper supervision for guidance and to prevent relapse potential.

Counseling

Counseling helps with underlying physical and mental health issues and may be needed to help the person deal with circumstances such as domestic abuse, post traumatic stress disorder, or distressing family issues. Alcohol abuse treatment centers vary in the services that they provide and may have limited access to resources, so, exploring options whenever possible is advised.

Crisis Management

If a crisis exists, it is important to find help immediately. Many centers specialize with certain issues and have on-site professional help to intervene wherever necessary. Some centers provide shelter and support for the children and pets of the person in crisis.