Alcohol Treatment

It all starts with a drink. It is very easy for an individual to become an alcoholic. If not controlled and monitored, it does not take much time for a person to evolve from being a social drinker to someone who drinks all the time. Like all other drugs; alcohol addiction can have disastrous results.

People usually take to alcohol and drugs if they are dealing with some specific trauma in their lives and do not know where to turn for help. Alcohol dulls the senses, numbs the brain and makes you forget your troubles, at least for a while. It relaxes your muscles, reduces your motor skills and makes you oblivious to the world around you. This is the high which alcoholics crave so much, and it is this craving which drives them back again and again.

However, addiction can have potentially lethal consequences. Drunkards become so impervious to the rest of the world that they might not even realize the danger they are putting themselves into by their uncontrolled drinking. They may not feel the need to do something proactive about their situation. With increased consumption of alcohol, moments of lucidity become few and far apart, and alcoholics become dangerous not only to themselves, but also to everyone around them.

Alcohol addiction can ruin relationships and drive families apart. Although it requires a great amount of patience and love to deal with a family member who suffers from this addiction, abandoning the troubled individual is definitely not the solution.

The first step to cure an alcohol addiction is getting the addict to admit that he or she has a problem. After this self admission, the addict becomes open to accepting help. It is advisable to enroll the person in a rehab center or a support group. Working with a rehab center shows the addict that he or she is not alone; that there ere are others like them who suffer from similar or worse forms of addiction. This gives the individual a sense of support and reduces the intrinsic shame and guilt which the he feels.

Before checking into a rehab, it is wise to understand the kind of treatments that they offer. Remember, treating substance abuse with more drugs in not an answer. The primary aim of rehab is make the addict completely drug free, of any sort. Hence, it is better to check into rehabilitation centers which offer holistic treatment, as opposed to the more conventional, medicated rehab centers.

Some common questions related to alcohol addiction and holistic rehabilitation have been answered below:

How Do I Know If I am An Addict, Or If My Loved One Is An Addict?

There are certain signs one should look out for, in order to pinpoint an addict. Some of these signs include:

• Drinking or drug use is not limited to social gatherings alone.
• The individual spends most of his/her day in a haze and itches to get back to it once it passes.
• The individual loses track of time.
• The individual suffers from health issues like malfunctioning liver and headaches.
• Improper sleeping and eating habits. Most addicts suffer from a drastic loss in appetite.

If you recognize these signs in yourself or in your loved one, it is time to get help.

How Important Is Family Support?

Support from friends and family is the most important push for an addict to better himself or herself. An addict must be secure in the knowledge that his or her loved ones will stand by them during the process of rehab, to lend support and compassion. Also, the presence of friends and family during the healing process gives them hope of a normal healthy life after the rehabilitation treatment. This can be the biggest incentive and can work better than any other cure.

What Is Holistic Drug/Alcohol Rehabilitation?

Holistic drug/alcohol rehabilitation is a comparatively new method to drug rehab. As opposed to the conventional method of treating drug addiction with pills and psychiatric evaluation, a holistic approach focuses on the entire being of the individual. This method aims to naturally heal all facets of the addict's life and to help him or her begin a new one.

How Does Holistic Treatment Deal With Withdrawal Symptoms And Other Health Issues, If They Do Not Use Medication?

In holistic rehabilitation, no artificial methods are used for treatment. Instead they use the goodness of nature to freshen the mind, body and spirit of the addict.

A healthy diet, tailor made for each individual's special needs, regular exercise and other physical therapy help in cleansing the patient's body of drugs. After the physical cleansing, mental and spiritual cleansing begins with meditation, prayers and other natural therapy.

Why should I choose Holistic Treatment over Conventional Treatment?

There are many reasons why holistic treatment is a much better option than conventional treatment. Some of the reasons are given below:

Most conventional drug or alcohol treatments follow a set pattern of recovery. However, not all addicts are the same. In a holistic treatment, the recovery patterns are customized to suit the needs of each patient.

Conventional drug rehabilitation centers focus on flushing out existing drugs or alcohol from the patient's system and to keep them drug free for their period of stay. This does not guarantee that the patient will not relapse into addiction once he is out of rehab. Addiction stems from a vast number of psychological as well as sociological factors, most of which conventional treatments refuse to address. On the contrary, holistic treatment treats the patient not only for his or her addiction, but also, tries to weed out any other problems which might lead to addiction in the future. This greatly reduces chances of a relapse to occur.

After completing a conventional rehab program, a patient leaves with his body free of drugs. But, his mind is still disturbed. A holistic rehabilitation program not only cleanses a patient's body but also, helps him or her in reducing stress, understanding about the problems which they suffer from, empathizing with the pain of their loved ones and in leading a happy healthy life.

All in all, a holistic rehab process heals your entire life.