Drinking is dangerous, especially if you do it in excess. Alcoholism can cause a wide range of health problems. For example, alcoholics often suffer from cardiovascular disease or cirrhosis of the liver. Not only does it cause physical symptoms, but alcoholism can also have an adverse effect on your behavior. For instance, you might be tempted to drive drunk, leading to the death or injury of yourself or others. Alcohol can also cause you to lose your inhibitions and instigate problems in your relationships. If you suffer from alcoholism, you should consider starting a treatment program. But what exactly does a treatment program entail? This article highlights exactly what happens in alcohol rehab.
The longer you drink, the more difficult it becomes to get clean. Don’t put off getting your life back on track. Take the first steps toward living a clean lifestyle today.
Detox
When you go through an alcohol rehab program, you’ll first be expected to detox from alcohol. Some rehab facilities will have the means for you to detox on site. Others might require that you do your detox elsewhere.
If you’re going to attempt alcohol detox, it’s highly recommended that you undertake this at an alcohol detox center.
When your body is used to alcohol, it can cause some serious side effects when you withdraw from it. For example, alcohol withdrawal can cause unstable changes to your blood pressure and to your heart. You may also suffer from Delirium tremens, which is a life-threatening issue.
When it comes to alcohol, don’t be tempted to try and quit “cold turkey”. While this is possible to do with other substances, it is a big risk when doing an alcohol detox.
When you go through detox, you can expect the negative symptoms to last at least a week. The worst of the symptoms should start to go away after a couple of days.
An alcohol detox center should give you a thorough intake exam. You’ll be asked a few questions about your health and your drinking history. You might be prescribed some medicine to help you deal with the withdrawal symptoms.
Outpatient vs Inpatient
If you attend an alcohol detox center as an outpatient, you’ll keep living at home through the treatment. As an outpatient, you’ll have to visit a healthcare professional regularly. He or she will check your progress and give you the right medication.
The outpatient option is generally more affordable. It is recommended if you have only mild or moderate alcohol withdrawal symptoms.
If you detox from alcohol as an inpatient, this means you live at a rehab center or medical facility while you detox. Inpatients get round-the-clock support.
Detoxing as an inpatient is recommended if your withdrawal symptoms are likely to be serious.
What Happens in Alcohol Rehab After Detox?
After you’ve successfully detoxed from alcohol, you’re ready to take part in a rehab program.
For the greatest chance at success, you should stay at a residential rehab center. This is a place where you’ll live until you’ve dealt with your alcoholism.
There are many different types of residential rehab facilities in Savannah, GA. For example, there are facilities exclusively for teens.
Education is a key part of the residential rehab experience. You’ll learn more about the nature of alcoholism and how to examine your own addictions responsibly and honestly.
In the early stages of your recovery, you still might be somewhat in denial about your alcoholism. Rehab will help you to break the cycle, empowering you to lead a clean and sober lifestyle.
You May Go Through Counseling or Group Therapy
Group therapy can be a very helpful part of going to an alcohol treatment center. Being within a group of people who are going through the same thing you are creates a sense of camaraderie.
In some alcohol treatment centers, you’ll be placed in a group with just alcoholics. Or, in some cases, you might be mixed in with other addicts.
As you continue through your rehabilitation program, you’ll build trust and friendship with the members of your group. Building these kinds of relationships could be instrumental in your recovery.
You might also receive one-on-one counseling sessions. Since alcoholism often has a mental health component, these sessions will help you get to the root of your drinking. Your counseling session might help you with anger management, stress management, or grief counseling.
You might also receive cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). This treatment is one of the best methods available to treat addiction.
CBT focuses on your response to certain triggers. Your therapist will try to guide you towards new healthier responses to those triggers.
Family Therapy
You alcoholism doesn’t just affect you. It affects everyone around you. Getting the right support from your family can be an essential part of your recovery.
Family therapy will advise your family members on how to help you throughout the recovery process.
Follow-Up Care
Your recovery is only part of the process. Once you’ve recovered, you need to resist the urge to relapse.
It is recommended that you take part in a follow-up care program for at least a year after your recovery. This might include continuing to go to one-on-one therapy, or it might include regularly attending group therapy sessions.
Don’t Do It Alone
Despite alcohol being legal, it’s actually one of the most difficult drugs to withdraw from. Withdrawing from alcohol without proper supervision can be extremely dangerous. In some cases, it can even be fatal.
Now you know more about what happens in alcohol rehab. If you want to recover from alcohol addiction in Savannah, you should get in touch with a reputable alcohol treatment center.
Most centers will have a hotline you can call. Just pick up the phone and dial. Then you’ve made the critical first step towards your recovery.
The longer you live with your alcoholism, the more difficult it will be to recover from. Most treatment centers offer a custom program that caters to your own individual needs.
Ready to reach out for help? Give us a call at (912) 662-0956.
