5.7 crore people just in India suffer from the devastating effects of alcohol addiction. Abuse of alcohol is one of the most widespread mental health disorders that afflict our society. It affects the individual, their loved ones, and society in general. For the individual, alcohol addiction has multiple threats, it affects their physical health, and mental health. Continuous use of alcohol in dangerous amounts can lead to death as well. But, can alcohol addiction be cured? Can a person recover from the throes of addiction to rebuild their life, and how does a drug and alcohol rehab help?

Treatment for Alcohol Addiction: Is it possible and what are your options?

The first and most important step of treating alcohol addiction is to identify the issue and seek help. Early diagnosis of alcohol addiction is key to ensuring better outcomes during recovery from addiction. Thus, it becomes important to identify the early signs of addiction. The early signs can include:

• Isolation from friends and family
• Making excuses to consume more alcohol
• Signs of irritability or irritation
• Feeling hungover when not drinking
• Choosing alcohol over other obligations in life. 

After identifying the early signs of addiction, the next most important step is to seek help. Seeking help could be through a clinical psychologist, psychiatrist, or any other mental health professional. This is where most individuals and families falter, they delay the step of seeking help. The earlier you seek professional help for addiction, the faster recovery will be. 

Once you consult a professional, they will evaluate you in detail and then recommend treatment options. Based on your availability, finances, and more there are multiple treatment options available. These include:

• Out-Patient Services
• In-patient Services
• Rehabilitation

Amongst these, rehabilitation at a de-addiction centre is seen to be the most effective option to ensure sustainable and long-term recovery from alcohol addiction.  But, why is it so effective?

Addiction Treatment Centers: What happens there and why are they effective?

A de-addiction center ( sometimes called a detox center) plays an important role in the recovery process from alcohol addiction. It is a space where the individuals can focus only on recovery as the rest of their daily needs are cared for. There are various ways in which a de-addiction centre aids recovery:

Psychoeducation

To begin the process of rehabilitation, de-addiction facilities must first debunk several common myths regarding alcohol addiction. Many families and people feel that alcohol addiction is a choice, which drives them to hold individuals responsible for their behaviour. While using alcohol is initially a choice, the nature of alcohol means that the situation soon spirals out of the individual's control, resulting in physical, mental, and emotional dependency on the substance.

Psychoeducation is thus a vital initial step in the de-addiction process. Individuals and families will have a greater understanding of the nature of addiction as a result of this and will be on the same page when the recovery process begins. Psychoeducation also aids families in making the required changes to help their loved ones. 

Detoxification

Addiction has two key aspects for an individual. There's the physical side and then there's the psychological aspect. Individuals must first be entirely free of the physical troubles that come with alcohol addiction in order to heal from the psychological and emotional repercussions of addiction. Detoxification has a role here. Detoxification is the process of completely removing all traces of alcohol from a person's body.

Detoxification is facilitated at the de-addiction facility under continual observation to ensure that all traces of the alcohol are flushed from the individual's system. Because detoxification carries the possibility of withdrawal symptoms, constant supervision is required. Withdrawal symptoms can be quite harmful if they are not treated and monitored properly. Professionals at a de-addiction facility can prescribe medicine and therapy to assist the client cope with withdrawal symptoms.

Intensive Psychotherapy

The next and most crucial phase in the recovery process is psychotherapy. There are many different types of therapeutic techniques. Psychotherapy is a broad word that encompasses a variety of techniques. Cognitive Behavioral therapy, counselling, group therapy, family therapy, and other therapeutic techniques are used to treat drug addiction. All of these treatments work together to aid the individual's rehabilitation.

Psychotherapeutic techniques assist the individual in comprehending the mental processes that underpin their addictive behaviour and learning how to manage it. There are a variety of supportive therapy options available to help you get back on your feet faster. Reel therapy, horticultural therapy, art therapy, music therapy, dance therapy, and other modalities are among them.

Family Therapy

Addiction to alcohol is a serious illness that causes a great deal of suffering. It has a tremendous impact on both you and your family. According to studies, those who are battling addiction have strained connections with their family, particularly with their spouse, parents, or children. This eventually leads to a complete disintegration of family bonds. Within the Cadabams de-addiction clinic, recovery entails repairing ties with family members and learning how to live with others.

Family counselling is an important aspect of this. A trained psychiatric social worker works with the family and the person to help them reclaim the love and trust they previously shared. Furthermore, many families may come to blame their loved ones for their addiction problems. Family therapy helps families and their loved ones recover from all of this. 

As evidenced by the above, effective recovery from alcohol addiction is possible. A deaddiction centre aids this recovery. So, if you or a loved one is showing signs of alcohol addiction, seek help today, and begin recovery!