Alcohol Abuse Treatment

The use of alcohol is very widespread, and therefore people see it as safe. But the truth is that alcohol abuse is one of the biggest problems facing American society, with over 25,000 alcohol related deaths every year. That figure does not include people dying as a result of an accident while drunk, or alcohol induced homicide.

Regular drinking is not considered to be a problem, as long as it is kept within the levels recommended by the Government. However, there are at least 12 million alcoholics in the US, who are physically and emotionally dependent on alcohol. The number may be even higher than this, as alcoholism often goes unnoticed for a long time, since the more obvious side effects can take some time to manifest.

A person is considered to have an alcohol addiction if their relationship with alcohol is having a detrimental impact on their everyday lives, their health or their psychological wellness. For instance, if a person will only go out with their friends if they are going somewhere which serves alcohol, it may be a sign that they have a dependency on drink. Or the person may be unusually irritable or suffering mood swings.

Once the addiction really takes hold, the problem becomes more easy to spot. A person may lose interest in anything other than drinking, and there may be noticeable physical effects such as weight loss or tremors. At this stage, getting professional help is a must.

Alcohol abuse treatment can be a long process. The withdrawal symptoms are unpleasant, which can make the treatment program difficult to stick to. In the most serious cases, medication will be required to relieve the withdrawal side effects. A person may need continued support for many months, or even years, as the impact on the brain is so strong that relapses can occur even after several years.