A New Approach to Treating Alcohol Addiction

Alcohol addiction can lead to permanent changes in the body and damage that is irreversible. The type of alcohol and how much the individual drinks can establish how much damage happened. With alcoholics, there are more factors to examine when creating a care plan. Following a new approach to treating alcohol addiction might be the answer.

Avoiding Self Deception

Self-deception occurs with all addictions, but it is most common in alcoholics. The patients believe that they can control their addiction based on managing how much they drink each day. Unfortunately, the addiction to alcohol wins in the end. The individual will lose control and drink more causing serious damage to their bodies. They cannot control the addiction on their own, and nothing they will do without professional guidance will help them fight it. Too often, alcoholics develop seizures because their bodies aren’t getting the right amount of the alcohol, and this could lead to more serious health crises.

“You are a Horrible Person”

In more traditional addiction treatment, the counselors follow principles of Christianity and consider consumption of alcohol a sin. Ultimately, counselors say to the patients, “You are a horrible person.” They explain to the patients that they have sin against God, and the damage to their health is their punishment for becoming addicted.

This is not beneficial treatment for anyone, and it will not stop an alcoholic from drinking. If anything, they will grow to believe that they are a horrible person because they cannot control their addiction, and the individual will just drink more as a coping mechanism. ARC alcohol rehab Portsmouth provides alcohol treatment without the guilt or shame.

You Did This to Yourself

During more traditional family counseling, it is often said to the addict that they did this to themselves. The problem here is that while yes they chose to take the first drink, the addiction is not their fault. The neuropathways in their brains change because of excessive use of alcohol. This increases the desire to drink, and the individual cannot stop on their own. Thus, they did not do this to themselves, but biological factors caused their addiction. Addiction is an illness, and it must be treated as such.

This is What You Did to Your Family

Judgments don’t help addicts. Yes, the family will feel as though the individual caused pain and distress, and they ultimately destroyed relationships. Here is the underlying factor to consider. Was the individual happy in those relationships? Some individuals do not want to hurt others directly, and instead, they internalize their feelings to prevent themselves from hurting others. This can lead to addiction and new coping mechanisms. Through counseling, the individual can decide if the relationships were fulfilling, and they can choose to walk away.

Alcoholics are more likely to get more alcohol because it is not illegal. As long as the individual is of legal age, the only repercussions they might face is a DUI. However, alcoholics can hide their addiction more easily than drug addicts. Individuals can get the professional help they need by contacting a rehab provider now.