Alcohol Abuse Treatment

Effective Methods of Treating Problem Drinking

When someone is struggling with alcohol abuse, it may feel like there is no way out and no way to stop drinking. There is no definitive cure for alcoholism, but there are effective treatment programs to help you stop feeding into the disease. There are many different options available that can help anyone to recover through alcohol abuse treatment.

Treatment for Alcohol Abuse in New Mexico

Choosing an alcohol abuse treatment center will depend on different factors. For example, you might choose a treatment center because of its success with treating mothers seeking help for alcoholism, such as our staff at Icarus Behavioral Health.

Other factors might include your medical history, support system, and personal motivation. All of these factors can also play a role in how successful you are after an alcohol abuse treatment center.

This treatment program is always supervised by a team of medical specialists at a specialized facility. It is important to go to a treatment program that has well-trained professionals who can guide you through the process. This means that whatever your personal challenges are, your support system will be there.

How is Alcohol Abuse Diagnosed?

There are a few criteria that can help you determine if you suffer from alcohol abuse. Going through the following steps can aid in this.

Step 1: Ask Questions

Before you get into treatment, you should understand how to diagnose yourself as someone with alcohol abuse. Typically, your doctor will ask you questions, but you can also ask yourself, or do a MAST and CAGE self-assessment through a quick Google Search.

If you are working with a doctor, they may also want to speak to your family or close friends, as well as conduct some form of alcohol testing. Although you can give them consent to discuss, there are confidentiality laws that prevent your doctor from giving out any information. At Icarus, our Admissions staff is available around the clock to answer any concerns for you or your loved ones, even if you seek treatment elsewhere.

Step 2: Physical Exam

The next step in understanding if you suffer from alcohol abuse is a physical exam. If your doctor is doing the exam, then they may ask more questions about your health as well. Most often this is because there are many physical signs that can help you to understand if you suffer from alcohol abuse.

Step 3: Lab Tests

There are no actual tests that can define whether you are an alcoholic, and it doesn’t matter if your face gets red when you drink, this is not related to a diagnosis in any way. But there are certain patterns found in lab tests that can suggest addiction. If you have any health problems, they may be related to your alcohol use as well. These might be damage to your organs, typically beginning with liver function, which can usually be seen through testing.

Step 4: Psych Evaluation

It is an important part of your recovery to complete a psychological evaluation. This evaluation will not only include questions about your symptoms, and thoughts, but also regarding your feelings, and behavior patterns. Typically, this is in the form of a questionnaire.

Step 5: 11 Criteria

There are 11 criteria that can help you to understand if you have an addiction. These 11 DSM-5 criteria were published by the American Psychiatric Association. It is often used by mental health professionals to diagnose different conditions.

Alcohol Abuse vs Alcoholism

The disease concept of addiction is what alcoholism is, and that is a huge process. It has been found that over 40% of everyone who has gone into an alcohol rehab program, actually relapses after one year of sobriety. After five years of being sober, this number decreases and becomes about 15 percent.

Everyone who wants to overcome their addiction is looking for long-term sobriety, but in order to achieve this, it is necessary to go to a proper treatment program. This might include an inpatient or intensive outpatient program or IOP, both of which should be followed with a local support group, and counseling.

Investing in alcohol abuse treatment is important because it will change your life and give you new hope. It will also become an opportunity for you to make it up to family and friends.

Who Needs Alcohol Abuse Treatment?

Unfortunately, many people decide not to seek alcohol abuse treatment because of the stigma of the alcoholism label. Despite this, in order to begin the process of going to alcohol rehab, you will need to realize that you have a problem. Whether or not you truly have the desire to quit, you still must eventually acknowledge your problem.

Alcoholism warning signs to look out for include:

• Binge drinking every time you drink
• Sudden shifts in mood
• Poor performance at work or school
• Neglecting responsibilities
• Denial of excessive alcohol use
• Violence or committing crimes while drinking
• Decreased interest in hobbies that you once loved

Staging an Intervention

In many cases, family members may stage an intervention, which involves those who are close to you expressing their concerns. They may also express how your addiction is hurting them and directly impacting them.

When a family or friends stage an intervention, it can help an addicted person immensely.  It involves speaking about your addiction and getting into an alcohol rehab program.

It is good to point out that there is never a wrong time to seek treatment for any form of alcohol use disorder. If you leave your disorder to fester, then you may end up with a more serious disorder, or even more health complications. These can eventually lead to financial troubles, relationship issues, and professional disruptions. The sooner you get help, the sooner you can obtain sobriety.

Understanding Alcohol Detox in Albuquerque

Maintaining a rapid detox from alcohol is never recommended because there are many at-home alcohol detox risks. Despite this, there are many alcohol treatment medications to aid with the symptoms of detox.

• Disulfiram: The first drug approved for alcohol use disorder, disulfiram (Antabuse) changes how your body breaks down alcohol. It will make you sick if you drink alcohol while taking it. Essentially it will cause bad hangover symptoms.
• Naltrexone: Drinking alcohol while naltrexone means you may feel drunk, but it won’t be as pleasurable. This drug will help to ward off cravings and stop a pleasure response in the brain. It will help you not want to drink even with cravings.
• Acamprosate: This medication eases withdrawal symptoms such as insomnia, anxiety, restlessness, and feeling blue. It stops the GABA receptors for alcohol.

Types of Alcohol Treatment Therapies

There are a few different types of alcohol use disorder treatment programs, but choosing the right one for you is very important. Getting help on your own can be hard, and especially when you do not know which type of treatment you want to go to. This means you need to find one that works with your disorder and any underlying disorders as well.

Detox for Alcohol

Detoxification is the first step when it comes to alcohol abuse treatment. It can also be the most difficult step because it is painful. Within the first few days that you quit drinking, you will notice withdrawal symptoms begin to creep in. These can be mild or extremely painful depending on the severity of your addiction.

These symptoms can actually be life-threatening when it comes to alcohol detox, which means you should only do it under the care of a medical professional.  Treatment professionals are also able to provide you with medication that can help to ease the pain you feel from withdrawal. After detox, inpatient or outpatient treatment is highly recommended.

Outpatient vs Inpatient Treatment Options

• Inpatient: This type of alcohol rehab treatment is used to treat severe alcohol use disorders. It is known to be the most effective form of alcohol treatment. Because it is used for severe forms of alcoholism, it requires you to live at least 30 days at a rehab facility. These programs can also be 60 or 90 days in severe cases. This type of program will teach you about triggers, sobriety, and what to do if you relapse.
• Outpatient: This form of treatment is a program where you visit anywhere from two to five days per week. It may range between three to five hours for each session, and is an alternative to living at a treatment facility. It also allows you to continue maintaining your responsibilities such as work, school, or family life, while in treatment. They are extremely helpful to maintain normalcy while in treatment.

Dual Diagnosis and Alcohol Abuse Treatment

It is important to the dangers of alcohol detox, and realize that people who suffer from mental health disorders need a different type of treatment. This is called dual diagnosis treatment and is very important. Because the typical stages of alcohol treatment may be different, as well as the foundations for recovery from alcohol abuse. Typically using alcohol and/or medication taper schedules is the best choice for those in dual-diagnosis treatment.

Attend a Top Alcohol Rehab in Albuquerque with Icarus

If you are interested in finding a loved one treatment for alcoholism with effective services for detox in Albuquerque and throughout the state, reach out to us at Icarus Behavioral Health. Although it may be hard to initially ask for help, our welcoming staff will craft a unique personalized program of treatment that works for you, with your input.

Whether it includes an inpatient or residential program, or even an outpatient program, we have something that will work for you or your loved one. Contact us today to learn more!