Alcohol rehabilitation program definition
An alcohol rehabilitation program is a service that provides treatment and recovery services to someone who abuses or has become addicted to alcohol. Alcohol rehabilitation programs can be inpatient or outpatient. They provide detox services, psychological treatment and counseling. Aftercare programs or referral to aftercare services round up alcohol rehabilitation treatment.

Alcohol rehabilitation program goals
There are several goals that alcohol rehabilitation programs aim to achieve. The main goals of alcohol rehabilitation are to:

1. End alcohol abuse
2. Improve overall health
3. Treat psychiatric disorders and psychological problems
4. Re-integration as a productive member of society

One of the first and most important goals of alcohol rehabilitation is to end alcohol abuse. This goal will be achieved by making personal, interpersonal, and psychological changes in order to remain abstinent from alcohol use.

The next goal is to improve overall health. In addition to the benefits of sobriety, alcohol rehab programs also aim to reduce future health risks, which often present themselves when someone has been abusing alcohol for a significant period of time.

Another alcohol rehabilitation goal is to treat psychiatric disorders and psychological problems. Often, when alcohol has been abused for a significant amount of time, a person experiences underlying psychological trauma or psychiatric disorders that have stemmed from abuse or previous events. When you quit drinking and enter a rehabilitation program, these issues will typically surface and cause you to want to drink or exit the program. Alcohol rehabilitation programs aim to treat these psychological problems in order to secure a chance at remaining sober in the future.

The last goal of alcohol rehabilitation programs are to help you integrate back into society. It is important that former alcoholics meet employment and educational needs, resolve legal problems, and improve their own personal circumstances. These goals aim to give the patient a positive future and set them up for success outside of the program.

What happens during an alcohol rehabilitation program?

1. Alcohol assessment – Upon entering any alcohol rehabilitation program, the staff at the facility usually assess your personal situation and create a program that is unique to you. This will likely include a drug test, a psychological screening and an assessment of both medical and  personal circumstances. The aim here is to understand the extent of alcohol abuse and to create a program that will allow you to succeed.

2. Detox from alcohol – The alcohol detox process will begin 3-5 hours after the last drink, but will oftentimes not require anything more than medical supervision. In extreme cases, medication may be necessary. However, in most cases medical staff will only need to monitor you to ensure safety as you clear alcohol from your system. Some rehab programs provide detox services in-house, while others will refer you to inpatient clinics.

3. Psychotherapy/Psychological Alcoholism Treatment – This is one of the most important phases of rehabilitation, as psychological treatments give you a base for future sobriety. This phase of alcohol rehabilitation helps you to analyze and assess your mental and emotional condition in order to make positive changes and prevent relapse.

4. Phamacotherapy – Currently, pharmacotherapy or medications for alcohol dependence are assessed on an individual basis and will be implemented along with psychosocial treatment. Medications to deter drinking such as Antabuse (disulfiram) can be helpful. Additionally, acamprosate and naltrexone have been used to help reduce cravings and acute alcohol withdrawal symptoms. While these medications can support sobriety, you should have a true desire to change beliefs, behaviors, and patterns for the medications to be most effective.

5. Alcohol abuse education – Education is important during alcohol rehabilitation, as it aims to give you information about alcoholism and alcohol abuse. You will understand more about HOW alcohol affects the brain and central nervous system and WHY physical or psyhological dependence occurs. Theories for addiction and alcoholism can help you make more rational choices to avoid alcohol in the future.

6. Supportive services – This is the final step of alcohol rehabilitation, and support services aim to empower a former alcoholic to seek services outside of treatment in order to maintain abstinence from alcohol. Rehab programs can connect you with halfway houses, social assistance, or medical help. A good alcohol rehab program will help you begin to create a network of supportive people to influence your life once you graduate from the treatment program.

What happens after an alcohol rehabilitation program?
After alcohol rehabilitation, it is important to continue to seek help from your local community. The most important thing to consider after an alcohol rehabilitation program is having an aftercare program that allows you continued treatment and a safe environment to maintain sobriety.

Often, alcohol counseling is recommended for at least one year (once weekly) after alcohol rehab program attendance. Participation in groups like Alcoholics Anonymous, SMART recovery or another community or church group that you can be a part of positive support. There are also services, like sober living houses, that can give you a safe environment to live in while entering back in to the normal realm of every day life.

Alcohol rehabilitation questions
Do you still have questions about the process of rehab? Please ask us your questions here. We’ll try to get back to you personally and promptly, or refer you to outside help.

Here, we’ll review who is best served by rehab and what you can expect during a typical stay. Then, we invite your questions about drug rehab centers at the end. In fact, we try to respond to all questions personally and promptly.

Who needs drug treatment rehab centers?

If you need to use drugs (any psychoactive substance) to get through the day, you may need addiction treatment. In fact, one of the best indications that a person needs a drug rehab center is psychological dependence on your drug of choice. Psychological dependence is characterized by:

1. drug craving
2. drug use despite negative life consequences
3. loss of control of drug use

Physical dependence on a drug can also signal need for drug treatment.  This occurs when a person’s brain and body become accustomed to functioning with the drug. When a physically dependent person stops taking the drug, they will typically experience withdrawal symptoms that can be relived by using the drug again.

Who else can benefit from a drug treatment rehab center?

People who

• are faced with legal problems regarding drug use
• are unable to stop using their drug of choice
• experience mood swings or violent behavior
• experience relationship and family problems
• have decreased work or school performance because of drugs
• neglect other responsibilities in favor of using drugs
• see an increase in health problems related to drug use
• spend a great deal of time using, trying to find, or recovering from their drug of choice

Going to drug rehab treatment centers

The goal of drug rehab treatment is to ultimately live a drug-free life. An effective treatment program will help you understand addiction and give you the skills you need to resist the temptation to use again. For many, going to rehab centers is much less intimidating when you know what to expect from a drug rehab program. So what happens in a drug rehab treatment center?

1. Initial intake

When you first start drug rehab, you will undergo an intake assessment. This is used to determine the severity of the addiction, and will ultimately be used to create an addiction treatment plan. Assessments usually include interviews, urine/blood tests, and a medical exam. During intake, you will be assigned a lead counselor (usually a certified psychologist) who will be your main contact throughout treatment.  Additionally, you will be shown the facilities and be introduced to patients currently enrolled in rehab. This begins your stay at a drug rehab treatment center.

2. The treatment itself

Your addiction treatment plan will include several psychological treatments, including therapy and counseling. Medications are also sometimes used to treat certain drug addictions. In fact, a combination of pharmacological and behavioral interventions often shows greater success than either used alone.

3. Daily or weekly sessions

If you choose an inpatient drug rehab treatment center, you will be required to reside in the treatment facility. This intensive drug rehab treatment can last anywhere from a month to a year and is organized around a strict daily routine.  Expect to be present and accounted for multiple times throughout the day for individual sessions, group sessions, educational sessions, exercise, and meal time.

In comparison, outpatient drug rehab often requires 1-3 hours of attendance per day or multiple sessions per week.  While less rigorous in terms of time requirements, outpatient drug treatment rehab is often most successive when it is intensive in nature, 9+ or more hours per week.

Reasons to go to drug rehab treatment
There are several reasons to go to drug rehab for addiction treatment. Of course, it can sometimes be difficult to think of these reasons when you’re struggling with a drug addiction, so we’ve put together a list for you. Once you overcome addiction, you’ll be able to

• be more productive
• enjoy a healthier lifestyle
• regain your loved ones’ respect and trust
• repair broken relationships
• stay away from legal troubles
• stop wasting your money on drugs

Who is affected by drug addiction?

An addict as well as everyone around him or her is affected by drug addiction. After using drugs for a period of time, a person’s health will often start to decline. Drug abuse can also cause a number of financial, family, and social problems for an addict.

An addict’s family is also strongly affected by drug addiction. They will often feel helpless and frustrated in the face of addiction. In many cases, a drug addiction can cause family members to lose trust in and respect for their loved ones.

Drug rehab centers truly help addicts as well as their loved ones. After overcoming their addictions, addicts can live much healthier lives. They can also work toward reconciling with their family and friends that they hurt while they were doing drugs.




Reference Sources: Medline Plus: Substance use disorder State of Kentucky: Signs of alcoholism and addictionSAMHSA: Screening, Assessment, and Drug Use TestingNIDA: The Clinical Assessment of Substance Use Disorder

How do we – the people in long term recovery from addiction – sabotage ourselves? A review of our common mistakes (and how to avoid them). More here, with a section at the end for you to share with us your experience, strength, and hope.

Living In The “Real World”After getting sober a few 24-hours ago, I realized that I had absolutely no idea how to live in the “real world”. Turning the tables, working the steps and staying out of trouble gave me a life better than I could have ever imagined. That’s still true today.

I did not start learning about how to manage other parts of my life – aside from staying sober – until I had several years in addiction recovery. Am I a late bloomer? Likely. The fact is that learning how to maximize our second chance at life takes work, much like staying clean.

Big Results Come From Big Efforts
I do not believe in luck. I do not believe in handouts. I don’t think anything worth doing happens overnight. To achieve big results, we must put forth big efforts.

Self-Sabotage In Addiction Recovery
One thing many recovering people have in common is self-sabotage. We unknowingly attempt to fix that which cannot be fixed, plan what cannot be planned and worrying incessantly about everything that does not matter.

I know this certainly described me in early recovery. If I’m not careful to constantly make recovery and self-improvement my top priorities, I could easily fall back into a pit of self-pity.

Do you want to fail at everything you try? Here are 5 surefire ways to do just that.

5 Ways To Fail At Everything
1.  Always expect immediate results without putting in the work.

Sound familiar? I know it does to me. Remember that addiction is a disease of instant gratification. Why else did we use? We wanted to feel better, right now.

I’ve got news for you. Getting results with anything in life that will be worthwhile, results that will last, and results that you can be proud of will take time. Getting good results at anything in life will require a sacrifice of time, energy and commitment.

For example, a body builder may train for years before ever entering a competition. I go to the gym about 4 days per week. I’m not a body builder, nor do I possess super human strength. My only goal is to take care of my body and stay as healthy as I can. That’s it.

There are some people who are at the gym every day, sweating, muscles flexing and giving it 110% effort. Many of these people are friends of mine. I know how committed and driven they are: Counting every calorie, never missing a workout, taking supplements and staying away from junk food. These men and women are hitting the weights when most of us are still counting sheep.

Why?

They know that results ain’t cheap, results don’t come easy and results never come quickly.

I always see a new round of folks at the gym on January 2nd each year. They come in with the best of intentions, likely following a New Year’s Resolution to finally get into shape. Most of these folks stop showing up after a month or so. I always wonder why. My best guess is that they lack the desire and commitment to making a lasting change, so they take the easy way out.

REMEMBER THIS: Your success in life and in recovery is directly proportionate to your level of commitment. DO NOT GIVE UP! Just keep showing up.

2.  You focus only on problems and not solutions.

When I read about this concept in a certain recovery book, I was blown away. The first time I really considered what this simple statement meant was about 10 years ago, and my life has not been the same since.

As addicted people, we are wired to focus on what is not working. Drugs and alcohol took away the sting of our problems and allowed us to temporarily escape reality. Instead, have hope in addiction recovery!

I don’t know about you, but recovery helps me to face reality and look it in the eye. Not only is facing reality the purest form of living, it is the only form of living I want anything to do with.

REMEMBER THIS: Instead of complaining and worrying about what is wrong in your life, make the decision to look at is right and build on that. The answers will come when we become solution focused.

3.  Being obsessed with the future.

Pretty simple, and I know you have heard this before. How easy it is to forget!

Though we must plan for the future, it is important to remain focused on the here and now. What can you do right now to inch towards your goals? What could you do today to make tomorrow just a little bit better?

Think hard about this. One of the great lessons I’ve ever learned is that life is happening now. I can’t live tomorrow today, nor can I go back and erase yesterday. It’s done. Life is what happens when you’re planning for the future. The future will come, or it won’t. You are alive and reading this right now.

REMEMBER THIS: Do something today to improve yourself. You will go to bed satisfied, accomplished, and wanting to do it all over again.

4.  You are a walking, talking excuse.

I will start exercising on the first of the year. I’ll stop eating fast food after I go grocery shopping. I’ll stop smoking once I start exercising, but won’t start exercising until I go grocery shopping. I’d make some changes today, but…

THIS IS PURE INSANITY and SELF-SABOTAGE.

Anything after the word “BUT” is B.S. Stop making excuses and get busy. Don’t wait until the time is perfect. It never will be (see item #3). Right now is the perfect time. Manage your time or it will manage you.

REMEMBER THIS: Eliminate the B.S. excuses you’ve been making and get busy! These addiction recovery ideas can help you stay on track.

5.  You are constantly comparing yourself to others.

This is a great way to fail at everything.

The reason why we struggle with insecurity is because we compare our behind the scenes with everyone else’s highlight reel    – Steven Furtick

We usually compare our worst attributes to the best attributes of others. If someone is thinner, richer, prettier, or seems to have it all together, I can assure you they do not. They struggle too, but you do not see it. All we get to see is the wrapper – the external – or what others present to the world. When we compare ourselves to others, we are usually doing so by comparing external variables: What kind of car they drive, how they look, where they live, etc.

REMEMBER THIS: Remember that everyone struggles with something. Don’t gauge your progress in life against anyone but yourself. Set goals to make yourself feel good.