Alcoholism and Treatment in New Bedford, MA
Alcoholism is a serious, chronic disease. However, many people all across the country including here in New Bedford do not see it as such. They consider alcoholism to be simply a matter of self-control and willpower that can be overcome with sheer strength and determination. However, an alcohol addiction requires treatment in order for the addicted person to have hope at long-term recovery and abstinence.
Alcoholism is a disease that not only changes the way a person behaves and acts, but actually changes the very structure and function of their brain on a chemical level. When a person consumes alcohol, it will send signals to the brain that are essentially like instructions or orders of which actions to perform and which to suppress. As a person abuses alcohol and the brain receives these same signals over and over again, it adjusts the way it functions on an everyday basis, only performing certain functions when the alcohol a person consumes instructs it to do so. This means that not only is a person mentally and emotionally addicted to alcohol, but is also physically addicted as well.
Treatment is a Necessary Step to Take
When you are suffering from an addiction to alcohol, you may want to avoid the issue and try to cope with it yourself. But the truth of the matter is that people who try to overcome their addiction to alcohol on their own almost always relapse or fail, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
In order to successfully overcome your addiction to alcohol, you need to get professional care and assistance. Alcoholism treatment programs provide holistic and comprehensive addiction treatment that strives to ensure that every facet of a person’s addiction is addressed and that they develop a meaningful understanding of their own personal addiction as well as develop a higher moral reasoning and a stronger empathy and regard for others in the process.
Breaking Down Alcoholism Treatment
Alcoholism treatment works by addressing the physical side of the addiction first. This is because without the brain on board, nothing else in a treatment program will stick or be effective. To get the brain free from alcohol and back to functioning normally without it, a person will have to go through detox.
Medical Detox
Medical detox is by far and away, the best option for breaking the hold alcohol has on the brain. All traces of the alcohol will be allowed to leave the body and the person’s brain will begin to fight to regain normalcy and function without the signals it expects from alcohol. This struggle for normalcy is what causes a person to experience withdrawals. Medical detox can help by providing support but also through the use of prescription medications that reduce alcohol cravings, treat withdrawal symptoms, and make the process of returning the brain to normal much easier to complete.
Traditional and Alternative Therapies
After the mind is clearer and the alcohol no longer has such a hold on the brain, a person can go through treatment for their mental addiction through some combination of traditional and alternative therapies. This part of alcoholism treatment is very personal and is often customized to suit an individual’s tastes and needs. The purpose of these therapies is to build self-awareness and self-esteem while also identifying triggers and self-destructive thoughts and behaviors and either replacing negative elements with positive ones or developing strategies to cope with them.
When you are ready to deal with your alcoholism and make meaningful changes in your life, New Bedford Drug Treatment Centers will be with you every step of the way. Just give us a call today at (508) 645-6878.
