Alcoholism Treatment is an Option

There has always been much confusion about alcoholism treatment. One of the most common questions that alcoholics are asking is: Does alcoholism treatment work?

Throughout the history of the world, there are documented cases of alcohol use and, in many instances, documented cases of sheer abuse, which can easily be transported back to modern times and in our daily lives right now.

Alcohol - A Force That Does NOT Play Favorites!

While alcohol can be a pleasant social stimulant, it can also be a hideous and destructive force that does not play favorites. So, if this drug has been causing so much havoc over such a long period in our history, why are we still using it? In true fashion, human beings are an interesting mixture of self-preservation and self-destruction, dosed with a healthy amount of denial when necessary, which means that when it comes to alcohol - we just don't get it.

While it is, of course, true that not every person who drinks is an alcoholic, it is also true that there has never been a true medical or other type of legitimate reason for "needing" a drink- except to feel more "mellow and relaxed" or to "escape" and, in fact, alcohol has gained huge approval socially - which has seriously removed its taboo factor. Having said this, alcohol seems to be here to stay and it is up to all of us to deal with this fact AND the fallout that is associated with having booze so readily available to everyone.

The CDC estimates that currently 50% of adults in the US are regular drinkers with 14% of adults being infrequent drinkers - this means that 64% of the population has at least 1 drink per year and while the CDC does not offer statistics on the number of alcoholics, it would appear that approximately 10% of adults in the US are alcoholics.

Suffering Pain Through Alcoholism

While to some, these may simply be numbers, to others, these numbers actually have faces and names - they are mothers and fathers, husbands and wives, sons and daughters and sisters and brothers. Being an alcoholic is not a solitary affair - not only do you hurt yourself, but you also hurt everyone around you who loves you. So, really, that number of 10% should be multiplied to reflect the true pain alcoholism causes families and loved ones.

Unfortunately, alcoholism cannot be cured, however, alcoholism treatment is possible and for many, that option is scarier than having that next drink. Indeed, recovery and alcoholism treatment from alcohol addiction, or any type of addiction, requires courage and a strong, strong support system. People in treatment are very, very brave because to them, living without their drug of choice now has to face all the pain and fear that drove them to drink in the first place - but it is very possible!

Treatment Is Truly An Option

Thankfully, there are many alcoholism treatment options available which have proven to arrest the disease. If you or someone you know is struggling with alcohol, you are encouraged to get help - for them and for yourself. All of these options for alcoholism treatment is confidential and/or anonymous. Remember that many people have been where you are and have survived to tell about it. Never despair.

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Denial - Why Alcoholics and Drug Addicts Think It's OK to Drink and Use Drugs

Denial is a defense mechanism that allows a person - despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary - to deny that something is true, when in fact, it is true. It is one of the most powerful and difficult problems that Alcoholics and Drug Addicts face before, during, and after treatment, because it is always the thinking that precedes the act of picking up a drink or a drug.

Physical Components of Denial

Over the course of time, drinking and using drugs can cause changes in the brain that affect thought processes and emotions. For example, when the hippocampus, which controls memory and judgment, is damaged, the Alcoholic or Addict has great difficulty remembering the bad things that happen when they drink or use. This coupled with impaired judgment allows them to actually believe that drinking or using drugs is ok.

Poor judgment is further compounded by the over stimulation or inhibition of two important neurotransmitters: Serotonin and Dopamine. Serotonin affects thinking and emotions, while Dopamine affects the pleasure and reward center of the brain. When a person drinks or uses drugs excessively, these neurotransmitters are over stimulated, and the body develops a tolerance to them. This causes the individual to need more and more of the substance while they get less and less of an effect.

Non-addicted people find it very difficult to understand the actions and thinking of the addict or alcoholic. They just don't "get it" because their brains have not been damaged so their thinking is not organically impaired and they have the capacity to differentiate between truth and falsehood.

Thought Patterns of Denial

The essential and most basic of all Denial thinking is this: "I don't have a problem with alcohol or drugs, and the things that are wrong in my life don't have anything to do with my drinking or using." This erroneous belief gives rise to all sorts of strange twists and turns of thought that are common in Addicts and Alcoholics.

Substance Abusers blame others for the negative things that happen in their lives and lie about where they have been and what they have been doing. They live in a fantasy world where they have convinced themselves that their lives are "not so bad" despite the loss of jobs, marriages, family and friends. They say that if only they had more money or if the people in their lives would understand them, that everything would be ok.

They do not acknowledge, nor do they connect the fact that drinking and using drugs have become the root cause of their current problems; this is Denial.

Behavior Patterns of Denial

Family, friends and employers notice changes in the behavior of an alcoholic or addict long before the person with the disease does. This is the first indicator that someone is in denial about their disease. Tragically, as it progresses, the individual barely notices the changes and deterioration because they happen gradually, day after day and seem normal to the sufferer.

Typical behaviors include, but are not limited to: being late to work, inability to hold a job, getting arrested, ending relationships when people criticize their drinking or using, spending rent money on drugs or alcohol, not keeping commitments, driving under the influence, poor personal hygiene, frequenting dangerous neighborhoods, and living on the street.

Again, the alcoholic or addict does not notice or pretends not to notice that these behaviors are related to their substance abuse, when clearly they are.

Summary

Denial is one of the biggest roadblocks to recovery. It is an elusive and dangerous pattern of thinking that is extremely difficult to break because it has so many different causes and manifestations. The first clue that someone is in denial is that their behavior and dialog changes dramatically and they develop a litany of excuses for this that do not include drinking or using drugs.

This is further compounded by physical damage to the brain and its chemistry, which exacerbates poor judgment, increases tolerance, and enhances denial. The fundamental problem of denial is that the alcoholic/addict actually sees their substance abuse as the cure, not the cause.

It is only when a person has a moment of clarity; where they see through the fog of denial and connect their problems to their drinking or using drugs that they will seek help. When this happens, recovery is possible.

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Hyperthermia: An Alternative Cancer Treatment That Works

Although there are certainly a lot of conventional cancer therapies that can be helpful, one should not immediately discount the effectiveness of alternative cancer therapies such as hyperthermia. In some cases, patients turn to alternative therapies to avoid the uncomfortable and sometimes debilitating side effects of some traditional cancer treatments. However, in other cases patients are simply looking for complementary therapies which can assist and increase the effectiveness of traditional treatments. In both cases, researchers and doctors have shown that hyperthermia can be a very viable therapy option when fighting cancer.

Battling Common Alternative Therapy Misconceptions

When some people hear the words "alternative cancer therapies," they immediately think of unscientific practices, ineffective treatments, and sometimes downright medical quackery. Because of these common misconceptions, legitimate alternative cancer therapies are sometimes immediately dismissed by people. Unfortunately, this means that many people who could possibly be helped by cancer therapies such as hyperthermia miss out on the opportunity to discover how effective they can actually be. Sometimes, such as is the case with hyperthermia, a great deal of study, research and even scientific clinical trials have been devoted to testing and investigating the therapy. In the fight against cancer, one should never overlook a possible beneficial therapy just because it doesn't fit the standard treatment protocol. For those who are battling cancer, it's vital to search for every possible advantage that can be used to weaken and kill cancer cells. It's important to remember that even if a treatment doesn't use radiation or toxic chemicals, it can still be effective. In fact, sometimes it can be even more effective, especially if it is combined with other cancer treatments.

Using a Targeted Approach Against Cancer

One of the problems with many of the standard cancer treatments is that healthy body cells can be damaged right along with the cancerous ones. Although chemotherapy and radiation treatments are designed to minimize this damage as much as possible, there are still significant problems and side effects that can occur. However, when using a cancer therapy such as hyperthermia, there can be far fewer detrimental side effects. Hyperthermia is based on the fact that tumor cells, because they are abnormal and disorganized, simply cannot tolerate heat in the same fashion as normal cells. As a result, when hyperthermia treatments are administered, the cancerous cells are weakened or even killed, while the surrounding healthy cells remain undamaged.

Augmenting Traditional Cancer Treatments

Although hyperthermia has been shown to have the ability to weaken and kill cancer cells, studies have shown that these therapies can also be beneficial when combined with other treatments, such as radiation and chemotherapy. Because heat can increase the blood flow to an area, it can help to ensure that the tumor gets the full benefit of chemotherapy treatments. Radiation treatments can also be more effective when the cancer cells have been weakened by hyperthermia. Instead of relying on only one cancer treatment method, better results are often obtained by combining both traditional as well as alternative cancer therapies.

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What Are the Options for Alcohol Addiction Recovery?

You have many options available to you on your path to alcohol addiction recovery. There are traditional treatment programs and aftercare services. However, there are also less known alternative recovery options that can help you maintain sobriety.

Traditional programs include treatment centers. Residential treatment centers are perfect for teenagers. Adults who do not have a support system can benefit froma residential treatment center. Other inpatient programs can help alcohol dependent individuals, particularly hospital-based services. If you have to go through detox, a hospital inpatient program is ideal because medical professionals are on hand to help you through the physical symptoms of withdrawal.

Outpatient programs may be more suitable if you have a job or other daily responsibilities. Outpatient programs help you maintain sobriety through individual and group counseling. The program is your life line to recovery. It helps you deal with problems on a daily or weekly basis as you rebuild your relationships.

Outdoor therapy programs are available for teenagers and adults. These programs integrate outdoor physical activities in the recovery process. You learn to appreciate nature while developing team building skills. You begin to take responsibility for your actions and learn how your actions impact others. This helps you understand the impact of alcohol abuse on your relationships. Your self-esteem improves through achievement of physical challenges.

You have your choice of religious-based and secular programs. If it is important for you to reaffirm your faith or to establish a relationship with a higher power, religious-based programs may be the best option for you. Secular programs allow you to heal yourself before you start contemplating your spirituality.

A new trend in alcohol addiction recovery is online counseling and social networks. Most web sites dedicated to recovery communities usually charge a membership fee to join. Others require payment if you want to ask a specific question. Some sites are more of a social network for support while others actually create treatment plans for members. These sites are great for ongoing distance support. If you decide to use this option, be sure the site is managed by a certified addiction counselor.

Twelve-step programs such as AA remain popular options for alcohol addiction recovery. These are community-based groups that provide ongoing support to members. Regardless of the option you choose, by participating in a treatment or support program, you have a better chance of achieving recovery and maintaining sobriety.

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Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome and Addiction Treatment: The Little Known Obstacle to Recovery

Addiction Treatment professionals agree that Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome (P.A.W.S.) is one of the most difficult challenges that Alcoholics or Addicts face in the early stages of their recovery. It is a multi-faceted group of symptoms that cause the individual to crave a drink or a drug even though everything is going well for them and they are following through with all their recommended post treatment activities. Unfortunately, this relapse precursor is especially difficult to deal with, because it is not emphasized enough by most treatment centers during treatment; without education about this topic, the substance abuser has no defense against it.

The discomfort of the initial withdrawal from drugs or alcohol is managed through a medical detoxification process commonly referred to as "detox". Symptoms are minimized during the initial 3 to10 day period when the body is in acute withdrawal and adjusting to not having these substances. Detoxification does not eliminate all of the substances from the body, nor does it repair the damage to brain, organs, central nervous system, or neurotransmitters that have been caused by drinking and drug abuse.

The biggest mistake that alcoholics and addicts make is to think that the detoxification process is the end of the withdrawal process; that once you leave detox all of the substances are out of the body and you're cured. Nothing could be further from the truth; detoxification actually sets the stage for the onset of Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome.

Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome - What it is and Why it Happens

After detoxification, for reasons science doesn't completely understand, the body can react as if it was still on drugs. One part of the explanation for this phenomenon is the body's own natural cleansing process. As it flushes the chemical remnants of alcohol and drugs from organs and intramuscular hiding places, it hits the bloodstream and triggers a physical craving - much like the sensation of smelling popcorn and then wanting to see a movie.

In addition to this physical component, any type of mental, emotional or physical stress can trigger a desire to drink or use drugs. When an alcoholic or addict feels pain or is stressed out, they remember one thing: if they pick up a drink or a drug, the pain and stress will go away. This is because the area of the brain that affects judgment has been damaged and they do not remember how bad things were. Most importantly, they do not connect their substance abuse to what they are feeling at that moment, and so they very often relapse.

Symptoms of Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome

Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome produces a wide variety of side effects and symptoms that make no sense to the addict experiencing them, or to the friends, family and employers observing them.

These symptoms include but are not limited to:
Lack of coordination
Walking into things
Dropping things
Thinking "I'm crazy"
Feeling scared
Forgetting things
Impaired judgment
Disorientation
Anxiety
Insomnia
Irritability
Craving
Mood swings
Anger
Depression
Increased sensitivity to pain

Summary

Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome is a disconcerting yet normal part of the recovery process. Thankfully these symptoms disappear over time, and in most cases the brain and body damage is repaired. The difficulty for someone in the early stages of recovery is that these feelings, thoughts and physical side effects can be so overwhelming that they trigger a desire to drink or use drugs again just to get relief and when they do this, they start the vicious cycle all over again.

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