Alcoholism Treatment in Indianapolis, IN – (317) 550-1509

Alcoholism is an addiction to alcohol that causes a person to drink compulsively even when there are repercussions for it, such as loss of a job, driving under the influence charges or physical health problems. Because of the consequences of alcoholism, many people who are addicted to alcohol try to stop drinking on their own; however, the National Institute on Drug Abuse explains that professional alcoholism treatment is typically needed for successful recovery.

Why Alcoholism Treatment is Vital for Successful Recovery

Professional alcoholism treatment has been shown to be more successful than willpower alone. Through alcoholism treatment, it is possible to address the complete disease of addiction in a way that an individual person usually cannot alone.

Alcohol addiction is a very complex disease. One aspect of the problem is physical dependence where the body requires alcohol to function properly. People who stop drinking can experience alcohol withdrawal symptoms that prompt them to use alcohol again to escape the discomfort.

If an individual is able to get past the withdrawal, the underlying emotional and mental factors that led to drinking remain. Eventually, the alcoholic experiences stress, a reminder of trauma, a negative emotion or another trigger that leads them to drink again.

Holistic alcoholism treatment can stop this cycle of abstinence from drinking followed by relapse by helping to deal with all of the dimensions of addiction.

Stages of Alcoholism Treatment

As recommended by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, holistic substance abuse treatment plans are developed with the needs of each person in alcoholism treatment in mind, but most programs will include three main elements:

Detoxification. At the start of alcoholism treatment, the individual stops drinking and is carefully monitored for signs of withdrawal. Any discomforts are addressed with medications and natural interventions administered by a medical team.

Treatment. When a person is stable and no longer experiencing alcohol withdrawal, he or she can start to focus on the other aspects of alcoholism. Through traditional therapies and other interventions, the person discovers what led them to drink and gets help for trauma, mental illness, and other underlying problems. Treatment also involves developing healthy coping mechanisms, skills and strategies that make it possible to avoid or manage triggers that could threaten sobriety going forward.

Aftercare. Roughly 40 to 60 percent of people who complete an alcoholism treatment program will relapse at least once. Aftercare is used to help individuals transition to life after rehab and can make those in recovery less likely to relapse.