In the United Kingdom drinking alcohol is part of the culture, particularly binge drinking. Which is the consumption of a large amount of alcohol in a short space of time. But it can cause mental health issues and illnesses, separately to forming dependency and addiction.
How Does Alcohol Addiction Start?
There is no definitive answer for how alcohol addiction starts. For some, it is a slow build of tolerance and dependency and for others, there may be an event that triggers the desire to drink.
The addiction process can be separated into 3 main phases. The first phase is alcohol abuse, where a person will regularly drink to excess. The second phase is problem drinking, where you regularly drink to excess and it begins to interfere with your work, education or relationships. And the final phase is alcohol dependency, where the person needs alcohol to feel ‘normal’.
How Do I Know If I’m Addicted to Alcohol?
There are a few ways you can self assess if you have a problem with alcohol. Finding yourself on a page like this is a fairly telling sign that you believe you may have an issue.
But beyond that, it is a big warning sign if you regularly exceed the NHS recommended limits. These limits are to not drink more than 14 units per week on a regular basis. These units should be spread over 3 or more days and you should have several drink-free days every week. This means you shouldn’t ‘save’ all 14 units for the weekend.
Additionally, if alcohol has begun to interfere with your life and relationships you may be developing an addiction. But the only way to truly know is to be assessed by a trained medical professional, through our service we can arrange for this assessment.
Is Rehab The Best Option For Alcohol Addiction?
Residential rehabilitation is the most common recovery method used for alcohol addiction. It is widely known to be the most effective in achieving long term sobriety.
A rehab facility will be able to assess you properly and develop a detailed recovery programme, personalised to you. Once you have been through the clinical assessment and the severity of your addiction has been evaluated, you will then go through detoxification.
Detoxification is the process of safely withdrawing from alcohol, under the supervision of medical professionals who can prescribe medicine if the withdrawal process becomes difficult physically or psychologically.
Once you have detoxed from alcohol you will then begin the treatments and therapies outlined in your initial assesment. The treatments and therapies you will experience will be; counselling, group therapy and any holistic or alternative therapies available from your chosen rehabilitation centre.
What Happens After Alcohol Addiction Treatment
Help and support don’t end as soon as you finish your stay at one of our facilities. All rehabilitation centres will work with you to develop a relapse prevention plan you can rely on once you leave. Each facility will also arrange aftercare services, so you won’t be alone once you leave rehab.
If you would like to get help for you alcohol addiction, contact us today for help and advise.