(Newswire.net — November 23, 2017) — Some people see alcohol as an escape route. It’s what they look forward to doing while at their office desk, starring at the pile of work, knowing that there’s relief waiting after the whole stress.
Usually at first, it seems harmless, something to finally get the stress off, make them tipsy and even fall asleep faster.
Then gradually, it moves from being normal to addictive. They can’t stop taking it, their body is accustomed to the taste and how it makes them feel and all they can think about is alcohol.
They start to drink too much and too often, so much so that they develop Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) – a situation where their drinking habit causes them harm or distress. It could be mild at first, then it gradually becomes severe.
Meanwhile, excessive alcohol intake has lots of side effects, some of which are damage to the liver, bloating, diarrhoea, etc.
What then are the effective ways through which alcohol addiction can be treated?
1. Alcohol counselling
You know it’s wrong and could end up taking your life, but you do it anyway.
Situations like this are when health professionals intervene. They listen to you, help in identifying and changing your behaviours that lead to heavy drinking.
2. Mutual support groups
There are support groups created to help alcohol addicts quit or cut back on the act.
These groups are created for them to share their stories with like-minds while they listen to the various ways each member survived their withdrawal.
The support group is usually combined with treatment from medical professionals, to give you a stronger layer of support.
3. Primary care physician
Before getting any kind of treatment, speak to a primary care doctor about your alcohol addiction so they can prescribe a good source of treatment and medications or even provide you with good referrals.
Don’t just take medications gotten off the internet because you’re desperate to get over the addiction. See a physician before everything else.
The physician will evaluate your drinking pattern and determine if it’s risky or not, draft a treatment plan for you and evaluate your health generally.
4. Medications
It’s usually a surprise to many that there are actually medications that help fight alcohol dependence. With prescriptions from a health professional, you can stop or even reduce your drinking without a relapse.
Most people try to quit alcohol all of a sudden and start developing withdrawal symptoms such as sweating, irritability, vomiting, headache, etc.
Three medications have proven effective for treating alcohol by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) – Naltrexone, Acamprosate and Disulfiram.
Not everyone will respond to medications – because not all bodies are set up the same way – but for a few, medications can be very effective in treating their alcohol addiction.
Get as much information as possible about different programs and checkout the kind of treatment they offer – maybe they provide lots of methods or rely on just one approach.
Check if the treatment is tailored to an individual or they just generalise, things that are expected of patients, if they document progress and how relapses are handled.
Choose any of the above you find the most effective for you in treating your addiction to alcohol. If you’re seeking professional help, be sure you’re opting for one that understands and respects your feelings.