Alcohol Abuse Advice

How to Recover from Alcoholism or Drug Addiction: Alcoholics Anonymous is NOT the Only Way!

Alcoholism is a serious problem worldwide.  In the United States, alcoholism is the most prevalent of the nation’s addictions. Alcohol and drug use can progress into abuse and even addiction so insidiously that sometimes people do not realize that it has become a problem for them and those around them. No two people are alike, and the same can be said for addictions.  If you are suffering from an alcohol or drug problem, alcoholism recovery programs are available to help you break that addiction.  While the end goal is the same, to end the addiction, the same path is not right for every person. 

 

Withdrawal

 

Alcohol withdrawal develops because the brain adapts to the alcohol and cannot function well without the drug.  Sudden abstinence by the chronic alcoholic produces a severe withdrawal syndrome, including tremors, vomiting, and convulsions resembling those of epilepsy, that is more likely to cause death than withdrawal from narcotic drugs.  The final and most dangerous phase in this withdrawal pattern is delirium tremens. Insomnia and anxiety may continue as part of a post withdrawal syndrome gradually improving with abstinence for a year or more. Studies have found that magnesium or trazodone can treat persisting withdrawal symptom of insomnia in recovering alcoholics. The vitamins of most importance in alcohol withdrawal are thiamine and folic acid.

 

Alcoholism and Mental Health

 

Psychiatric disorders are generally more prevalent among those with alcohol disorders. Approximately half of patients going to mental health services for conditions including anxiety disorders such as panic disorder or social phobia are the result of alcohol or benzodiazepine dependence. A growing literature is demonstrating the importance of emotion regulation in the medical care of substance abuse. The co-occurrence of major depressive disorder and alcoholism is well documented. Chronic alcohol misuse can cause panic disorder to develop or worsen an underlying panic disorder via distortion of the neurochemical system in the brain. 

 

Treatment

 

Treatment typically begins with professional advice or self-motivation to abstain or reduce using to a less harmful level. This is often coupled with medical efforts. Alcoholism and drug addiction can be treated by a variety of psychosocial methods with or without newly developed pharmacotherapies that improve relapse rates. Naltrexone, a drug formerly used in heroin abuse, and acamprosate are also now approved for use in the treatment of alcoholism. Several studies have shown that naltrexone reduces alcohol consumption in male and female alcoholics and is effective, when combined with psychosocial treatment, in reducing relapse rates. In addition to these standard treatments, many alcoholics are aided by alternative treatments such as acupuncture. Alcoholism treatment programs use both counseling and medications to help a person stop drinking. Research shows that combining addiction treatment medications, if available, with behavioral therapy is the best way to ensure success for most patients. 

 

Recovery

 

Treatment programs have varying success rates, but many people with alcohol dependency make a full recovery. Alcoholism recovery programs will give you tools, but you have to take those tools and implement them in your life. Scientific research has shown that participation in support groups, combined with other treatment efforts, is more effective in helping alcoholics remain sober than participating in treatment by itself. Used as an aid for detoxification from alcohol and drugs, acupuncture treatment also helps during the early stages of recovery by reducing cravings, promoting regular sleep patterns, and giving a feeling of well being.  

 

There are many different options for your recovery. There is Alcoholics Anonymous, where members of AA are given a spiritual model of recovery. SMART recovery uses cognitive methods to help people with alcoholism recover. LifeRing recovery and SOS are two other nonreligious programs.  It is important to know about these other groups because research shows that AA only has about a 5% success rate! In fact, 45% of those who attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings never return after their first meeting. AA works for some people–around 5%. Certainly AA does not work for everyone.

 

Melanie Solomon, author of the breakthrough book, “AA Not the Only Way – Your One Stop Resource Guide to 12-Step Alternatives,” hopes that this year, those seeking treatment for themselves or loved ones, or those making recommendations for others will consider, embrace and expand the dialog about alternative approaches, programs and resources. No longer content to accept 12-step programs’ insistence that they are the only option for those with alcohol or drug problems – a dogma previously accepted by much of the recovery industry – leading addiction experts have developed a variety of new, evidence based treatment modalities that defy the ‘one-size-fits-all,’ 12-step mentality. Solomon is quick to acknowledge the tremendous contribution AA has made to those it has helped but suggests the numbers are just too staggering not to explore alternatives for those not being served well by 12-step approaches. There’s a complete lack of information about effective alternatives…Until now, with the publication of Solomon’s newly released 2nd Edition of, “AA Not the Only Way.”

 

Through treatment tailored to individual needs, people with alcohol or drug addiction can recover and lead productive lives. No two people are alike, and the same can be said for addictions.  If you are suffering from an alcohol or drug problem, alcoholism recovery programs are available to help you break that addiction.  There are many kinds of support groups that are available to help people who are dealing with alcoholism. Beating an addiction is never easy, but just remember that the best predictor for success is the ability to choose your own program, so choose one that resonates with you, whether your choice is a self-help group, like SMART or Women for Sobriety, or an alternative method of healing, such as acupuncture or hypnotherapy, or if it includes seeing a professional, for either individual or group or family sessions, or the need for a treatment center. ALL of these options are included in AA Not the Only Way.