When Is Residential Alcohol Treatment a Good Idea?

By Jayson Bailey

We all know that drug addiction is a dangerous disease that often requires the intervention of a drug addiction treatment center to aid recovery. However, too often alcohol addiction is overlooked when it comes to residential alcohol treatment options. To many, treatment options for alcoholism are limited to twelve-step meetings and weekly appointments with counselors. The concept of in-patient treatment for alcohol addiction is often an afterthought.

This is a public misconception that desperately needs to be changed. Alcoholism is a disease that affects the very core of daily life for the many who suffer from the disease; sometimes the only way to break the bonds of addiction is to remove oneself from the places and people that are associated with the drug or alcohol abuse.

Let’s face it: Quitting any habit is difficult. Quitting something that has such strong physical and emotional power over a person’s everyday life can seem downright impossible – especially when everyone around you continues to behave in the same patterns that contributed to the drug or alcohol abuse in the first place. At some point, the key to getting better is to remove yourself from all potential triggers while you seek help.

Checking into an alcohol addiction treatment center allows those suffering from alcohol-related disease the opportunity to reset and retake control of their life. Unfortunately, twelve-step programs and the like don’t always help patients dissociate from the triggers surrounding their disease, instead focusing entirely on coping strategies. By nature, these programs can’t force change, a push that is oftentimes needed. In-patient treatment programs can. Residential treatment programs should focus on first breaking the bonds and habits of addiction, and then on coping strategies for dealing with their addictions, while reintroducing them to daily routines.

Furthermore, experts say it takes an average of 28 days to make or break a habit. And while it’s possible to make a new habit in 28 days or less, breaking habits is much more complicated. Habits – especially addictions – are susceptible to reintegration from the slightest provocation. Someone can be sober for years, take one drink, and launch into a downward spiral that results in week-long drinking binges and blackouts.

That is why one of the most effective methods for treating addiction is the development of parallel patterns. In other words, every time you feel stressed and want to drink, instead go for a jog or write in a journal. Parallel patterns do wonders to help develop new coping strategies for the stressors that lead to addictive activity. Drug and alcohol treatment centers provide people with the means to develop new parallel patterns. They create a paradigm shift in the life of the addict and help to develop and provide coping strategies that really work. For those struggling with the deepest forms of drug and alcohol addiction, a residential drug treatment center can be a godsend.

Just like addiction affects no two individuals identically, there are multiple approaches to drug and alcohol treatment. For some, a traditional twelve-step program can provide the tools and regiments necessary to treat the disease. For others, a holistic approach allows them to realign their life and employs a spiritual strength to overcome their addictions. No matter what treatment approach, the benefits to choosing a residential treatment center can mean the difference between overcoming your addiction or succumbing to it entirely.

If you or someone you know suffers from drug or alcohol addiction, don’t wait, get help today. There are thousands of rehab centers across the nation specializing in in-treatment programs to help you get on the right track to managing your addiction and getting your life back once and for all.

by josie

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *