Alcohol is a psychoactive drug that can be used in social, recreational, and religious contexts. It is one of the oldest, most widely consumed, and possibly the most researched psychoactive substances.
Technically speaking, it is a drug that acts as a depressant on the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord). It is produced by the fermentation of sugar or starch.
Alcohol is not an illicit drug. Indeed, its consumption is legal for anyone who is of the legal drinking age. This has resulted in alcohol abuse being one of the most prevalent problems in Arizona and Phoenix in particular.
If you are struggling with alcohol and looking for a medically supervised detox option in the Phoenix area, please keep reading to find out why Pathfinders represents a top choice!
As you may know from your struggles, alcohol addiction is a serious condition that can be fatal if not treated properly. Like most substance abuse problems, alcoholism is a chronic disease that causes people to, over time, consume more of the substance than they intended or than was safe for them to consume. Over time, this can lead to serious health problems and an increased risk of death from alcohol-related causes
This increase in consumption is a direct result of something known as adaptive tolerance. With addiction, as a person consumes a substance, their body begins to become used to its presence in their system. Thus, the baseline of operation changes. Invariably, the efficacy of the substance dwindles, the perceivable effects decrease and more of it must be consumed to reach the same levels of “high” that the person was accustomed to. This is how the spiral of addiction works.
The consequences of alcohol addiction are manifold and can come to affect just about every aspect of a person’s life. Some of the more common ways a person’s life can be affected by alcohol addiction are:
Alcohol consumption and, subsequently addiction, deeply affect the body. The effects can roughly be broken up into two major categories – impact over the short-term and the long-term.
Alcohol withdrawal can occur following the abrupt discontinuation of heavy alcohol use. The longer you have been abusing alcohol, the more severe the symptoms will be. When you stop drinking suddenly after a long period of heavy drinking, your brain and body struggle to adapt to the absence of alcohol.
This causes unpleasant physical symptoms as well as intense cravings for alcohol. Symptoms typically begin within 24–72 hours after the last drink, reaching their peak in 2–3 days and subsiding within 5–10 days, although they can persist for much longer in some cases.
You may experience some or all of the following symptoms:
It should be noted that for some persons, withdrawal symptoms can be so severe that it literally becomes the thing that prevents them from seeking the help of addiction services or rehab. Drug and alcohol addiction are insidious diseases and the severity of withdrawal often gets in the way of that recovery journey that is necessary to pull free of their grasp.
Alcoholism is a primary cause of preventable death in the U.S., causing more than 80,000 deaths each year. A person may be predisposed to alcoholism due to various things in their life that make them more likely to become addicted to alcohol. These are what are known as risk factors.
If one has a family history of alcohol addiction, those further down the generational line tend to statistically be more at risk of falling into the patterns of those who came before them. This is the genetic component of addiction.
Much in the same way that a person who comes from a family with a history of heart disease or diabetes might be said to be at risk for those illnesses. It is important to remember that though it is treated as a choice, or a moral issue, addiction is primarily an illness.
The term environment here is used to indicate both the physical environment as well as the life circumstances of the individual. People in high-stress lives are much more likely to fall into habits of substance use disorders than those with lower stress levels. Studies have also indicated that socioeconomic hardship and regions of lower income on average tend to struggle with substance abuse.
Oftentimes, persons who may be struggling with mental health issues and lack proper support can end up self-medicating through excessive substance consumption. This leads to addiction. Conditions like depression, anxiety, and even, in some cases, neurodivergence can act as risk factors for alcoholism.
A formal program of treatment is critical for healing from alcoholism. There are many high-quality treatment centers to be found in Phoenix, Arizona and at Pathfinder’s, we are here to help! Substance abuse treatment should not be considered optional, as alcohol rehab programs are often designed with mental health support in mind.
The benefits of addiction treatment for alcoholism are far-reaching. Treatment helps people gain control over their lives, improve their health and relationships, and achieve a better quality of life. While some people may feel that addiction treatment is a luxury that they cannot afford, the truth is that it has many benefits. Addiction treatment can help people who are struggling with addiction overcome their substance abuse problem and return to a healthy lifestyle.
Addiction treatment programs provide individuals with the tools they need to achieve sobriety through counseling or group therapy sessions. The counselors at these programs will work with you on an individual basis so they can understand your specific needs and provide you with the best possible treatment options for you based on your recovery plan goals.
When it comes to severe alcoholism, all good substance abuse programs begin with a detox component. Typically, a medically assisted detox is recommended for most persons. These could be classified as partial hospitalization programs as they offer, essentially residential treatment where the patient stays at the addiction treatment center for the duration of their detox.
Detox is that phase of treatment where the body purges itself of its dependence on alcohol. This phase of the recovery process is where the patient is the least medically stable and is at a heavy risk of relapse. The medication-assisted treatment focuses on using medicine and professional observation to navigate the withdrawal symptoms in as gentle and painless a way as possible.
When it comes to addiction treatment, alcohol rehab centers often offer two options – inpatient rehab programs and outpatient programs.
In intensive inpatient treatment, the patient stays at the rehab center for the duration of their treatment. Inpatient rehab can be especially helpful for those with severe drinking issues who need to be completely cut off from outside influences for the length of their treatment to encourage lasting recovery.
Intensive outpatient treatment, however, is a bit freer. An outpatient program will require the client to come to the rehab center for their treatment during the day, but at night they go back to their home.
Outpatient care can be cheaper than inpatient treatment. Regardless of any of this, however, all treatment options at Pathfinder’s Recovery Centers make use of evidence-based treatments to effect change.
A good recovery program will make use of techniques like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Group Therapy, and more. Support groups (like the 12-step program) are usually offered as well.
Many people have co-occurring disorders that may have started their alcoholism. Being able to diagnose these underlying issues and, should it be necessary, treat them via appropriate medication, is a great way to ensure lasting sobriety.
Pathfinders Recovery offers dual diagnosis treatment as part of its overall approach, with the intention of helping all our clients overcome their struggles by addressing the underlying issues that led them to drink and use drugs in the first place.
No matter what leads you to drink our treatment facility in Scottsdale is a convenient Phoenix rehab option for both inpatient and outpatient care, and accepts most major health insurance carriers and policies.
Contact us at Pathfinders Recovery Center today! Let us help you get personalized treatment with one of our joint commission accredited alcohol and drug rehab centers! Our expert team is standing by to help you get set up with one of the best facilities in Phoenix, AZ, and can help you to get your life back on track.
The programs offered at Pathfinders are not just up to industry standard, they go above and beyond. If you or a loved one are struggling, please reach out for help to our Admissions team today!