Overcoming alcohol addiction is no easy feat. It takes immense effort to commit to such an intensive process. Although you may know a bit of what it means to get involved with treatment, there are likely areas of focus you are unfamiliar with.
Recovery from alcohol addiction is now looked at by treating the whole person. Not only are long-term programs associated with better outcomes, but they also tend to gravitate towards dual diagnosis protocols so that the entirety of the individual is considered. In other words, detoxing from alcohol is only one part of the equation for recovery. For the best possible outcomes, attending a program that seeks to treat the person beyond detox is the best choice.
It is essential to understand that treating alcohol addiction is treating the chemical dependency and the underlying emotional factors that influence patterns of alcoholism. There is now an understanding that emotional regulation plays a critical role in the stability of a person and influences whether or not they engage in problematic behaviors. With healthy coping mechanisms in place, it is less likely that individuals will seek out destructive ways to relieve their stress.
If you’re ready to take the following steps involved to get your alcohol addiction handled, educate yourself on the general recovery process to learn what to expect in advance. Work with a qualified alcohol recovery center to achieve the recovery you desire, and consider the following information on the steps of the alcohol recovery process to get you started. In a nutshell, the main steps of alcohol recovery can be broken down as follows:
Table of Contents
1. Ask For Professional Help
The first step is to ask for help! Make sure you get the right support and work with trained and qualified professionals to treat addiction. Volunteer-based programs are excellent, but they often lack the expertise needed to assist with someone’s recovery successfully.
2. Safely Detox From Alcohol
If you are chemically dependent on alcohol, you will need to go through alcohol detox at a medially-assisted facility to receive care whenever you need it. You must be supervised as you detox to avoid life-threatening withdrawal.
3. Tend To Root Causes
In this stage, you focus intently on the reasons behind your drinking. By learning about the things you have yet to address emotionally, you can learn to recognize patterns of behaviors and find areas for change. You will work with a licensed counselor to work through personal challenges and any underlying mental health concerns that could influence your alcohol recovery.
4. Find New Strategies
This is the point where you begin implementing healthy coping strategies to manage stress and any associated factors that caused you to drink in the first place. By swapping out old behaviors for healthy alternatives, you can learn to live a sober lifestyle as part of your alcohol recovery.
5. Implement The Changes
After defining the strategies you’ll use to make changes, it’s time to implement them! Work on establishing habits that nourish your wellbeing and prevent relapse. See your recovery as an ongoing process and continue to grow emotionally.
6. Get Social Support To Aid Your Alcohol Recovery
Another critical factor that influences recovery has the proper social support around you to support your efforts. Find friends that are okay with your sober lifestyle. Avoid triggering environments and receive ongoing help from counselors and peers who want to keep your alcohol recovery. Attend AA meetings and other support groups that lift you and help you maintain sobriety.
7. Be Patient With Yourself
There will be good days and bad days with your addiction. Sometimes, the urge will be challenging to overcome, and other days, you’ll feel like you’ve conquered your troubles. It is important to stay practical with recovery and apply what you’ve learned daily to make lasting changes.
Take Daily Steps For Lasting Recovery
Alcoholism is a managed disease, and it takes daily steps to see the lasting alcohol recovery you wish for yourself. Overcoming alcohol addiction is an ongoing process. You can successfully detox and overcome withdrawal once and for all, but the maintenance efforts required to sustain your sobriety will always be continuous.
Read Also: 5 Tips For Encouraging Your Loved One To Enter a Drug Addiction Program