Preparing For Alcohol Treatment

Alcohol treatment can be the result of your journey in discovering that you no longer can manage your drinking. The warning signs of problem drinking can be subtle at first and grow more overwhelming as your loss of control plays a bigger role in your life. Knowing the warning signs can help you ward off the risk of alcoholism and return you to a more balanced, healthful existence.

Are You Addicted

You might not instantly see yourself as a problem drinker. High-functioning people in demanding, successful careers who drink in excess may not realize that they, too, have a drinking problem. You might see that you are losing connection with a life you once led as a result of your drinking, and wish to change course.

Signs

As part of a loss of connection to the outside world, you might notice you are spending more time at home drinking alone, maybe for hours at a time. You also may find yourself going to bars more often and drinking after work or other times of the day. During these drinking sessions, you can easily lose track of how much you have consumed, which is another sign that you may need treatment.

Why You Drink

You may think that drinking is required for you to feel outgoing or at peace with your surroundings. You might drink to get ready for a social event, and wind up not attending because you have become drunk. You may arrive at the event intoxicated or become drunk shortly thereafter and not remember the event the next day.

The Toll

Mood swings and depression may take hold of your life as your alcohol intake grows, prompting you to seek treatment. You may become upset with others for reasons you do not fully understand. You also may feel guilt if you are unable to control your drinking or become depressed over how you have treated others or yourself.

Increased Need

You may begin to have cravings for alcohol at certain times of the day or begin to have physical reactions in times when you go without alcohol. This can develop into obsessive thoughts about obtaining liquor and keeping a supply on hand at all times. You also may carefully note when someone else drinks from your supply or you may not understand why others do not feel the need to drink as much as you do as a warning that you need help.

Family and Friends

As your drinking progresses, many friends and family members may begin to avoid you. They may be uncertain as to how you will act around them or be unsure as to whether you will become a danger to yourself or others in an outburst or while driving intoxicated. You might experience an intervention or confrontation from those close to you as a way to show you what is happening in your life.

Deciding to seek alcohol treatment may come as a huge relief to you and as a way to take back your life in a positive way. The work you do for rehabilitation can help put you on track to regain control of your health and your way of interacting with others. You may need more than just treatment and may have to go to a residential treatment center. You may soon find that you are able to reconnect with what is most important to you without using alcohol to cope.

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