Alcohol Addiction Recovery: Steps Towards a Sober Future

What Are the Five Stages of Change?

The decision to change behavior is not an instantaneous one, it is a long process that requires great determination and courage. There are essentially 5 stages in which change occurs. The stages include:

Precontemplation

This is the period in which a person is unaware or refuses to believe that they have a substance use issue. They find no cause for concern or change and hence continue consuming the substance as they do. 

Contemplation

This is the period in which the person begins identifying the early signs of a substance use issue. They contemplate stopping or reducing consumption. But, during this period they lack the urgency or the courage to make a behavioral change immediately. 

Preparation

This is when the person is very aware that they have a substance use issue and that they want to change their behavior. This is when they make preparations to change and motivate themselves. They also make statements about enacting this change with increased frequency (Ex: I will stop drinking from tomorrow)

Action 

This is the period in which individuals make active efforts to change their behavior. They try to stop the consumption of the substance. They continue acting against their urge to consume the substance. The crucial thing usually is how long this action lasts. It could be anywhere from hours to months. 

Maintenance

Especially when it comes to substance use or drinking, the maintenance of the actions against consumption is as important as the action itself. Over time there will be a temptation to return to old habits. However, resisting this temptation could be key to recovery. 

How is Alcohol Addiction managed?

Addressing or managing addiction is a multifaceted recovery process for alcoholics

that typically involves a combination of medical treatment, psychological support, and lifestyle changes. Addiction, whether it's to substances like alcohol and drugs or behaviors like gambling, requires a comprehensive approach for effective management. Here’s an overview of how addiction is typically addressed:

Assessment and Diagnosis: The first step is a thorough assessment by a healthcare professional to understand the extent of the addiction and any co-occurring disorders, such as depression or anxiety.

• Detoxification: For substance addictions, detoxification is often necessary. This is a medically supervised recovery process for alcoholicswhere the body is allowed to rid itself of the substances. It can involve withdrawal symptoms, which are managed under medical supervision.
• Medication: In some cases, medication is used to manage withdrawal symptoms, reduce cravings, or treat co-occurring mental health conditions.
• Therapy and Counseling: Psychological therapies are central to addiction treatment. This can include individual therapy, group therapy, family therapy, and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). These therapies help individuals understand the root causes of their addiction, develop coping strategies, and repair relationships damaged by addictive behaviors.
• Support Groups: Many find support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or Narcotics Anonymous (NA) helpful. These groups provide a sense of community and shared experience, offering peer support and encouragement.
• Rehabilitation Programs: These are more intensive treatment programs that can be inpatient or outpatient. They offer structured treatment environments, often including a combination of medical, psychological, and group support.
• Lifestyle Changes: Alcohol addiction Recovery from addiction often involves significant lifestyle changes. This can include adopting a healthy diet, regular exercise, stress management techniques, and engaging in new hobbies or social activities that don’t involve addictive substances or behaviors.
• Relapse Prevention: Education and strategies for preventing relapse are an important part of treatment. This includes identifying triggers, developing healthy coping mechanisms, and creating a support system.
• Ongoing Management: Addiction is often considered a chronic condition, and ongoing treatment or support may be necessary. This can include regular therapy sessions, continued participation in support groups, and sometimes ongoing medication.
• Family and Community Support: The role of family and community cannot be overstated. Support from loved ones and a supportive community environment can greatly enhance the effectiveness of treatment.

How can you formulate goals and ready yourself for change?

Defining Your Drinking Goal - Complete Abstinence:

Goal 1: I aim to stop drinking alcohol completely.

Action Plan: "My designated quit date is __________."

Defining Your Drinking Goal - Reduction:

Goal 2: I plan to reduce my drinking to only weekends.

Action Plan: "Starting from __________, I will not drink on weekdays. On Saturdays and Sundays, my limit will be no more than three drinks per day or five drinks in total for the weekend."

Further Reduction Plan:

Goal 3: "After three months, I intend to reduce my weekend further drinking."

Action Plan: "I will limit myself to a maximum of two drinks per day and three drinks in total per weekend."

What are the Alternative medicines for Alcohol Addiction Recovery?

Certainly, when considering alternative or complementary therapies for alcohol use disorder, it's crucial to use them in conjunction with, not in place of, conventional medical treatment and psychotherapy. Here are some alternative methods that may be beneficial as part of a comprehensive recovery plan:

1. Yoga: Engaging in yoga can be helpful due to its combination of physical postures and controlled breathing exercises. This practice can aid in relaxation and stress management, which are vital during recovery.
2. Meditation: Meditation involves focusing attention and clearing the mind of cluttered thoughts. This practice can be effective in managing stress and improving mental clarity, which is beneficial for individuals recovering from alcohol use disorder.
3. Acupuncture: This traditional Chinese medicine technique involves inserting thin needles into the skin. Acupuncture is believed to help in reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression, which are common in individuals recovering from alcohol addiction.
4. Massage Therapy: Regular massage sessions can help reduce stress and anxiety, promote relaxation, and improve overall well-being, which can be beneficial during alcohol addiction recovery.
5. Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR): This structured program involves mindfulness meditation and yoga. It's designed to help individuals become more aware of the present moment and reduce stress.

Quitting Alcohol: Learnings from the community

1. Alcohol can be deceiving:

Alcoholism recovery can lead to denial. Due to alcohol dependence and the ignorance surrounding addiction, you may believe that you don’t have an alcohol problem. People with alcoholism are the only ones who refuse to see the way alcohol addiction affects them and their families. The loved ones, on the other hand, face a completely different reality and are often severely affected by the addiction.

2. You can’t deal with alcoholism on your own:

The path to alcohol addiction recovery is challenging and hard. It is not possible without professional assistance. You need a doctor and support group to guide you, and help you recognize your dangerous behavior. Friends, family members, doctors, and psychologists all play an important role in your journey towards recovery.

3. Social gatherings can be testing:

Drinking is part of many social events, parties, and gatherings, and being a recovering addict in situations like these can be extremely challenging. At times like these, it is important to focus on long-term goals of recovery and stay strong. Inform friends or family and ask for help prior to/ during the gathering if required.

4. It’s okay to be scared:

The initial sessions and a new environment can be a little stressful, and it is okay to be scared. At the earlier stages of seeking help, you and your family may be in denial about the extent of the problem; it is important to confide in each other and trust your doctors and psychologists. You can seek clarity about your condition and a treatment plan that would suit you best from your therapists and doctors. This will help you overcome the uncertainty and nervousness. Keep in mind that you are not alone, and your road to sobriety is not far.

5. Quitting helps you make better choices:

When you get alcohol addiction help and make significant progress, you will be free from the clutter alcohol has created over the years. You realize that you can make better choices and decisions for yourself.  You can think for yourself and not let alcohol control your thoughts.

6. Taking up new hobbies:

As alcohol consumes your mind, it is difficult to not think about it. But in times like these, new hobbies always act as a great distraction. Drinking can leave a void, but it can be filled with creativity and productivity.  From writing to gardening, you can choose to do anything you love.

7. There is no such thing as the last drink:

When trying to quit, many people are stuck chasing the bottom of the bottle as they promise themselves the one “last drink” before quitting. It is important to realize that one drink may not be the last and instead become the first of many. This happens because addiction is a disease, and when someone has addiction, their body reacts differently to alcohol. The misinformed promise of the last drink often makes overcoming alcohol addiction much more difficult and stressful. Hence while it is tempting to have that last drink, remember what it can entail. Seek help and support when you think you might be craving alcohol. You don’t have to fight this battle alone.

8. Life without alcohol can be transformational:

Once drinking is not the main focus in your life, you can direct your time and energy to something that helps enrich your life. Your decision to quit has to help alter your well-being for the better. Reconnect with your family and friends, revisit your passions and hobbies, and rediscover yourself.  Life is waiting to happen the moment you decide to quit alcohol for good.

How do you assist your significant other during their journey?

Assisting your significant other during their journey, whether it's a personal, professional, or health-related journey, involves a combination of emotional support, practical help, and understanding. Here are some key ways to provide this support:

1. Listen Actively: One of the most important things you can do is to listen to them without judgment. Give them space to express their feelings and thoughts, and show that you are genuinely interested in understanding their experiences and challenges.
2. Offer Emotional Support: Be there for them emotionally. This can mean offering words of encouragement, being a shoulder to cry on, or simply being present when they need someone to talk to.
3. Provide Practical Help: Depending on the nature of their journey, they might need practical assistance. This could include helping with daily tasks, assisting in research or decision-making, or even just making sure they're eating well and taking care of themselves.
4. Be Patient and Understanding: Recognize that their journey might have ups and downs. Be patient and understand that progress might not always be linear. They may have good days and bad days, and it's important to be supportive through both.
5. Respect Their Independence: While you want to be supportive, it's also crucial to respect their independence and the decisions they make. Offer guidance and advice when asked, but also allow them the space to make their own choices.
6. Encourage Professional Help if Needed: If their journey involves issues that are beyond your ability to help with, such as mental health challenges, encourage them to seek professional help. Offer to support them in finding the right resources.
7. Stay Informed: If their journey is related to a specific issue, like a health condition or a career change, try to stay informed about that topic. This will help you understand what they're going through and might enable you to offer better support.
8. Celebrate Their Successes: Acknowledge and celebrate their successes, no matter how small. This can boost their morale and motivate them to continue on their path.
9. Maintain a Positive Attitude: Try to maintain a positive and hopeful attitude. Your optimism can be contagious and can help them to stay motivated and positive.
10. Take Care of Yourself: Finally, don’t forget to take care of yourself. Supporting someone else can be emotionally taxing, so make sure you’re also looking after your own mental and physical well-being.

Life Stories of Successfully Recovered Alcoholics: Learning from Experiences

To understand the harrowing experience and to give you a better insight into the journey from alcohol addiction to recovery, here is the true story of Raajan from Bangalore.

He is a recovered alcohol addict who is motivated to share his experiences at the rehab center. He aims to share his experience with people- especially parents- on how alcohol consumption routines can affect children’s lives.

He shared how his uncle once asked him, “Do you drink?” To which he answered, “I want to try, once!” That was a milestone in his life, “My first drink ever!” Unlike the bitter taste of alcohol that soon left his mouth, his urge for alcohol stayed. The craving urged him to steal alcohol from his father. His father played a significant role in influencing Raajan through his actions and his own dependence on alcohol.

When Rajan’s alcoholism got worse, he dropped out of school and was isolated from society. These problems only aggravated his habit. , His distance from his family made him rely on the drink even more.

Whenever Rajan made an effort to stop drinking, he would face adverse withdrawal effects; his hands would shake, he would tremble, and nausea, body, and headache would take over. He felt helpless and alone. During the darkest times, he attempted suicide, but luckily, he survived.

A pleasant twist of fate caused his clothes to get caught on the second-floor pipes. Rajan survived the ordeal with a few minor injuries. Later, Rajan’s father took him to a rehab center for treatment, and there started the transformation in his life.

Initially, everything was strange, but as group therapy began, everything started making sense to him. Rajan began to cooperate with treatments and therapy. After 62 days, he observed some positive changes through his self-journal.

Today, Rajan has successfully completed his ninety days of the de-addiction program. He will join the school again and engage with a safe friend (also called sponsor) circle. Even his father has quit drinking in order to help his son cope. The family is slowly but surely overcoming the devastation that drinking wreaked in their lives.

Lessons to learn from Rajan’s experience

The night is darkest just before dawn. Understand that you are not alone – even when things seem to be at the worst possible state and there is no way out of it. Reaching for help might be the most difficult thing to do but it’s necessary to get better. Know that you are not alone and that alcohol addiction recovery is possible.

It is extremely stressful for a parent to watch their children consume alcohol. It might even be confusing and dazzling. It is important to understand why they got into alcohol in the first space. Their surroundings – family, and friends – may ease them into drinking, which gets uncontrollable. It is essential to not blame the victim. Try to understand what they are going through and help them without judgment. A gentle and understanding approach will go a long way rather than antagonizing a child.

Why Cadabams?

We put our 30+ years of expertise to ensure that you get the treatment you need and deserve. Our multispecialty team of psychiatrists, psychologists, counselorscounsellors, and physicians work aroundround the clock and are with you every step of the way. We offer world-class, evidence-based treatment that is fit for all stages and all types of addiction.

Our team isare experts in Psychosocial Rehabilitation, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Interpersonal and Social Rhythm Therapy (IPSRT), and Family-Focused Therapy, whichthat has proven to be highly effective in treating alcohol addiction and dependency. Cadabam's Anunitha is widely trusted by various healthcare experts to help addiction relief with care and love. It is a renowned facility with state-of-the-art architecture where individuals are treated with attention, love, care, and concern. They offer an exclusive range of solutions and treatments based on the conditionscondition and issues faced by an individual.

FAQs:

1. Why is Alcohol Addiction considered a Chronic Disease?

Alcohol addiction is a chronic disease since it involves changes to the brain's structure and function. This leads to compulsive alcohol use despite dangerous consequences. Alcohol addiction is characterized by an inability to control or stop drinking, similar to other chronic conditions.

2. How do you open up about your Drinking to loved ones?

Opening up about your drinking involves a host of things, but the key is to do it on your own terms. You could choose a quiet, private moment, and express your concerns honestly. The key would be to share your feelings and struggles. It is important to be prepared for various reactions and to ask for support and understanding from your loved ones.

3. Can addiction be cured?

It is not right to associate the term "cured" in the traditional sense with alcohol addiction. However, it can be effectively managed. Like other chronic diseases, treatment focuses on managing symptoms and preventing relapse through a combination of therapy, support groups, and sometimes medication.

4. Why is rehab necessary for addiction?

Rehab is necessary for addiction because it provides a structured and supportive environment to address the underlying causes of addiction, develop coping strategies, and learn skills for sober living. It helps individuals make lasting changes to support recovery.

5. How does Cadabams treat addiction?

Cadabams treats addiction through a comprehensive approach that includes individualized treatment plans, psychotherapy, medication management, and holistic therapies. They focus on the physical, psychological, and social aspects of addiction to support long-term recovery.