The approach recommended by mental health institutes for stopping drinking typically involves a combination of strategies tailored to treat substance use based on individual needs. Here are some general guidelines often suggested:
Seek Professional Help
Consult with your primary care doctor or other specialized healthcare providers who focus on alcohol use disorder or a mental health professional. They can give you a prospective assessment of your alcohol use situation and recommend the most appropriate treatment plan.
Therapy
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), talk therapy, and other forms of behavioral therapies can help address underlying issues contributing to your alcohol use disorder and develop coping strategies.
Medication
In some cases, medications may be prescribed to manage withdrawal symptoms or reduce alcohol cravings.
Build a Support Network
Surround yourself with supportive friends and family members who understand your goal of sobriety. Find support groups and attend group meetings to stop drinking and keep you on track.
- Educate Yourself: Learn about the effects of alcohol use disorder on your body and mind, as well as the benefits of sobriety. Understanding the reasons behind your decision to stop drinking can reinforce your commitment.
- Take it One Day at a Time: Focus on staying sober each day and celebrate small victories along the way. Recognize that recovery from alcohol use disorder is a journey, and be patient with yourself.
Signs Your Drinking Is a Problem
Unlike the use of other dangerous drugs, drinking alcohol is widely accepted in society. Many people can have a drink or two with no consequences. While some people with a family history of drinking have a pre-genetic disposition to alcohol addiction, anyone can be prone to alcohol dependence.
Alcohol is an addictive substance. Problem drinkers can be challenged in recognizing when “normal” drinking turns into alcohol abuse and when they may need to seek alcohol treatment.
The Mental Health Services Administration lists some signs you may have a drinking problem:
- Missing work or school
- Damaged relationship with a friend or family member, sometimes multiple
- Financial problems
- Guilt and anxiety after drinking
- Drinking for self-medication of mental health issues
- Drinking alone
- Drinking more than planned
- Drinking to the point of blacking out
- Feeling alcohol cravings and withdrawal symptoms when stopping drinking
If you can see that you drink alcohol to self medicate mood symptoms, or that heavy drinking is causing problems in your life, you’re already on the right track.
Accepting that you have alcohol use disorder is the first step toward taking action and entering a beautiful new phase of life in alcohol recovery.
Set Goals to Stop Drinking and Prepare for Change
Are you ready to prepare for the alcohol recovery process? The preparation stage takes you from “I should” to “I will.” Here are some things you can do to prepare for professional treatment:
- Open up to family members and friends about your decision to seek alcohol recovery
- Write down a plan of action
- Envision your dream life in sobriety
- Write down your goals
- Set a date to begin treatment
- Secure time off from work if needed
When you have chosen a program and set a date to begin treatment, you’ll most likely need to prepare for detox once you enter the facility. The withdrawal process can be one of the most challenging phases of the recovery process. To maintain recovery from your alcohol use disorder, you’ll need to understand what’s on the horizon.
Preparing for Detox
When you enter alcohol abuse recovery in MA, you will first go through detox to ensure you’re stable enough to participate in other intensive treatment activities. Detox can be part of an inpatient or outpatient treatment plan.
Going through detox and alcohol withdrawal is not comfortable. While you detox from alcohol, staff will monitor your health to make sure your withdrawals don’t become life-threatening. Alcohol withdrawal symptoms include:
- Anxiety
- Shaky hands
- Headache
- Vomiting
- Stomach cramps and diarrhea
- Insomnia
- Sweating
- Elevated heart rate and blood pressure
- Delirium Tremens
- Seizure
The length of your detox period depends on the severity of your alcohol addiction and other drug abuse, if applicable. If your withdrawal symptoms are incredibly severe, it can constitute a medical condition. You will need constant medical supervision in an alcohol treatment facility or hospital.
The reason you must detox before you begin treatment is so that you can approach treatment with clarity. You can better process the thoughts, emotions, and triggers for your alcohol use disorder in recovery when you are in good health.
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Partial Hospitalization Program
In a partial hospitalization program (PHP), trained staff will monitor your progress during visits to a recovery center. This recovery program allows patients to receive professional care during the day while returning home in the evenings.
PHP patients can receive counseling, group therapy, trauma-informed care, and prescribed medications if medication-assisted treatment is required within the individual’s treatment plan.
If your drinking affects your ability to function at work or handle responsibilities at home, then PHP day treatment may work for you.
Paramount Recovery’s PHP program offers acceptance commitment therapy (ACT), cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT), mindfulness-based psychotherapy, creative expression, 12-step work, dual-diagnosis treatment, and more. You will learn how to develop healthy routines and coping strategies to work toward outpatient therapy and, eventually, independence in sobriety.
Intensive Outpatient Program
Not everyone battling addiction can take time out of their lives for 24/7 treatment. Participating in an intensive outpatient program (IOP) can be an effective way to get a handle on problem drinking without taking you out of your day-to-day activities.
An IOP is significant for patients who need intensive support but can’t step away from work or family life. Ideal participants have a drug-free home environment, can use medications on their own to control their cravings, and are committed to making a change.
Outpatient therapy helps people overcome alcohol use disorder with cognitive-behavioral therapy, family therapy, and motivational interviewing.
If work and family life prevent you from seeking inpatient treatment, Paramount Recovery’s day, evening, and virtual IOP programs may be a good fit. IOP treatment includes learning coping skills, participating in support groups, group therapy, 12-step programs, and other recovery activities.
The program typically lasts 3-5 days per week for three months, but the length can vary depending on each individual’s needs.
12-Step Addiction Treatment
Since 1935, 12-step programs like Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous have helped millions of people recover from addiction and lead happy, healthy lives.
Working through the 12 steps alongside a comprehensive treatment program is proven to achieve long-lasting recovery from addiction. People with addictions can get involved in 12-step programs as part of inpatient and outpatient modalities.
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Medication-Assisted Treatment
Prolonged, heavy consumption of alcohol or drugs can alter brain chemistry to the point where you cannot feel pleasure from anything besides the drug. Being deprived of the substance can cause extremely painful and severe cravings, not unlike being extremely hungry or thirsty.
Using a medication like Vivitrol (brand name for naltrexone) can help reduce cravings. While not everyone needs medication-assisted therapy, studies show many benefits to using medicines in tandem with other treatment methods to help someone stay sober.
Dual-Diagnosis
Many people consume alcohol as a symptom of deeper mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
A dual-diagnosis program can help you overcome your addiction while resolving the underlying issues that triggered the addiction in the first place.
Signs that dual-diagnosis may be right for you if:
- You use alcohol to reduce anxiety
- You use alcohol to handle emotional pain
- You use alcohol to deal with stress
- You use alcohol to stop mental images or memories
Patients in dual-diagnosis therapy may take medications to treat mental health disorders, use medications to help curb cravings or mitigate withdrawal, and participate in counseling for mental health disorders.
Men’s Rehab Program in MA
Some men worry that seeking help may seem like a sign of weakness. In reality, beating an addiction is one of the most powerful things a person can do.
Partial Hospitalization Programs and Intensive Outpatient Programs are available for men in MA. These programs include cognitive-behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing, 12 steps, and medication-assisted treatment.
If you enter a men’s addiction treatment program, you will work through your recovery alongside other men in a safe, judgment-free environment. Some of the benefits of a men’s treatment program are:
- Fewer distractions
- Free and open communication
- Feeling more relaxed without the opposite sex present
- Building friendships with other men
- Customized treatment for men’s needs
In a men’s treatment program, you don’t have to worry about the stigma of seeking treatment for a substance abuse disorder. Every single person in the room will be dealing with the same problems and will be understanding of your struggles. When you have fellowship with other sober men, you can build a support network to help you stay sober for years.
Women’s Rehab Program in MA
The reasons women abuse substances are often different than the reasons men do. A women-only rehab program focuses on the triggers and challenges specific to women dealing with addiction.
For women, it may be easier to open up and feel comfortable without the presence of the opposite sex. A women’s rehab program is a safe, supportive space for women to lean on one another in recovery.
Women can enter partial hospitalization programs and intensive outpatient programs in MA that were created specifically with their needs in mind. These programs offer addiction treatment therapies, including motivational interviewing, mindfulness-based stress reduction, 12-step programs, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and more.
Some of the benefits of a women’s treatment program are:
- Fewer distractions
- Compassionate support
- Treatment based on women’s needs
- Treatment based on women’s challenges
- Building friendships with other women
In a women’s treatment program, you will be surrounded by other women dealing with many of the same issues you are. It is a safe, judgment-free space where women can share their experiences and learn. With a supportive network of sober female friends, you improve your chances of staying sober long-term.
Are You Ready to End Your Alcohol Addiction?
If your drinking habits negatively impact your life, you do not have to suffer any longer. Alcohol use disorder treatment options are available in Massachusetts to fit your needs and lifestyle. Whether you need a women’s or men’s rehab program, many addiction treatment options are available to meet your needs.
When you’re ready to begin alcohol rehab in MA, contact Paramount Recovery Centers. We look forward to helping you live a happier, healthier life!