In order to know how to treat alcoholism so that the individual can recover from it and live a clean and sober life, it is important to understand the difference between alcohol abuse, addiction, and dependency. Although these three terms are regularly interchanged with one another, it is a mistake to do so as there are slight, yet significant differences between the different terminologies.
Alcohol abuse – the excessive and/or habitual use of alcohol in order to alter one’s emotions, moods, or state of consciousness is known as alcohol abuse. It refers to the use of alcohol that is not culturally and socially acceptable.
Alcohol addiction – a chronic and highly progressive illness that stems from continual alcohol abuse. Alcohol addiction is characterized by a compulsive and uncontrollable, physical and/or psychological craving for alcohol.
Alcohol dependency – where abuse is primarily used to describe the early stages of addiction, dependency is a more chronic and complex condition. Although alcohol abuse oftentimes leads to addiction or dependency, addiction is more difficult to treat and recover from, especially when the addiction has been going on for long periods of time.
In the simplest of explanations, it is easier to determine if you will need alcohol abuse help or professional help for addiction and/or dependency. Each of these complex conditions must be treated in different fashion in order for the person to become clean and sober on a long-term basis. Different treatment and recovery techniques or therapies are required to address each issue effectively so the person experiences a successful recovery from them.
Even though alcohol may be required for the individual to function throughout the day from a psychological standpoint, the desire or motivation to obtain and drink more alcohol is not near as strong when either addiction or dependency are present. Nor is psychological dependence always perceived as being the equivalent of addiction. However, the individual gets to the point where they must have a drink (or drinks) to function throughout the day.
At the Freedom Center addiction treatment and recovery center, we do not view the individuals who come to us as addicts or even clients. We see them more as students of life who need to re-learn certain behavior in order to recover and live substance-free for years to come. Hence the reason for basing our alcohol abuse help and other addiction or dependency treatment and recovery programs on classes and educational materials as well as the other recovery tools that are necessary to be effective with every individual.
