An overview of alcohol addiction

Alcohol addiction is more commonly referred to as alcoholism or alcohol dependency. It is regarded as one of the most addictive and disabling disorders known to man and has been since the later part of the 20th century. The uncontrollable and compulsive consumption of alcohol are the primary characteristics of alcohol addiction and it has been defined from a medical standpoint as a treatable disease. Additionally, alcoholism puts the individual’s health, relationships, and social standing in serious jeopardy.

Although there is no single cause of alcohol addiction, the biological mechanisms underlying it could be any one of a combination of the following:

• age
• ethnicity
• genetic predisposition
• mental health
• sex
• social environment
• stress
• traumatic experiences

Long-term alcohol addiction produces certain physiological changes in the brain such as extreme physical dependence and tolerance build-up. This is what typically maintains and prolongs the compulsiveness and inability to abstain from drinking or quit altogether which is what typically characterizes alcoholism.

The advice given by the NIAAA (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism) to those who want to experience a successful recovery from alcohol addiction includes:

• Quit drinking completely, don’t just cut back.
• Bring the issue to center stage and admit that you have a problem.
• Walk away from any relationship where both of you drink.
• Try to determine the reasons for self-medicating yourself.
• Replace those reasons with positive activities.
• Be patient and give yourself enough time to recover from your addiction. Just remember, it took you a while to become dependant on alcohol.
• Check with your physician and see if they will prescribe a medication that will help you in your recovery from alcohol addiction.

The above advice can easily be followed by individuals whose addiction to alcohol is not that severe. However, for those individuals who have been suffering with alcoholism for a longer period of time, they have no choice but to enter a recovery from alcohol addiction facility.

Recovering from alcoholism at the Delray Recovery Center

The Delray Recovery Center’s “Strength to Change” program is one of the most effective rehab programs in the US today and features a combination of the best alternative, Holistic, and traditional therapies. We developed our program to help individuals who are powerless to overcome the compulsion to drink alcohol and who have been unsuccessful in their attempts at other facilities.

If you or a loved one has been suffering with alcohol addiction and are looking for a recovery from alcohol addiction program that offers the hope of a brighter future, please contact the Delray Recovery Center today. You can call us at the toll-free number listed above if you wish to speak with an addiction specialist.