NEW YORK 10/10/2010 6:25:00 PM
News / Education

High cortisol levels could be contributing factor to alcoholism

Hormone may be partially responsible for alcoholism

New discoveries are giving more hope for those battling addiction to alcohol. A recently published study indicates a correlation between alcohol abuse and the hormone cortisone.

A study published in England by the University of Liverpool indicates that alcoholics may have a higher incidence of elevated cortisol levels than levels present in the general population. Cortisol, a hormone released under stress, seems to not only affect alcoholics but has also been shown to be elevated in individuals suffering from any type of substance abuse addiction.

“Studies like this demonstrate that addiction isn’t just a social and emotional disease but a physiological one as well that needs the help of addiction treatment professionals,” begins a spokesperson for Mountainside Drug Rehab and Alcohol Treatment Center. “Within the treatment field, it is important to understand the epidemiology of addiction so that all aspects of the addiction are treated. If we focus only on the social and emotional aspects of addiction, the chances for recovery are diminished greatly. That’s why discoveries such as these are significant and are important to consider in the treatment of addiction to ensure long-term sobriety. Furthermore, studies such as this encourage more research in the hope of finding the right treatment modalities that can reverse the physiological aspects of addiction and bring so many more onto the road to recovery.”

Not only is cortisol a stress hormone, but it is also responsible for helping to metabolize food through a series of insulin releases. In addition, cortisol is closely connected to insulin resistance, another suspected factor in the list of physiological aspects of addiction.

Since its inception, Mountainside Drug Rehab and Alcohol Treatment Center has been committed to creating ways that will help individuals get and remain sober.

The compassionate, caring treatment team at Mountainside is comprised of licensed and certified counselors and social workers as well as an on-staff Nurse Practitioner and a Registered Nurse, both of whom have specializations and extensive experience in drug addiction and alcohol treatment. For clients who may have psychiatric issues and/or a dual diagnosis, Mountainside provides the services of a Psychiatrist who also has specialization in addictions. As a result of their unique, innovative approaches to addiction treatment over the past 12 years, Mountainside has become the model for the addiction treatment field.

The program, along with its professional addiction treatment team, has earned national recognition and resulted in Mountainside being invited to Washington by the White House to meet with the White House Drug Czar, John P. Waters, for an in-depth meeting on what makes its program so successful. These accolades did not go unnoticed within the addiction treatment field and resulted in the adoption by many throughout the country of a more holistic approach to drug addiction treatment.

If you or someone you love is addicted to drugs or alcohol, or if you have any questions, please contact Mountainside Drug Rehab and Alcohol Treatment Center for a confidential inquiry at 800-762-5433.