Understanding Alcoholism & Inpatient Alcohol Rehab Center

The Importance of Inpatient Alcohol Rehab Center

For most adults, moderate alcohol use is seemingly not harmful. However, about 18 million adult Americans have an alcohol use disorder (AUD). This means that their drinking causes distress and harm. This number represents the importance of inpatient alcohol rehab center programs all around the U.S.

AUD can range from mild to severe, depending on the symptoms. Severe AUD is sometimes called alcoholism or alcohol dependence. [1]

AUD is a disease that causes:

• Craving: A strong need to drink
• Loss of Control: Not being able to stop drinking once you’ve started
• Negative Emotional State: Feeling anxious and irritable when you are not drinking

How do I know if I Have an Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD)?

Healthcare professionals in any inpatient alcohol rehab center use criteria from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), to assess whether a person has AUD and to determine the severity of the disorder is present.

Severity is based on the number of criteria a person meets based on their symptoms—mild (2–3 criteria), moderate (4–5 criteria), or severe (6 or more criteria). [2]

A healthcare provider might ask the following questions to assess a person’s symptoms. In the past year, have you:

• Ended up drinking more or for a longer time than you had planned to?
• Wanted to cut down or stop drinking, or tried to, but couldn’t?
• Spent a lot of your time drinking or recovering from drinking?
• Felt a strong need to drink?
• Found that drinking – or being sick from drinking – often interfered with your family life, job, or school?
• Kept drinking even though it was causing trouble with your family or friends?
• Given up or cut back on activities that you enjoyed so that you could drink?
• Are you getting into dangerous situations while drinking or after drinking? Some examples are driving drunk and having unsafe sex.
• Kept drinking even though it was making you feel depressed or anxious? Or when it was adding to another health problem?
• Had to drink more and more to feel the effects of the alcohol?
• Had withdrawal symptoms when the alcohol was wearing off? They include trouble sleeping, shakiness, irritability, anxiety, depression, restlessness, nausea, and sweating. In severe cases, you could have a fever, seizures, or hallucinations.

If you have any of these symptoms, your drinking may already be a cause for concern. The more symptoms you have, the more severe the problem is.

Inpatient Alcohol Rehab Center & Its Treatment Options

When asked how alcohol problems are treated, people usually think of 12-step programs or 28-day inpatient rehab but may have difficulty naming other options.

However, several treatment methods are currently available for an inpatient alcohol rehab center, thanks to significant advances in the field over the past 60 years.

Ultimately, there is no one-size-fits-all solution, and what may work for one person may not be a good fit for someone else. However, simply understanding the different options can be a crucial first step.

Types of Treatment 

Behavioral Treatments

Behavioral treatments are aimed at changing drinking behavior through counseling. They are led by health professionals and supported by studies showing they can be beneficial.

Availability of Medications in Inpatient Alcohol Rehab Center 

Three medications are currently approved in the United States to help people quit or reduce their drinking and prevent relapse.

They are prescribed by a primary care physician or other health professional and may be used alone or with counseling. See below the three medications as you read more.

Mutual-Support Groups

Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.) and other 12-step programs provide peer support for quitting or cutting back on drinking. Combined with treatment led by health professionals, mutual-support groups can offer a valuable added layer of support.

Due to the anonymous nature of mutual-support groups, it is challenging for researchers to determine their success rates compared with those led by health professionals.

Treatments Led by Health Professionals

Professionally led treatments include:

Some are surprised to learn that there are medications on the market approved to treat alcohol dependence. The newer types of these medications work by offsetting changes in the brain caused by AUD.

All approved medications are non-addictive and can be used alone or in combination with other forms of treatment.

Medications Approved By The U.S. Food & Drug Administration

Certain medications have been shown to effectively help people stop or reduce their drinking and avoid relapse.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved three medications for treating alcohol dependence, and others are being tested to determine whether they are effective.

• Acamprosate: This drug appears to be most effective at maintaining abstinence in patients who are not currently drinking alcohol. 
• Disulfiram: There are limited trials to support the effectiveness of disulfiram. It does not reduce the craving for alcohol, but it causes unpleasant symptoms when alcohol is ingested because it inhibits aldehyde dehydrogenase and alcohol metabolism. Compliance is a significant limitation, and disulfiram is more effective when taken under supervision.
• Naltrexone: Naltrexone, an opioid antagonist, reduces alcohol consumption in patients with AUD and is more successful in those who are abstinent before starting the medication.The opioid receptor system mediates the pleasurable effects of alcohol. Alcohol ingestion stimulates endogenous opioid release and increases dopamine transmission. Naltrexone blocks these effects, reducing euphoria and cravings. Naltrexone is available in oral and injectable long-acting formulations. [3]

It is important to remember that not all people will respond to medications, but they can be an essential tool in overcoming alcohol dependence for a subset of individuals.

Scientists are working to develop a more extensive menu of pharmaceutical treatments tailored to individual needs. As more medications become available, people may try multiple medications to find which they respond to best.

Behavioral Treatments in Inpatient Alcohol Rehab Center

Also known as alcohol counseling, behavioral treatments involve working with a health professional to identify and help change the behaviors that lead to heavy drinking. Behavioral therapies share certain hallmarks, which can include:

• Developing the skills needed to quit or reduce drinking
• Helping to build a solid social support system
• Working on setting reachable goals
• Coping with or avoiding the triggers that might cause relapse

Types of Behavioral Treatments

Cognitive–Behavioral Therapy can take place one-on-one with a therapist or in small groups. This form of therapy is focused on identifying the feelings and situations (called “cues”) that lead to heavy drinking and managing stress that can lead to relapse.

The goal is to change the thought processes leading to alcohol misuse and develop the skills essential to cope with everyday situations that might trigger problem drinking.

Motivational Enhancement Therapy is conducted over a short period to build and sustain motivation to change drinking behavior.

The therapy focuses on identifying the pros and cons of seeking treatment, forming a plan for making changes in one’s drinking, building confidence, and developing the skills obliged to stick to the program.

Marital and Family Counseling incorporates spouses and other family members in the treatment process and can play an essential role in repairing and improving family relationships.

Studies show that strong family support through family therapy increases the chances of maintaining abstinence (stopping drinking) compared with individual counseling patients.

Brief Interventions are short, one-on-one, or small-group counseling sessions that are time-limited. First, the counselor provides information about the individual’s drinking pattern and potential risks.

After the client receives personalized feedback, the counselor will work with them to set goals and provide ideas for helping to make a change.

Finally, choosing to get treatment may be more important than the approach used, as long as the approach avoids heavy confrontation and incorporates empathy, motivational support, and a focus on changing drinking behavior.

How Can Inpatient Alcohol Rehab Center Help?

Research shows that most people who have alcohol problems can reduce their drinking or quit entirely.

There are many roads to getting better. What is essential is finding yours.

The first step is to understand the available treatment options—from behavioral therapies and medications to mutual-support groups. After that, the important thing is to remain engaged in whatever method you choose.

Ultimately, receiving treatment from an inpatient alcohol rehab center can elevate your chances of success.

Alcoholism is a severe and debilitating disease that will progressively get worse the longer it goes untreated.

Drug and alcohol rehab centers serve several functions related to addiction treatment and recovery. First, healing starts with getting sober and is a part of your life continually.

And then, after you cease drinking or using, you still have a lifelong challenge of staying clean and sober. So, you will need a solid commitment.

Providing therapy, education, and support for recovery after treatment is just as crucial for an inpatient alcohol rehab center, if not more so than helping you get sober.

The major of programming at any inpatient alcohol rehab center focuses on building skills and habits that promote long-term sobriety.

If you or someone you love is struggling with alcoholism, help is here. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with Level Up Palm Beach County inpatient alcohol rehab center.