Learning How To Recover From Alcohol Abuse
Posted on: 30 December 2016
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Alcohol abuse is something that afflicts millions of families in the United States, and whether it's you or a loved one who is trying to stay sober, recovery can be a long and difficult process. That said, living clean is far from the impossible task that many people think it is. Take a look below at some things you may want to keep in mind if you or someone you care about is thinking about starting the road to recovery.
Detox
Because of the emphasis on negative psychological and emotional effects of alcohol, many users forget that quitting the bottle has some extremely serious physical risks associated with it in the short term. The detox process, while of course ultimately beneficial, can cause you to suffer a multitude of symptoms as the result of acute alcohol withdrawal: fever, muscle tremors, sweating, and even hallucinations or seizures. Because of this, the importance of supervision during detox cannot be overstated. Ideally, said supervision should come in the form of a medical professional who is capable of dealing with and treating more severe symptoms.
Goals
Another important step in the recovery process is setting goals and writing them down. The more specific these goals are, the better they are and the more likely they'll be reached. For example, a vague goal such as "I will quit drinking completely in the next few weeks" probably won't do much good. On the other hand, a goal such as "I will begin to decrease my alcohol consumption by x amount beginning the first of next month" is more attainable. These kinds of goals are also more likely to be completed successfully if they're communicated to family and friends. A close network of support is vital to continuing the recovery process, and keeping goals to oneself only makes it harder for people.
Mistakes
The recovery process is rarely a perfect one that goes exactly as expected. Because of this, people on the road to recovery should try to avoid an all-or-nothing attitude. While mistakes can be bitterly disappointing, they are also an opportunity to learn about what recovery strategies have worked and which ones haven't. Things that have been successful for some will be useless to others, and vice versa. So be sure to take note of thoughts or actions that have supported recovery and discard the others. Eventually, an individual plan will begin to form that works perfectly for you.
For more help with recovery, get in touch with a company like Olalla Recovery Centers.