Alcohol Addiction Treatment Center in Denver, CO
Magnolia Medical Group provides alcohol addiction treatment programs to help you find freedom and recovery from alcoholism.
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According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, up to 17 million adults struggle with an alcohol use disorder.
Many of these adults in Denver, Colorado, live in homes with children, and many more individuals struggle with diseases caused or exacerbated by their alcohol abuse.
Alcohol use disorders are multifaceted, complex illnesses that often need specialized treatment methods. Read through the following guide to better understand alcoholism, what this disease affects, and how you can take the first steps to get the help you need to stop drinking alcohol.
What is Alcoholism?
Within the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM–5), alcoholism is now covered under the broad spectrum of alcohol use disorder. This disorder includes the symptoms of alcohol abuse and dependence, and it can be thought of as both a mental and physical addiction to using alcohol.
Defining Addictions to Alcohol
Addiction has a mental component as well as a physical one. Those dealing with alcohol addiction may rationalize their drinking problem and make excuses for why they must continue. Up to one-fourth of people with a mood disorder or other mental health issues, may self-medicate with alcohol abuse.
Physical alcohol dependence is another component of addiction that results in withdrawal symptoms. After you’ve been drinking for a long time, stopping consumption causes the body to go through rapid changes during the withdrawal period that may make you feel sick, nauseous, sweaty, and possibly even paranoid and anxious. Using medication such as Vivitrol to assist with alcoholism treatment for a smooth withdrawal can help you finally get clean and feel physically healthy enough to stay sober.
The Difference Between Heavy Drinking and Alcoholism
A heavy drinker has no mental or physical dependence on alcohol, though they may party hard or drink nearly a bottle of wine by themself at a party on the weekend. An individual with an AUD may not drink as much as the heavy drinker — but their life revolves around the next drink. They’re irritable when they don’t drink, and anxious when a routine involving alcohol is postponed or interrupted. Maybe they get headaches, or their hands start shaking when they go too long without a drink. This second person is both physically and mentally dependent on alcohol.
Finding the line between heavy drinking and addiction can be tricky. Someone who drinks heavily may at some point use alcohol abuse as a medication, a crutch, or a numbing device when life becomes too much for them to handle. Someone with an AUD may be able to finally achieve sobriety and lessen their cravings for alcohol. Talk to your counselor or medical provider if you are concerned about your own alcohol use.
Who Alcoholism Affects
Anyone you know in the Denver area who is dealing with an AUD — or anyone from a family with an alcoholic parent or loved one — will tell you that alcoholism is a disorder with effects that spread through a person’s family, work-life, and social life. The person suffering from alcoholism may struggle with constant cravings for alcohol and physical and mental dependence symptoms.
Children may feel confused by the alcoholic parent’s mood swings and irritability, especially with parents or loved ones whom are high functioning alcoholics. At the same time, spouses struggle to make sense of their spouse’s change in behavior and refusal to attend events that do not include alcohol. Or, perhaps the spouse with the AUD shows up inebriated to the children’s school events. Erratic behavior can cause embarrassment, social ostracization, and other potentially disastrous consequences for the person with the AUD and the family.
The Impact of Alcoholism
If you struggle with an AUD, you likely understand that alcoholism affects many people in your life — not just you. Your spouse or partner may want you to get help while you wonder if it’s worth it. You wonder if your kids will see you drink, and you may fear that they will develop the disorder themselves. Your personal and professional relationships may become strained over time, and your work may suffer as a result of your untreated addiction.
How an Outpatient Treatment Center Can Help You
At Magnolia Medical Group in Denver, Colorado, we specialize in treating alcoholism addiction and abuse through both new and conventional methods. You may find help in a support group or find a better emotional balance when you take part in a series of group therapy sessions with our trained counselors — or you may need a more intensive outpatient treatment program that includes the use of medications to help you through the alcohol withdrawal period.
Medications such as naltrexone or buprenorphine and suboxone can be great options for patients with a severe addiction to alcohol that is not helped by conventional methods. If you’ve tried other programs (or perhaps you’ve even struggled to quit drinking on your own for a while) and are still unable to put your alcoholism behind you, let us help you find a solution.
Get Help for Alcohol Addiction Today
Although alcoholism can affect a person’s entire life, it is possible for someone with a diagnosis of Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) to recover and thrive. If you’re interested in turning your life — and your mental health space — into a clearer, calmer, and more purposeful place, get in touch with Magnolia Medical Group serving Denver, CO residents. We would be honored to explain our substance abuse and alcohol addiction treatment program in greater detail and assist you in beginning your recovery – contact us today.
Contact Us To Begin Your Recovery Today
Sources:
https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/brochures-and-fact-sheets/treatment-alcohol-problems-finding-and-getting-help
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19004504/
Image Credit: By Syda Productions
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