Alcohol Clinic Rehabilitation

Alcohol rehabilitation clinics, often just called rehab clinics, are a basic term for the processes of medical and/or psychotherapeutic treatment, for dependency on alcohol in a center. The basic intent is to get the alcoholic to quit his or her abuse of alcohol in order to avoid the psychological, physical, financial, social and often legal consequences that can be caused by their addiction. Alcohol rehabilitation tends to address the twofold nature of alcohol addiction: the physical and the psychological dependency. Treatment of the physical part of the addiction involves a detoxification process to cope with the often painful withdrawal symptoms from regular use of alcohol.

With regular use of alcohol the body gradually adapts to its presence and so more and more is required to obtain the desired effect. Many alcoholics can appear to be functioning normally despite being under the influence of alcohol. This is how physical tolerance develops to the constant presence of alcohol in the body. This explains why larger quantities of alcohol are needed to get the same effect with regular use. The abrupt cessation of imbibing alcohol can lead to withdrawal symptoms where the body may take several days or even weeks to return to normal. Entering a rehab clinic is usually necessary to get clean and sober.

Psychological dependency is the second issue that must be addressed in many alcohol rehabilitation programs. By attempting to teach the patient new methods of interacting in an alcohol-free environment this can get the person on the road to remaining sober for the rest of their lives. Usually, patients are encouraged, or even required not to associate with friends who use alcohol because this usually leads to a relapse. The famed 12-step AA program, as well as many others, encourages alcoholics not only to stop using alcohol, but to examine and change habits related to their addictions.

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Most programs emphasize that recovery is a permanent, life-long process without culmination. For alcoholics complete abstention from alcohol—rather than attempting to drink in moderation, which almost always leads to a relapse—is also emphasized. Whether moderation is achievable by those with a history of alcoholism continues to be debated, but is generally considered to be nearly impossible.

There are various types of rehabilitation programs offered to help alcoholics achieve permanent sobriety. These include residential treatment (in-patient), out-patient treatments, local support groups such as AA, extended care centers, and recovery houses, also called “half-way” houses. Many newer rehab clinics offer holistic programs focused on drug-free rehabilitation as well as those that are gender and age specific.