A Substance Abuse Treatment Plan For Someone Who Is Alcohol Dependent
Addiction is tied to the brain's reward system. The dopamine levels within the brain trigger one to associate a substance with something pleasant. This system can keep a person fixated on a substance, which may lead to chronic usage, dependency, and severe illnesses. A substance abuse treatment plan may include acceptance and self-awareness variables and a series of intensive or minimally-restrictive support techniques.
The First Phase Of Recovery
Recovery cannot begin to take place until the chemically-dependent person accepts that they have a problem and becomes self-aware of their tendencies and what triggers them to use a particular substance.
Alcohol is a substance that is commonly abused, due to its high presence in society and the easy manner in which it can be purchased. If someone is addicted to alcohol, they may need to go through many negative situations in their life before they realize that the alcohol has taken a hold of them and is a contributing factor to the troubling lifestyle that they have become accustomed to.
Self-awareness is reinforced through a medical or non-medical treatment program. A client will learn to be accountable for their actions and will become more in tune with what their brain is telling them and how they can ward off cravings.
The Support Techniques
Healthcare providers who treat those who are dependent upon alcohol may prescribe a medication that will reduce negative side effects that an addicted person experiences while withdrawing from alcohol. Medical monitoring and the usage of prescribed medications that reduce the effects of alcohol and that are capable of minimizing one's desire to drink may also be administered. These support aids will be used in a setting that is medically supervised.
Learning through trial and error, hearing inspirational stories, and using an accountability process can aid a recovering addict. Recovery often occurs within an inpatient or an outpatient treatment program. However, treatment can also take place independently, as long as a recovering participant has the support that they need.
People who spend time together in meeting halls or who participate in picnics and other social affairs that are geared toward those who are recovering from an alcohol dependency may be more prone to maintaining their sobriety than recovering individuals who decide to self-isolate or spend time around others who indulge in alcoholic beverages. People often gain strength from others. This type of support can be both therapeutic and comforting.