One good rule of thumb is that if it is affecting your family life, your career or your happiness, then there is a definite problem. Feeling ashamed or unhappy about your drinking is another clear red signal to seek addiction treatment.
However, what many victims do not know is that alcohol addiction comes in various degrees. Simply using alcohol is not a cause for concern as far as most social workers, counselors and psychiatrists are concerned, unless the person drinks in order to feel happy or to forget a tough situation. If you feel the latter reason holds, then it is a good idea to visit a therapist or trained counselor in order to get a clearer picture of your mental and/ or emotional state. It could well be that you are suffering from depression or excessive stress; conditions that need to be addressed before they create more problems.
Problems arise when alcohol use becomes alcohol abuse. Once the abuse stage sets in, the victim often goes on ‘binges’, episodes of uncontrolled alcohol consumption that can lead to black outs, DUIs (drunken driving) and unhappiness in the family. If you have an alcohol abuse problem, then it is imperative that you sign on for treatment at an alcohol rehab center. Unless your problem is of long standing, most rehab centers will advice an outpatient program in which treatment usually involves one or more meetings per week covering behavioral therapy, single and group support sessions, educational classes etc. There is no need for inpatient care unless there are repeated relapses or a change in environment is necessary to break the addiction.
However, once the victim has entered the dependence stage, an inpatient treatment at an alcohol rehab center becomes imperative. This is because long term alcohol dependence causes massive changes in a victim’s mental and physical states and he or she will need a medically supervised detox program in order to successfully cope with the withdrawal symptoms. Fortunately, there are several alcohol rehab centers across the country that can help you with your problem regardless of how serious it is. Your physician or therapist will be able to direct you to the best program for your needs.
