Alcohol Rehab - What to Expect

When a person undergoes alcohol rehab, they will be treated for the psychological and physical addiction to alcohol. This treatment can take place on a residential or outpatient basis.

• Residential-this is for those that have a severe life threatening addiction to alcohol. The person would live at the treatment center so they can receive continual care.
• Outpatient-this is for those whose alcohol addiction is not life threatening. Their alcohol rehab treatments are conducted during the day at a treatment center and then when the treatment is done for the day they return home.

When you enter alcohol rehab there are stages, or steps, that you must go through in order to complete treatment.

Step 1

When you check into an alcohol rehab center the first thing that occurs immediately is the detoxification process. This is the process of stripping your body of poisons, addictive substances, and built-up waste. These things can sap your body of energy, stimulate allergies or inflammation, or cause illness. You will not be allowed any alcohol. If you are doing this as an outpatient, you will have to try to refrain from alcohol. If you do not think you can do this on your own, then you should opt for residential treatment. Because your body is used to having the alcohol you will most likely experience during the first three days physical withdrawal symptoms like:

• Chills
• Depression
• Sweating
• Blackouts
• Mood swings

It could take one to two weeks to cleanse your system completely but it all depends on how extensive your alcohol addiction is.

Step 2

Once you have finished with the detoxification process you will work on the psychological aspects of your addiction to alcohol. You will work with an addiction treatment counselor for private sessions. During these sessions, you will discuss any choices or life events that could have contributed to your alcohol addiction. The counselor will work you to offer some solutions if you have any behavioral or mental issues. Under the supervision of a counselor, during alcohol rehab you may meet with other recovering alcoholics in a group session. During these group sessions, you can share common experiences with each other. This type of therapy may be able to help you feel supported and understood by others that have the same problem.

Step 3

At this step, you are usually done with the main part of alcohol rehab. Once you leave treatment you may also attend Alcoholics Anonymous or an aftercare program to help you learn how coping strategies so you do not backtrack into alcohol. In these programs, it is a group therapy where you can get advice on how to deal with temptation and stay sober.

This article is penned by Lora Davis for Summer Sky which is one of the leading drug rehab centers Houston, Tx. Summer Sky, a Texas drug and alcohol addiction rehab center, has served the physical, spiritual and psychological needs of over 18,000 patients who have struggled with drug and/or alcohol addiction. For more info on long term inpatient drug rehab visit the website or call 1-888-857-8857.


 By Lora Davis


Article Source: Alcohol Rehab - What to Expect