According to the World Health Organisation, 2.6 million deaths per year, or 4.7% of deaths, are associated with alcohol consumption worldwide, and 2 million of those deaths were men. The real number may be even higher considering the number of the population that refuses to get treatment. That is why it is important to raise knowledge and awareness about the reality of alcohol addiction and the treatment for it.
In this blog, we will talk about the importance of counselling for alcohol addiction and why we need to embrace it as a part of the recovery journey.
What is Alcohol Addiction?
Alcohol addiction, alcoholism, or alcohol abuse is a type of disease that affects people in almost every aspect of life. It is a condition where a person consistently drinks to the extent that the body becomes dependent or addicted to alcohol. People who are struggling with alcohol addiction will continue to drink excessive amounts of alcohol even if it is already causing negative effects in their lives.
How Does Alcoholism Develop?
The cause of alcohol use disorder itself is not known, although studies have pointed to a combination of environmental, genetic, and psychological factors. However, when a person drinks more than the body can handle, chemical changes in the brain happen. Because of these changes, the pleasurable feeling you get when you drink alcohol increases. As a result, the person would want to drink more even if there are evident negative effects.
Eventually, the pleasurable feelings wear off, and the person who is struggling with excessive alcohol use will need to drink more to prevent withdrawal symptoms from developing.
How to Identify Alcohol Misuse
People who are struggling because of problems with alcohol addiction sometimes learn ways to hide or mask certain signs and symptoms for quite some time. However, as time passes, keeping up the pretenses becomes more difficult as the addiction starts to interfere with their ability to manage their lives.
Here are some signs that you can look out for to identify alcohol misuse:
- the inability to control the amount of alcohol consumption
- losing control while drinking
- having urges or cravings to drink
- having to increase the amount of alcohol consumption to feel the same effects because of tolerance
- the need to drink to feel normal
- having a “secret stash” of alcohol hidden in unusual places
- drinking alone or in secret
- feeling irritated if not able to drink when wanted
- continuing to drink despite the negative effects
- Choose to drink over activities or hobbies with friends, family, and loved ones
- experiencing blackouts where they would forget what they did, who they were with, or where they were
What Causes Alcohol Dependence?
The progression of alcohol dependence is a gradual process. What starts as an innocent, harmless drink becomes something frequent. The amount of alcohol continues to increase to the extent that it distorts the neurotransmitters in the brain. What starts as social drinking becomes something happening on a normal basis and, eventually, uncontrolled drinking. The dependence then forms from the developed pattern of problematic drinking, which results in an attachment to alcohol and an inability to control the amount of consumption.
Physical Causes
Examples of physical causes include:
- Excessive alcohol consumption
- Prior history of seizures with alcohol withdrawal
- Old age
- Abnormal liver function
- Dehydration
- Comorbid diseases, including liver, pancreatic, neurological, circulatory, and gastrointestinal
Psychological Causes
Examples of psychological causes include:
- Family history of alcoholism
- Genetical factors that lead to alcoholism
- Mental health issues
- Stress
How Can Counselling Help with Alcohol Problems?
Counselling is an essential part of both drug and alcohol addiction rehabilitation treatment. It can be found in almost every treatment plan alongside medications and other treatment protocols.
One of the biggest things that could help a person struggling with alcohol addiction issues is understanding and getting to the bottom of the addiction and what are the triggers that have played a role in the development of the disorder.
Once that has been sorted out and cleared, counselling would also provide ways for the patients to develop healthier coping mechanisms to help them progress in their recovery journey as well as apply them later on when they return to their normal lives. Based on those new coping mechanisms, counselling can guide the patient to revive or improve the estranged relationships the patient had during active addiction, as well as enhance or improve the overall quality of life. In addition, counselling services are also a good type of support for them to be able to avoid relapse.
Is It Important to Have Counselling for Alcohol Addiction?
There is a significant importance of counselling for alcoholism. It reminds the patients to take care of the psychological problems associated with addiction because this is often neglected or forgotten because of the lack of knowledge about the impact our mental health problems can have in our lives. It is also essential because a person needs to develop new coping skills in place of the negative ones that prompted the need for alcohol rehab in the first place.
Alcohol addiction counselling can help patients visualise a life free from substances and make them feel like they deserve to experience a life that can function despite having negative thoughts and feelings in times of challenges and troubles.
What Types of Addiction Counselling Is Applied?
According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, “there is no one-size-fits-all solution, and what may work for one person may not be a good fit for someone else. Simply understanding the different options can be an important first step.”
There are several types of therapies applied during alcohol addiction counselling, and here are the therapy options you can expect:
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a type of psychotherapy that guides people to heal from the behavioural problems that are caused by alcoholism, drug use, and other addictions.
CBT in alcohol treatment aims to change and improve the thoughts and feelings that can trigger excessive alcohol consumption. It also guides people to build the skills to cope with stress, triggers, and cravings that can prompt a relapse.
Other Talking Therapies
Several other types of talk therapy are commonly used in alcohol addiction, including dialectical behavioural therapy, motivational interviewing, 12-step facilitation, acceptance and commitment therapy, and family therapy.
Group Therapy
Group therapy in alcohol rehab treatment helps the patients navigate their difficulty on how to trust other people. It lets them learn through the experience of others how to communicate better to identify the negative or toxic patterns that could result in toxic behaviour or even relapses.
Support Groups
Support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, or other groups under the NHS provide patients with a sense of community because they are surrounded by people who are experiencing similar struggles. The group helps promote accountability, encouragement, and motivation. It also minimises the stigma around addiction and teaches patients how to build better relationships.
Self-Help
Self-help for alcohol rehab treatment is essential during the recovery journey because it involves reconnecting with other people and engaging in activities or habits that make you feel better as a person. It is all about nurturing the physical and mental health to keep the stress levels down and avoid the urge to return to the behaviour that caused the addiction in the first place.
How Does Counselling Work to Stop Drinking?
Counselling helps a patient to minimise and eventually stop drinking through several means slowly. People often overlook the emotional aspect of addiction and would do anything to avoid the problems at hand.
During counselling, the patient will be able to go to regular checkups with their healthcare provider in order to keep track of their progress as they transition back into their daily lives with the presence of their triggers. Consistent counselling helps patients apply coping mechanisms, skills, positive attitudes, and behaviour in order to avoid drinking altogether successfully.
Counselling serves as a means for people to gain the courage to make new connections and reconnect with people they have lost during active addiction. It lets the patients have a new perspective and be a beacon of hope for those who are experiencing similar problems but haven’t gone to treatment yet.
What Does a Counsellor Do?
A counsellor plays a vital role in the recovery process. The counsellor is the one who guides the patients in slowly figuring out the roots of their addiction and the severity of it. They develop a specific recovery process that is specifically for the patient’s needs, wants and goals during the process. They are also there to assess the progress and teach the patients about everything the patient needs to know ,to reach their goals for their recovery journey.
How Long Do Counselling Sessions Last?
The length of the counselling sessions depends on the specific type of counselling or approach used however, it typically lasts 45 to 55 minutes per session. It is known as a therapeutic hour and some types of counselling can last up to 90 minutes.
How Many Alcohol Counselling Sessions Are Needed in Addiction Recovery?
The actual number of alcohol counselling sessions needed in addiction recovery depends on the progress of the patient. However, there are instances where, in 12 to 20 sessions, there already is significant progress.
Can Alcohol Addiction Counselling Be Done Online?
Since the global pandemic, a lot of medical treatments, therapies, and even things in other aspects of life have found a way to shift to an online setting. Yes, there is an option for online alcohol addiction counselling, and some options include specialty telehealth care, video chat, self-guided or self-paced online programs, and online mutual support groups.
Get Help for Alcohol Addiction Treatment
Getting the proper help for something that is often surrounded by stigma and controversy can be overwhelming. It may feel easier to just quit cold turkey without discovering why or what pushed you to find comfort in alcohol. However, it will only do more damage in the long run the more you try to avoid it.
Alcohol addiction is a disorder that affects almost every aspect of life. We may not know the reasons why you have gotten yourself into this mess, but it is possible to get help. Here at Liberty Home Clinic, we believe that everyone deserves a second chance at a life away from the shackles of addiction. Contact Liberty Home Clinic to find out more.
