Addiction treatment in alcohol recovery programs is a bit different for everyone. Each person who enters a program is unique, and this means that an individualized treatment plan will be developed to make sure you are getting the support you need. While you can expect specific treatment, such as group therapy, individual therapy and time in detox, how your treatment unfolds will depend on your specific needs. As you begin treatment and move through the recovery process, you will learn what your strengths are and see where you need extra help to overcome your addiction. Recovery from alcohol is possible, but you have to take the time to do the work ahead of you.

Recovery Starts with a Detox Alcohol Recovery Program

Supervised detox in alcohol recovery programs is the only safe way to withdraw from alcohol. Symptoms from alcohol withdrawal can become dangerous quickly What starts out as a little agitation can turn into full-blown anxiety, shakiness, and even seizures if your withdrawal gets out of control. Most people don't understand that one of the hardest things to detox from is alcohol, as it is also one of the most dangerous. While you can try to withdraw on your own, the side effects are often too much and lead to further drinking. If you become delirious, you won't be able to call for the help you need that you would have if you were in a detox facility.

Treatment Options After Detox

How long you spend in a detox alcohol recovery program will depend on a number of factors. Your detox period can last a few days, or go for more than a week if you are experiencing harsh withdrawal symptoms. Once you are physically free from alcohol, you still need to work on your behaviors and the emotional aspect of addiction in order to heal fully. To better manage your addiction in the future, it is necessary to learn about addiction and solid relapse prevention strategies in order to cope with life without abusing substances. When you leave detox, you might return home and go to an Intensive Outpatient Program, or you might go to a program for further residential care.

Finding the Courage to Start Treatment

It's hard to make the leap from thinking about an alcohol recovery program to making the decision to go to treatment. If you are sick of living the life of an addict, always wondering when your next drink will come, it's time to reach out for help. If you have been living a life that leaves you exhausted and nowhere to turn, you can turn your life around. It will never feel like the right time to seek treatment for an addiction, but you have to make the decision to do what is right for yourself. Once you begin your recovery you will be stronger and better able to manage your life from day to day.

How an Alcohol Recovery Program Helps You Get Your Life Back

Being addicted to substances makes it hard to live your best life. For those trying to hide an addiction, the effort can be completely exhausting. As you begin treatment in an alcohol recovery program, you will meet others who need help with addiction and recovery. This will lead to more support along your way, as you will begin to build relationships with people who understand what you are going through. As you get stronger in your recovery, you will begin to see that there is much more to life than you have been experiencing while living under the control of addiction.

When Relapse Occurs

Relapse is often part of the recovery process. You will hear other people trying to stay sober talk about relapse and the ways they decided to come back into recovery. It isn't easy to stay sober, but a relapse doesn't mean that you are weak. A relapse means that it's time to take a better look at your recovery program and decide where you need to make changes. If you relapse, get back into meetings. Reach out to your friends who you have met along the way. Don't be embarrassed about your relapse, admit your needs and move forward. There is no shame in asking for help after a relapse, and those in recovery are going to understand what you are going through.

Build Your Support Team in Recovery

Your support team are the people you are going to depend on in times when you are feeling stressed out. You will meet people while you are in an alcohol recovery program, and it will help you tremendously to find people you trust. Pay attention to people that inspire you. Don't be afraid to ask for contact information so that you can stay in touch with people you find interesting. As you get to meet people who are also in recovery, you will begin to see how important it is to surround yourself with people who are strong in their sobriety. While friends and family may try to understand what you are going through, a person who is also in recovery is going to understand better.

What to Expect in an Alcohol Recovery Program

When you go to an alcohol recovery program, you might be surprised at the professional atmosphere that you encounter. The environment will be supportive, and you will be able to heal from your addiction in a safe place. Many people are nervous about going to a treatment program because they don't know what to expect. You will find staff that are going to listen and you will meet other people much like yourself who are going through addiction treatment. You will meet with a counselor to work on a treatment plan, and you will attend groups throughout the day to learn more about addiction. You will feel supported and listened to as you work on your recovery and begin to make positive changes in your life.

How to Utilize Your Treatment Plan

Your treatment plan is an excellent guide for you as you move through the recovery process. It is a document that you help create, and changes can be made if your treatment needs change. A treatment plan helps you measure your progress while you are in recovery and helps you identify areas where you need to make changes. When you develop a treatment plan with a counselor, you will talk about your strengths, weaknesses and your goals for treatment. Every treatment plan is different and you will work with a counselor to write a treatment plan that is specific to you.

Relapse Prevention Strategies That Work

When you are in recovery, you will hear people talk about relapse prevention strategies all the time. All it means is that these are strategies that help you control stress and prevent you from relapsing. Strategies to prevent a relapse can be just about anything that helps you feel better about yourself and more connected with the world. It will benefit you to try new things that keep you interested and reduce your stress levels. If you've never tried a yoga class, it's time to find one in your community. If you have always wanted to paint but have never actually done it, find a way to start painting. Think about the activities that can help you release your stress and move forward. If you discover that an activity stops working for you, make another plan and look for other ways to stay sane in a hectic world.

Take the Time You Need to Heal from Addiction

Once you make the decision to get sober, you might want to rush your recovery. It is important to understand that healing from addiction takes time. The process of healing begins with detox and continues on through learning how to change behaviors and manage stress. While you can detox within a few days or more, it is the work you do after detox that is going to make all the difference in your recovery. Your sobriety only needs to managed day by day. Don't get overwhelmed with trying to get to the end, recovery is a process that continues on through your life. While you will get much better at managing without alcohol and your sobriety will be easier, it is a process that can't be rushed.

Locating an Alcohol Recovery Program

As you search through alcohol recovery programs, understand that not every program is perfect for you. There are treatment programs for alcohol addiction that offer dual diagnosis, and programs for all women or all men. If you are looking for a short-term rehabilitation program, know that it is different than a detox or sober living. In general, people move from detox to short-term rehabilitation and then consider long-term rehabilitation if they don't feel safe returning home. For individuals who can't return home, programming can continue on for several years through sober living communities.

No matter what, when you reach out for help for alcohol addiction, you are no longer alone. Talk with people in recovery and don't be afraid to ask for assistance when you need it.