How to Guide a Loved One to Seek Alcohol Detox

How to guide a loved One to Seek Alcohol Detox

Addiction is difficult to live with, as it disrupts life and makes it dysfunctional. Oftentimes individuals suffering from substance use disorders are in denial that they have a problem. They feel they are in control and can stop abusing alcohol or drugs whenever they choose to. A minority of those afflicted by the disease of addiction, whether to alcohol, opiates or benzos, face the reality that they have an addiction problem. Given this, it is easy to see why most people suffering from addiction fail to access addiction treatment in a timely manner.


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Usually, it is a challenge for the loved ones of people suffering from addiction to convince them to enter addiction treatment. The fact that most treatment facilities adhere to the outdated inpatient detoxification or residential rehab model for addiction treatment only adds to the resistance to enter substance use disorder treatment, as it conveys the message that people suffering from addiction are somehow anti-social and need to be isolated from their own communities. Also, people suffering from addiction view inpatient alcohol detoxification in New Jersey or residential treatment programs as punishment for suffering from a disease.

To sum it up, there are primarily three challenges to helping a loved one to enter treatment for alcohol addiction or to other substances: their own denial, stigma associated with treatment that removes them from their own communities and insensitive addiction treatment models that condemn individuals suffering from addiction. Here are some ways how you could try to deal with these issues.

Denial:

This is not easy! Loved ones of those suffering from addiction find this to be a huge challenge. However, it can be done. The first step is to arm yourself with facts before you have a conversation with a loved one about their addiction to substances. Google is your friend! Google facts about signs and symptoms of addiction. Unkempt appearance, loss of interest in hobbies, absences/tardiness at school/work, unwarranted irritation, negative impact on job or academic performance, etc. are telltale signs. Log ones that you observe with date and time. Besides Google can also educate you about the negative impact on one’s health from excessive abuse of drugs or alcohol. For alcohol, there are official guidelines that establish mild, moderate and excessive consumption benchmarks for men and women.

Repeated presentation of facts should help to reduce denial and increase willingness to explore treatment options.

Reduce Stigma – Suggest Outpatient Addiction Treatment Options:

Most individuals suffering from addiction dread the fact that they will be removed from their living environment and sent away to an inpatient or residential facility in order to access treatment. Remember that outpatient treatment options, including ambulatory detoxification for alcohol, opiates and benzos, have become available over the past few years. Presenting outpatient treatment options to the individual afflicted by the disease of addiction could help reduce resistance to engaging in addiction treatment.

Eliminate Negative Labeling – Addiction is a Disease:

Science has proven that addiction is a chronic brain disease due to changes in the brain caused by even moderate abuse of substances over a short period of time. Research facts about addiction and avoid attaching negative labels to the person suffering from addiction. Remember that addiction is not a behavioral problem or a moral issue. So, it would not be productive to engage in a blame game that serves to alienate the person addicted to a substance. Changes in the brain trigger cravings that, unless satisfied, inhibit normal functioning. In other words, only the continued use of substances helps the person who has become chemically dependent on the substance feel normal enough to function optimally.

Basing the conversation on the fact that addiction is a disease will help lower resistance and create a positive environment for fruitful conversations. Keep the conversation objective and goal oriented, “We have a problem. How do we solve it together?”

Getting Help:

Firstly, seek medical help in treating the disease of addiction. Not only is it more effective, it is also safe. Believe it or not, even coming off of alcohol, which people believe to be benign, can be dangerous unless attempted in a medical detox facility. Alcohol withdrawal Management can cause seizures or stroke, which needs to be prevented and, therefore, safe Alcohol Detox in New Jersey can only be done in a medical detox facility. There are many treatment options for alcohol dependence in New Jersey, but remember that outpatient alcohol detox is not only a safe and effective option, it is also likely to be more acceptable to the individual affected as it lowers stigma and treats addiction to alcohol as a disease and not as a behavioral issue.

Alcohol Withdrawal Management

Alcohol Withdrawal Detox Management

Alcohol Addiction

If you are unable to stop consuming alcohol despite wanting to, or despite negative consequences, you may have become dependent on alcohol.
Alcohol withdrawal syndrome can develop when you suddenly stop drinking alcohol after a period of frequent and substantial consumption, be it vodka, whiskey, wine or beer.

If you try to stop consuming alcohol and experience alcohol withdrawal symptoms, it is chemical dependence. Dependence on Alcohol can develop even after just a few months of intense use. Drinking more alcohol than intended, or drinking alcohol at odd times of the day may negatively impact your relationships, social functioning and work performance.

Alcohol is a disinhibitor and the chances of indulging in risky behaviors increases after alcohol use. If you cannot stop consuming alcohol despite a visible increase in risky behavior, you may have a hard time quitting. Many individuals suffer from a dependence on alcohol – as per the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, more than 15 million adults in the United States suffered from an alcohol use disorder in 2015. That number has only increased sharply in 2020 due to stress and isolation related to Covid-19.

Understanding the dangers of alcohol abuse and the dangers of quitting cold turkey can help you make informed treatment choices. Alcohol is one
of the most commonly consumed beverages in the world and it may not be perceived as a “dangerous” substance when compared to, say, heroin,
which conjures up a host of negative images.

However, alcohol withdrawal can be much more dangerous than withdrawal from heroin, as it can cause seizures. Consequently, it is important to seek medical assistance at a detoxification facility when trying to quit alcohol.

What Causes Alcohol Withdrawal?

Alcohol is considered as a ‘sedative hypnotic’ – it depresses the central nervous system, but people benefit from the feeling of relaxation it delivers. In limited quantities, alcohol stimulates good conversation and reduces social anxiety. However, when consumed in large quantities, defined as more than 4 drinks for a man and more than 3 drinks for a woman in a day, could lead to drowsiness, impaired motor function, difficulty breathing and blackouts.

As a depressant, alcohol has an effect on the brain and the nervous system. It also slows down brain function and changes the way nerves communicate with each other. Your body actually works hard to keep the brain in an “awake” state and nerves communicating with each other. It is
used to having alcohol around all the time and is now always in this high alert state.

When you stop using alcohol, the brain keeps going at this 90 miles per hour speed which causes the withdrawal. Alcohol withdrawal symptoms include anxiety, insomnia, shaky hands, headache, nausea, vomiting, and sweating. Some may also develop delirium tremens, hallucinations high blood pressure, and memory loss. Alcohol withdrawal can also bring on seizures, stroke or even death. That is why alcohol detox needs to happen in a medical setting with appropriate monitoring.

Luckily there are many alcohol detox centers in New jersey that can effectively address the problem. Whether you are located in Ocean county, or Morris county, in Short Hills or in Toms River or in Edison, there is always a treatment center near you. Alcohol withdrawal in New Jersey can be treated through outpatient detoxification or inpatient detoxification. While Inpatient detoxification has been the norm for alcohol detox to address alcohol withdrawal symptoms in New Jersey, the new, innovative model is outpatient, ambulatory detoxification. Ambulatory Detox centers in New Jersey can address alcohol withdrawal as effectively and safely as inpatient detoxification, while providing the added advantage of integrating the home environment into treatment. Because the patient has the convenience of going home to their family at the end of each day in detox, they can test the skills learned in therapy and find out what works and does not work. This flexibility delivers better results to the patient because when they finish treatment they have adapted a set of coping skills that is best suited to their own living situation, not a generic one.

Safety is Important in Managing Alcohol Withdrawal

At New Jersey-based Center for Network Therapy NJ, our clinical team is highly experienced in managing withdrawal from alcohol. Customized medication protocols are adopted to ensure that the detox process is safe and smooth.

If you are looking for a safe and highly effective alcohol treatment program, please contact us for a smoother road to recovery. Call a treatment expert today if you or a loved one is experiencing alcohol withdrawal symptoms.
Personalized and safe rehabilitation is extremely important for us at the Center for Network Therapy. If you experience the alcohol withdrawal
symptoms listed below, please don’t hesitate to contact us for a consultation at no cost to you. The Center for Network Therapy has 3 locations: West Orange, New Jersey, Middlesex, New Jersey and Freehold, New Jersey.

 

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