The Cure for Alcoholism: The Truth Behind the Treatments
With nearly 18 million people in the country dealing with alcoholism, there are still no straightforward answers for treatment. While there are many ways to deal with alcohol addiction, a single cure for alcoholism is still years away. It takes a multivalent approach to fix an addiction.
Going cold turkey works for the rare individual who isn’t genetically predisposed to addiction. With a very severe addiction, going cold turkey could cause a shock to the system. A body that’s used to taking in a certain amount of alcohol every day could react badly when that’s taken away.
A quick and simple solution won’t always keep someone with an addiction from relapsing back into their addiction. Rather than seek out a cure for alcoholism, why not try one of these 4 ways of treating alcohol addiction.
1. Group Therapy
Whether we’re talking about Alcoholics Anonymous or just a general group therapy to talk about what triggers the addiction, talking is important. People have unique and individual reasons for seeking out alcohol as a solution to their problems. Getting an understanding of the underlying issues of an addiction can help to fix them.
Sometimes hearing someone else’s struggle can help us deal with our own.
2. Intervention
If you’re a close friend or family member of someone with an alcohol addiction, it can be hard to live with. Your friend or family member could lie to you or manipulate you in favor of their addiction.
Getting friends and family together to intervene can be painful and stressful. If your loved one won’t seem to stop, putting together an intervention could turn them around.
3. Rehabilitation
If talking about issues won’t work, sometimes rehabilitation is necessary. There are a variety of inpatient and outpatient options available. Checking into a facility and focusing on getting help could ensure that the habit is kicked without the high risk of relapsing.
See what Salt Lake City rehabilitation centers have to offer. The perfect program could save your loved one’s life.
4. Naltrexone
While it’s still in its experimental phases, an older medication once used for dealing with opioids has proven useful for fighting alcoholism. While it doesn’t block intoxication, naltrexone has other useful effects. It’s best when taken an hour before drinking.
The drinker will still go through all of the bodily impairments that go along with getting intoxicated. Motor control will function differently, response times will go down, and thinking will be impaired. However, without all of the positive feelings associated with drinking, cravings will go down.
A Cure For Alcoholism Is Coming
There’s no clear cure that’s emerged from the pharmaceutical world yet, but it will come soon. A cure for alcoholism could save families, jobs, and even the lives of people struggling with addiction.
If you’re interested in other ways to pursue self-improvement, check out our guide to the best habits for turning your life around.