Alcohol Therapy San Diego
Once alcohol detox has been safely accomplished, APEX Rehab’s Alcohol Therapy Program involves an intensive, integrative program that allows clients to get to the root of their out-of-control drinking and increase their chances of maintaining sobriety.
The rehabilitation can be done inpatient (residential rehab) or outpatient, depending on what suits the individual best. Inpatient programs can last for one, two, three months or maybe even more and they are best suited for patients who don’t have a good support network in their life (family, relatives and friends). During residential rehabilitation, the patient has constant and personalized professional supervision, which also aids the process if the patient has a history of unsuccessful abstinences.
Rehabilitation can be supported in a number of ways, with counseling and medication being fundamental. Proper nutrition is extremely beneficial because alcohol addicts tend to be deficient in vitamins A, B and C, folic acid, magnesium and zinc, selenium, carnitine, fatty acids and antioxidants. Appropriate exercise ensures the body gets a “natural high”. Finally, there are massages, acupressure, yoga, holistic healing and experiential therapies to complement the treatment and strengthen the effects of counselling and meds.
At the base of counseling programs are two approaches: motivational interviewing and cognitive behavioral therapy. These perspectives are then built upon to address the underlying and co-occurring disorders that contributed to the patient’s dependency on alcohol.
Medication which is administered under the strict supervision of our addiction physician consultant eases the abstinence symptoms, reduces the alcohol craving and/ or conditions negative reactions of the body to consumed alcohol. These meds are intended to eliminate physical distractions and allow the patient to focus on the core treatment. They can also target mental disorders the patient may be suffering from.
The final, third stage is maintenance of sobriety. This is a much longer process, which may take place for the rest of the patient’s life. Enlisting help and finding continuous support is vital, because alcohol is difficult to avoid in the modern society and temptations abound.
Alcohol is a huge, extremely serious and pervasive problem in the American society. According to the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD), around 12 percent of American adults can be classified as alcoholics and even more engage in binge drinking. It is also among the top 3 lifestyle-related causes of death among Americans.
If you are looking for a safe environment that will provide you professional, personalized and caring guidance through your alcohol recovery in San Diego, APEX Rehab is your best choice
APEX Rehab
APEX’s medically supervised alcohol detoxification program utilizes an individualized approach to treat each patient. Because of the different stages and severity of alcohol dependence, patients can expect differing levels of withdrawal during treatment. However, our highly trained staff will take all necessary steps to minimize these symptoms and help patients slowly wean off of alcohol and get back to normal life.
Alcoholism affects all segments of American life. Unlike most addictive substances, alcohol is both readily available and legal for persons over the age of 21. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism announced in 2013 that around 16.5 million of adult Americans had an alcohol abuse disorder (AUD). In addition, almost 700,000 teenagers between the ages 12 and 17 shared the same problem.
Alcohol indulgence and abuse can start very early, as can be seen from these statistics. Prolonged abuse of alcohol can, and it usually does, lead to multiple health issues that involve the cardiovascular system, the digestive system and the liver. Alcoholism can also result in depression and very serious conditions like stroke and cancer.
It’s obvious from this information that alcohol withdrawal is not an easy thing to go through if you are struggling with an alcohol problem. The severity of symptoms depends on a host of factors: the duration and scope of abuse, mental health disorders and traumas, a family history of addiction, the number of previous detoxifications, stress levels, overall physical health, etc.
“Cold turkey” detox and detox without medical supervision is extremely dangerous, because symptoms can manifest rapidly and without a warning. In extreme cases, it can even be fatal.
Symptoms of alcohol withdrawal are highly individual and that’s why a physician is the best support in the process. Symptoms can start between 2 and 8 hours after the last drink and they generally peak in the period between 48 and 72 hours, but in severe cases that can be prolonged. Physical symptoms of abstinence typically disappear after 5 to 7 days.
Mild symptoms are anxiety, insomnia, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, fatigue, increased heart rate (palpitations), confusion, mood swings and irritability and depression. Moderate symptoms are increased body temperature and blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, sweating, heightened irritability and clouded thinking and sometimes hallucinations. These hallucinations don’t feel real and that’s the main difference between them and delirium tremens (DT) which is characterized by fever, seizures, agitation and hallucinations, which the patient is not able to perceive as distorted perception. Delirium tremens happens in up to 5% of the most difficult cases. Not only is it highly dangerous without a supervising physician, but it can also occur suddenly.
Alcohol detox is an absolutely necessary step in the alcohol rehabilitation program. To alleviate this stage, the addiction physician consultant at APEX Rehab will use appropriate medications and nutrition.
