Alcohol Abuse Treatment - Alcohol Rehab Directory

New York State has many residents who suffer with alcohol abuse problems. Alcohol abuse is a serious medical and social problem, but is not the same as alcoholism. Alcohol abuse is the intentional overuse of alcohol, i.e., to the point of drunkenness. This includes occasional and celebratory over-drinking. Not all people who abuse alcohol become alcoholics, but alcohol abuse by itself can have serious medical effects. Overuse of alcohol is considered to be: more than 3-4 drinks per occasion for women and more than 4-5 drinks per occasion for men. One drink equals one (12-ounce) bottle of beer or wine cooler, one (5-ounce) glass of wine, or one and a half ounces of liquor.

For many people in New York, alcohol abuse treatment is necessary to put an end to their self-destructive ways. When you reach out for help from a professional alcohol abuse treatment program, you begin the first stage of your recovery. Whether you seek help voluntarily or are forced by circumstances to enter New York alcohol abuse treatment, your recovery process will begin with you initiating professional treatment.

In the early hours and days of your alcohol abuse treatment program you probably will have some ambivalent feelings about giving up alcohol permanently and you may think that your substance abuse problem is not as bad as others. Beware. Ambivalence and denial can be your worse enemies in the first days of your recovery.

Once you have made a commitment to continue New York alcohol abuse treatment for your alcohol abuse problem, you will enter the stage of rehab known as early abstinence. This can be the toughest stage to cope with because of many factors, including continued alcohol detox withdrawal symptoms, physical cravings, psychological dependence and a host of triggers that can tempt you into a relapse.

New York alcohol detox programs are designed to help you through alcohol withdrawal. Alcohol detox is the process of allowing the body to rid itself of alcohol while managing the symptoms of withdrawal. It is often the first step in an alcohol abuse treatment program and should be followed by alcohol rehab. Alcohol detox alone with no follow-up is not sufficient to make a complete recovery from alcohol abuse.

Once alcohol detox is complete you will continue with New York alcohol rehab. It is during this early stage that your trained addiction counselor will begin to teach you the coping skills that you need to begin to lead a sober lifestyle. The tools that you learn to use now will help you throughout your recovery.

During your New York alcohol rehab, you will probably receive individual counseling with a trained addictions counselor and you will possibly participate daily in group therapy meetings with others at the facility. These sessions are designed to begin to teach you the skills that you will need to live life without alcohol. You will learn how to recognize situations in which you are most likely to drink and how to avoid these circumstances if possible. You will learn new coping skills.

The group sessions are designed to teach you the value of seeking support from others who are going through the same experiences and challenges that you are. In some facilities, these group sessions may be actual 12 step meetings. In other alcohol rehab programs, they may be facilitated by staff members.

Many successful New York alcohol rehab programs will include members of your family in your alcohol abuse treatment program. Research has shown that including family and friends in the educational process significantly improves alcohol rehab outcomes. Some programs include family members and friends throughout the entire rehab process, from the initial assessment through continued follow-up aftercare. In the family meetings, your family members will learn about the dynamics of addiction, learn to identify strengths and resources to help encourage you in your recovery, discuss how they have been affected by your alcohol abuse and learn how they also can begin to heal their own wounds.