The problem of Alcoholism
Problem drinking is often not enjoyable for the suffering alcoholic. Even though it costs them their dignity and the respect of their family alcoholics continue drinking. Sometimes the alcoholic will deny that there is a problem. They will use all sorts of excuses like "I still go to work every day", "I don't drink every night", "Drinking whiskey in morning coffee is acceptable", "I can stop drinking anytime". In fact more often than not the alcoholic is the last person to know that she has a drinking problem - it is the people around her that point it out.

Not every person who drinks alcohol is an alcoholic. There are many signs and symptoms that we could list. But it is really up to the conscience of the individual alcoholic to decide if drinking is a problem. We can help a person make that decision but we cannot force them.

What will an alcohol treatment program offer me?

If quitting drinking was easy then we wouldn't have alcoholics. The truth is that getting sober and staying sober is a difficult undertaking. Many people have tried and failed to get sober without help. The fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous was formed with the recognition that Bill W and Doctor Bob were able to help each other stay clean - even if they were unable to stay clean individually.

In those days treatment for alcoholics involved locking them up in a mental institution, drying them out, and releasing them some time later. Some of those institutions still have spider pits which in the Victorian era were used to cure phobias through extreme exposure!

We have progressed since then, largely thanks to American research, and can now offer safe a medically supervised detox followed by psychotherapy designed to address the core of alcoholism.

Many programs see themselves as a "jump start" into recovery and strongly recommend continued adherence to the 12 step program to maintain recovery and promote further personal growth. Going to drug rehab and attending a 12 step fellowship are not mutually exclusive.

What is alcoholism?

Most members of the medical fraternity understand alcoholism to be a disease. It does not need a specific reason to occur and is definitely not the result of a moral failing or defect of character

Alcoholism is a progressive illness. The longer a person stays sick the worse the illness becomes. The longer a person drinks the worse the problem becomes.

Alcoholism is fatal. Death can occur through organ failure or through accidents that occur while the alcoholic is drunk. Many fatal driving accidents are actually the result of chronic alcoholism left unchecked.

Alcholism is seen as a family illness. It affects the lives of all the people around the alcoholic. Certain syndomes, such as "Adult Child of Alcoholic", are associated with family members of alcoholics. Having an alcoholic in the family disrupts the smooth functioning of that family and presents nearly daily crises for them to deal with.

Alcholism creates problems in many spheres of life: work, family, friends, church, financial, legal, emotional, physical and mental health. All of these problems compound on each other and in the mind of the alcoholic he simply cannot cope with all of them. To the alcoholic these problems are an excuse to drink - even if it was drinking that created them. A well known author in the field summed this up brilliantly "I drink to overcome the problems that drinking creates".

Although we say that Alcoholism is a disease for which we are not responsible, we believe that we are responsible for our recovery. Failing to take that personal responsibility will allow this illness to run rampant.

From problem to solution

If an alcoholic acknowledges that her drinking is a problem she will no doubt try to dry out independently. If she fails then her misery will be made worse. The good news is that in most countries there are considerable treatment resources available to alcoholics. The AA fellowship alone has a world-wide presence.

The truth is that this illness will not simply go away. Being aware of the problem, and not doing anything about it is not likely to be of any use. Some people say that there most miserable times were when they knew they had a problem with alcohol but continued to drink anyway.

Few people want to openly acknowledge that they have an alcohol addiction problem. There is still a social stigma attached to this label. Luckily alcohol treatment centres are bound by strict confidentiality laws and the alcoholic is spared from having to publically admit their alcoholism. Admitting the problem to yourself is really the first step towards finding lasting sobriety.

Alcohol Rehabilitation
Millions of people around the world agree that gettting and staying sober is not easy. It requires the alcoholic to adopt a new set of behaviours and attitudes. Problems that were once obliterated by getting drunk now need to be dealt with sober. Responsibilities that could be forgotten while drunk now need to be faced up to. Denial of the problem needs to be replaced with an eagerness to take responsibility for personal recovery. None of these are easy tasks - we suggest that you do not attempt to do them alone!

However, living sober is less complicated and more enjoyable than living with the problems of alcoholism. The sober alcoholic is still confronted with the normal struggles of life but these are not made worse by the presence of alcohol. Family life is restored to harmony, employment options become viable, social situations become easier, and a sense of belonging and serenity takes hold. Recovery is worth it - the light at the end of the tunnel is not a train!

There are many competing programs and facilities each of which employs a slightly different technique. We do not like to hold one method of treatment above another. We believe that each person has individual needs and that matches the individual to a treatment program is important to improving treatment outcomes. It is important for you to understand your needs and how the facility will meet them before being admitted to an alcohol treatment center. We Do Recover can help you find a South African option for treatment - you will find that the favourable exchange rate will mean that you can afford a higher quality of treatment.

A good alcohol treatment program will address many facets of the individual. It will most likely employ a diverse selection of professionals who work together as a team to provide a rich understanding of the individual. It should employ professional cooks to provide meals that cater for kosher, halaal, vegetarian, and individual health requirements.