Alcohol Abuse Treatment - Alcohol Rehab Directory

In Arkansas, alcohol abuse is characterized as consuming more than 5 drinks in men and 4 drinks in women. Alcohol abuse is known for increases in vandalism, fights, injuries, drunk driving, trouble with police, and negative health, social, economic, and legal consequences. Arkansas alcohol abuse is also associated with neurocognitive deficits of frontal lobe processing and impaired working memory as well as delayed auditory and verbal memory deficits. A person who suffers from an alcohol abuse problem in Arkansas will often complain of difficulty with interpersonal relationships, problems at work or school, legal problems, irritability and insomnia.

Signs of alcohol abuse are related to alcohol's effects on organ systems. However, while these findings are often present, they are not necessary to make a diagnosis of alcohol abuse. Signs of alcohol's effects on the central nervous system acutely include inebriation and poor judgment; chronic anxiety, irritability, and insomnia. Alcohol abuse effects on the liver include elevated liver function tests (classically AST is at least twice as high as ALT). Prolonged alcohol abuse leads to cirrhosis and failure of the liver. Those who suffer from alcohol abuse and develop cirrhosis means they are no longer able to process hormones and toxins. The skin of a patient with alcoholic cirrhosis can feature cherry angiomas, palmar erythema - and in fulminant liver failure - jaundice and ascities. The derangements of the endocrine system leads to gynecomastia. Inability to process toxins leads to hepatic encephalopathy.

Once you’ve made the decision to put an end to your alcohol abuse, it’s time to explore your alcohol abuse treatment choices. As you consider the options, keep the following in mind:

• There is no magic bullet or single alcohol abuse treatment that works for everyone. When considering a program, remember that everyone’s needs are different. Alcohol abuse treatment should be customized to your unique problems and situation. It’s important that you find a program that feels right.
• Alcohol abuse treatment should address more than just your drinking. Addiction affects your whole life, including your relationships, career, health, and psychological well-being. Arkansas alcohol abuse treatment success depends on examining the way alcohol abuse has impacted you and developing a new way of living.
• Commitment and follow-through are key. Alcohol abuse treatment is not a quick and easy process. In general, the longer and more intense the alcohol use, the longer and more intense the treatment you’ll need. But regardless of the Arkansas alcohol abuse treatment program’s length in weeks or months, long-term follow-up care is crucial to recovery.

Alcohol detox, like drug detox, is usually accomplished in an inpatient medical facility. The key to a successful, planned alcohol detox is preparation. The first job of therapy is to bring the patient to a point of readiness to change their drinking behavior. Second, patients need to be given accurate information about what to expect during their alcohol detox.

There are two alcohol detox withdrawal categories: minor, meaning early withdrawal and major, meaning late. The severity of withdrawal depends greatly on the duration of alcohol used. Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome (AWS) falls into three main categories: central nervous system (CNS) excitation, excessive function of the autonomic nervous system (ANS), and cognitive dysfunction.

After Arkansas alcohol detox is completed the patient will enter into alcohol rehab. Effective alcohol rehab programs attend to multiple needs of the individual, not just his or her drinking and drug use. To be effective, alcohol rehab must address the individual's alcohol use and any associated medical, psychological, social, vocational, and legal problems.

An individual's alcohol rehab plan must be assessed continually and modified as necessary to ensure that the plan meets the person's changing needs. A patient may require varying combinations of services and alcohol rehab components during the course of treatment and recovery. In addition to counseling or psychotherapy, a patient at times may require other medical services, family therapy, parenting instruction, vocational rehabilitation, and social and legal services. It is critical that the Arkansas alcohol rehab approach be appropriate to the individual's age, gender, ethnicity, and culture.