Alcoholism can take a devastating toll on a person’s physical health, emotional well-being, personal relationships and professional life. However, many alcoholics manage to function effectively, holding down jobs and maintaining households. A https://thealabamadigest.com/top-5-advantages-of-staying-in-a-sober-living-house/ high-functioning alcoholic may hide their alcohol abuse for years without suffering any major losses. Under the surface, this form of alcoholism can cause severe psychological and emotional damage to the alcoholic and also their loved ones..
Symptoms of alcohol use disorder
For a period it was, “I’m an alcoholic,” and that tended to silence anyone (for clarification, I no longer identify as an alcoholic). These days, unless I’m feeling generous, I simply say, “I don’t drink,” and leave it at that. Lastly, whether enrolled in a formal treatment program or you’re still contemplating sobriety, you may benefit from mutual support groups as a part of your lifelong recovery process. Support groups can include Sober House 12-step meetings like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or non-12-step groups like SMART Recovery, which has a more secular approach. Or it could be that you’ve developed a physical health problem that you know is probably due to drinking and you want to make positive changes before things get worse. If you’re not experiencing negative health effects right now, it might be a good idea to learn about what could happen if you do keep drinking.
Develop a Structured Schedule
- Sharing a home with them adds a whole new layer of complexity.
- Many people who misuse alcohol or drugs have trouble dealing with anger.
- Sarah Allen Benton, M.S., LMHC., LPC, is a licensed mental health counselor and author of Understanding the High-Functioning Alcoholic.
- If you’re like most drinkers, you’ve likely surrounded yourself at some point with a group of people who also drink.
- The recovery process is not linear, so be prepared for some setbacks.
It addresses all areas of a person’s alcohol or drug addiction. During inpatient rehab, patients live in substance-free treatment facilities. They receive 24-hour medical care and therapeutic support. If you’re having the thought that you want to get sober and want to know how to get clean, there’s probably already an underlying motivation.
An Overview of Addiction Treatment
However, some programs require patients to live in residential facilities where they receive 24/7 supervision. Residential treatment centers usually offer long-term care and intensive monitoring. Heavy drinking over long periods of time has serious consequences – it can cause permanent changes in your brain.
Tips for providing support
If you want to practice a sober lifestyle
