Benefits of Inpatient Alcohol Treatment

Inpatient alcohol treatment offers around the clock monitoring.

There are many physical and psychological advantages to inpatient alcohol treatment versus the type of treatment and care that can be received in an outpatient program. Alcoholics face various problems physically, socially, emotionally, spiritually and psychologically that must be dealt with during treatment. Many of the benefits of inpatient alcohol treatment relate to these factors and the ability for around-the-clock monitoring and support to provide an environment that is safe, clean and conducive to recovery from alcohol addiction.

As an alcoholic, there are many challenges that come with the decision to quit drinking and these challenges are often burdened with the overwhelming desire to drink. Despite an individual’s proposition to get well and to get sober, his or her physical and psychological self may be outwardly screaming, “I need a drink!” It is this craving, the uncontrollable urge to drink despite the known problems that the alcohol consumption is causing that makes inpatient alcohol treatment so beneficial to the recovery process. Here’s why:

• The addict is removed from the environment in which he or she regularly drinks and may take part in drinking with others. There is no alcohol allowed in an inpatient alcohol treatment center which means that there is no chance of relapse occurring while the individual in in treatment.

• Negative influences are removed from the situation. You may think that there are likely to be more negative influences in an inpatient alcohol treatment center because the place is full of alcoholics, but this isn’t true. There are actually fewer negative influences in an inpatient treatment facility simply because there are not friends, drinking buddies and codependents involved in the scenario.

• Medical attention for withdrawal symptoms. For some people who suffer from alcoholism, the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal are so severe that medical attention is an absolute necessity. For others, medical attention can divert a potential for relapse—either way, these are benefits to inpatient alcohol treatment that cannot be missed.

• Around-the-clock monitoring and support for safety & security. A major benefit to inpatient alcohol treatment comes with the consistent and very much constant support and monitoring that comes with this method of treatment. The addict is safe and secure under the watch of medical professionals and counselors who can ensure the best chance for success in recovery.

• Forced to focus on recovery. It may seem redundant but the fact is, it’s often necessary to almost force an addict to recover. Inpatient alcohol treatment essentially forces recovery by keeping the addict away from alcohol and providing them with 24 hours a day to focus on their own recovery.

• Ability to build lifelong peer relationships with others in recovery. Inpatient alcohol treatment places the addict in an environment where others are also receiving treatment for alcoholism and thus allows them to create bonds with other people who are living a life of recovery. This peer support can be very beneficial for a recovering alcoholic.

• Dual diagnosis treatment options to ensure complete recovery. Many alcoholics drink because they are attempting to self-medicate some other problem such as depression, anxiety or pain. Inpatient alcohol treatment provides patients with effective care for both their alcoholism and for any underlying conditions or co-occurring disorders which may be at the heart of the addiction itself.

• Guaranteed access to meetings, group therapy and supportive treatment. By entering into an inpatient alcohol treatment program, the patient is guaranteed access to the treatment, support and group sessions that have been proven to be effective at helping people overcome alcoholism. There are to be no excuses such as, “I didn’t have a ride” or “I forgot.” The patient is in the facility where the group and individual therapy sessions are held which means there is no forgetting or missing out.

Resources

http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/support-treatment