The ease with which you can obtain alcohol is at odds with its potentially devastating effects. Consider that some events such as New Year’s Eve or weddings call for alcoholic beverages to make toasts. American society, as well as most other nations, accept alcohol consumption as normal. This leads many people to view it differently from addictive street drugs. However, despite its acceptance within society, is alcohol a drug? Technically, it is. As any substance which alters your brain chemistry and perception is. In fact, alcohol is one of the more dangerous and addictive drugs out there.
Why Is Alcohol a Drug?
Just because you can legally buy it at the grocery store doesn’t mean that alcohol is safe. Like other drugs, it has addictive components and the ability to change someone’s level of conscious perception. An alcohol addiction is a devastating disease that costs plenty of sufferers their livelihoods and families.
People start drinking alcohol because it helps them loosen up a little. It might make them a little numb to the day’s disappointments and stressors. However, some individuals can’t stop after just a drink or two. Once they start, they keep going.
They might feel embarrassed later on and promise that they’ll never overindulge in alcohol again. However, they do it all over again the following evening. Over time, they form a consistent drinking habit. In some cases, they reach a point where they feel physical withdrawal symptoms when they’re not drinking.
Is Alcohol a Drug That’s as Bad as Heroin or Other Drugs?
Cocaine, prescription drugs, and heroin are the types of substances you most commonly associate with the need for addiction treatment. However, just like with those other drugs, it’s fair to say that alcohol is just as addictive. Its effects may differ as well as its physical side effects. When you visit an end-stage user, however, it’s clear that the differences in devastation are purely academic.
Does Treatment Help?
Like other drugs, alcohol dependence responds well to treatment. But because of its ready availability pretty much everywhere, therapists must take special care with relapse prevention strategies. For those struggling with alcohol addiction, Crest View Recovery Center offers hope. Characteristics of our rehab treatment program include:
- An inpatient feel without the restraints of traditional residential rehab
- Real-life living environments where you interact with peers in recovery
- Life skills development that gets you in the habit of going about your daily routine without alcohol
- Evidence-based addiction therapy services that help you cope with stressors and counteract negative thought patterns
- Trauma treatment for program participants whose addictive tendencies hearken back to unresolved events in their pasts
- Reality based therapy that puts individuals in real-world situations and helps them practice using new coping skills
If you or a loved one struggle with an alcohol problem, you don’t have to suffer any longer. At Crest View Recovery Center, our staff will meet you where you are in your recovery with a truly individualized rehab experience. Call 866-327-2505 today to learn more.
