Alcohol Addiction

Oasis Recovery Communities Runcorn offers a full medically assisted detox for those suffering with a dependency to alcohol or alcohol abuse problem. Alcohol addiction is medically recognised as a chronic relapsing brain condition; it requires specialist help and treatment to overcome.

Alcoholism presents in varying forms but has two common characteristics:

1. Once the sufferer starts drinking, they invariably lose control over the amount they consume and their actions whilst intoxicated
2. Despite wanting to stop, or attempting to stay stopped, they find themselves in a vicious circle of continuation or relapse.

Alcohol addiction is a very serious condition and left untreated can be life threatening. Due to the nature of the illness, most individuals suffering from alcoholism find it impossible to stop without medical and psychosocial intervention. As an illness that affects the sufferer both physically and psychologically it has an extremely high mortality rate, with very few finding recovery without the correct treatment and support.

Alcohol Treatment

Most individuals will know of at least one person or family member who shows the signs of having a problem with alcohol, but getting them to seek treatment can be a difficult task. For anyone with an alcohol addiction, the first step has to be to safely remove the alcohol through a detoxification process. Once their system is clear of alcohol, psychological measures and treatment can then be of maximum benefit. Rehabilitation is a vital part of addiction treatment and helps to lay the foundations for a long and healthy recovery.

Oasis Recovery Communities Runcorn specialise in medically monitored detoxes. Our rehabilitation clinic offers a safe and nurturing place in which the individual can undergo detox whilst being monitored by professionals. Our client’s safety is paramount at all times and we will do all we can to support them and make the process as comfortable as possible. We strongly recommend that any individual undergoing a detox also stay for a minimum of 4 weeks primary care programme. This gives them the opportunity to stabilise and clear their head, and us the opportunity to lay the basic foundations of recovery with them.

Understanding Alcohol Addiction

Alcohol addiction can present in many different ways; the stereotypical alcoholic is of the man or woman who has lost everything they hold dear in life; homeless and shunned by society, they live to drink and drink to live. The reality is that alcoholism can affect ANYONE. Regardless of age, sex and social standing. It is a medical condition and not the person’s fault that they have it, however, it is their responsibility to seek and engage in the correct treatment. We treat patients from all walks of life; no individual is immune from alcohol addiction.

NHS alcohol guidelines can be helpful in establishing if you or a loved one is drinking too much, but it does not necessarily mean you are an alcoholic or have an addiction. Those who do not have an addiction will be able to moderate their drinking or stop altogether if a sufficient reason comes into play. They may even require a little medical help in doing this if they have become physically dependent. Ultimately, they still have that power to make sane decisions when it comes to alcohol, their health and their personal relationships. They do not suffer with the overwhelming compulsion to drink and loss of control that alcoholic’s experience.

With an alcohol addict, the crux of the problem very much centres in the individual’s mind. Even once the alcohol has been removed or stopped, it is very likely that they will be maladjusted to dealing with life and relationships. The illness remains even once the alcohol has been stopped. Due to suffering from a chronic relapsing brain condition, it is likely that they will be compelled to drink again. Alcoholism is a progressive illness, so over any given period of time the sufferer is likely to deteriorate and their alcoholism escalate. Relapses always take them back to the same painful consequences and worse.

Many alcoholics who manage to stop drinking, after a period of time, and having reconstructed their life, fall foul to the delusional belief that they can drink again and this time it will be different. Our experience shows that it is never different for an alcoholic, and that to drink is to die. Alcoholism is not due to a lack of willpower; they suffer from a mental compulsion to drink that overrides any sane and rational thinking. It is for this reason that those suffering from an alcohol addiction must undergo therapeutic treatment to unearth and overcome the root causes of their illness and learn new healthier methods of managing their thoughts and emotions.

Am I Addicted to Alcohol?

Answering the following questions honestly may help you to identify if you or a loved one are suffering from alcoholism and require professional help and treatment. There is no shame in suffering from an illness that is beyond your own control. So please do not let shame stop you from asking for help

• Once you start drinking, you are unable to control the amount you drink?
• Whilst intoxicated does your personality change?
• Do you often feel remorse around your actions after a drinking bout?
• Do you drink essentially for the effect and often binge on alcohol?
• Do you continue to drink despite good reasons not to: health warnings, relationship breakdowns, loss of jobs, strained finances, depression or another recognised mental health illness?
• Do you hide the true extent of your drinking from others in order to avoid being questioned?
• Do you regularly drink alone
• When drinking with others, do you lose control of your behaviours and often break your own moral code of personal conduct?
• Do you need alcohol in order to be able to face life and function
• Without alcohol, do you feel ill at ease, agitated, restless, lost, without purpose and empty?
• Do you set yourself goals around controlling your drinking but are unable to stick to them?
• Is alcohol affecting other areas of your life?
• Do you want to quit drinking but find you cannot?
• If you go without a drink, do you develop withdrawal symptoms such as: shaking, anxiety, insomnia, sweating, nervousness, nausea or vomiting?

If you are at all unsure whether you or your loved one have an addiction to alcohol, please call and speak to one of our members of staff who will be happy to help and advise you.

Medical Alcohol Detox

We understand that giving up alcohol is a very frightening prospect for an individual with an alcohol addiction. It is this fear that keeps so many alcoholics in the perpetual cycle of self-destruction. We specialise in medically assisted detoxes. Essentially this means that we manage your withdrawal symptoms using an approved medication prescribed by a qualified doctor, experienced in treating alcohol dependency. Throughout the process you will receive support from our Counsellors, therapist and Recovery workers.

Attempting to stop alcohol abruptly, or without medical support when there is a dependency present is extremely dangerous and can be life threatening. Detox doesn’t need to be uncomfortable or frightening, we have the medical and therapeutic means to support you and ensure you remain safe and comfortable throughout your stay. Furthermore for all those that complete treatment with us, you will have the added benefit of 1-year complimentary aftercare to help you stay alcohol free and on the right track.

Our Doctor comprehensively assesses all patients that come to Oasis recovery Communities Runcorn before the medical detox begins. Clinically proven to be the safest way to withdraw from alcohol, your detox will be continually monitored and supported by our experienced and dedicated staff. You will complete your detox feeling and looking much healthier and clearer in mind. No one needs to die from alcohol addiction, and we are passionate about saving lives. One call to us could be the start of an alcohol free life!

Government Guidelines to Safe Alcohol Consumption

If you are suffering from alcohol addiction, and your experience shows you are unable to control the amount you drink, there is no safe amount of alcohol; complete abstinence is the only way to recover.

Government guidelines can be useful in determining if you are drinking more than your body can safely process. They can be a starting point to admitting you have a problem.

If you are drinking over and above the recommended government guidelines, yet are unable to reduce or stop completely, call us for further information on how we can help you.

The current government guidelines, issued by the UK’s Department of Health, for safe drinking are:

• For men it is no more than 14 units a week, with a recommendation of no more than three units in any one-day and at least two alcohol-free days per week.
• For women it is no more than 14 units of alcohol a week, with a recommended limit of no more than three units per day and, again, two alcohol-free days per week.
• The guidelines for pregnant women are that they should drink no more than 1-2 units once or twice a week.

If you or your loved one need help for an addiction to alcohol, don’t delay life-saving treatment; call us now for a free assessment or informal chat. We can help you take the right steps towards a full and permanent recovery from alcohol addiction.