Alcohol Rehabilitation: The Opportunity to Know Feelings Again

Alcohol, a depressant, effects the nervous system in ways virtually indistinguishable from the most powerful depressant medications known. This contradicts the time honored image of alcohol consumption as a recreational endeavor. Many confuse euphoria and diminishing inhibitions, the initial effect of a drink or two, with energy and enthusiasm, acting on those feelings with entertaining optimism, even hilarity. But alcohol ultimately gets its way. "In alcohol rehabilitation, they asked me why I drank," says John G, then a New Jersey cable installer, now a Chicago business executive. "I said because I was depressed." He shrugs. "They taught me that alcohol, also known as ethanol, by the way, is a chemical poisonous to man because it depresses the central nervous system. They said if a person drinks enough of that poison, it will kill him. I had to learn that I didn't drink because I was depressed; I was depressed because I drank." John's lesson came in a New York drug rehab center, one of thousands of alcohol and drug addiction treatment facilities across the country. Drug rehab New York, drug rehab NJ or alcohol rehab Illinois, the message is the same: The price we ultimately pay is death. And the danger is enhanced when those predisposed to depression use alcohol as a medication because of its initial effects. This has brought about a special sensitivity to psychological issues presented by clients who seek expert help. The rise of "dual-diagnosis" specialists testifies to the frequency with which depression, anxiety disorders or bi-polarity (manic depression) is identified in rehab centers. Such sufferers have, if nothing else, one thing in common: they use alcohol as medication. And most often they don't even know it. Sobriety, in itself, is not enough for those who suffer dual diagnoses. After the client is "de-toxed," and the chemical that numbs the pain is removed from his or her system, the depression, the confusion and the fear remain. This sets them apart from others who, once detoxified, experience the subsequent "pink cloud" so often referred to by recovering alcoholics. The dually diagnosed, on the other hand, often feel more despair than ever. This requires specialized case management either implemented or arranged by the recovery center. It is usually a comprehensive, extended approach to treatment that focuses on the client achieving his or her goals within the context of not only abstinence, but continuing attention to the accompanying disorder. Twelve Palms Recovery Center, experts in private, compassionate alcohol rehabilitation, focus their efforts on the individual. They also emphasize the importance of the 12-step model by not only encouraging AA attendance, but hosting AA meetings, as well. For additional information call 866-331-6779 any time, 24 hours a day.