Overcoming addiction can be challenging for many people, which can be worse for those self-medicating with alcohol. If you find yourself in such a situation, it’s critical to seek the right treatment at a Northern Illinois rehab center to avoid severe consequences.
Some people may want to quit drinking alcohol, but relapse after going through anxiety, depression, grief, and other severe withdrawal symptoms. If you’re struggling to overcome alcohol use disorders, a rehab center can help through services such as:
- Alcohol addiction treatment
- Dual-diagnosis therapy
- Depression treatment program
- Intensive outpatient program
- Dialectical behavior therapy
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Insight Into Self-Medicating With Alcohol
If you’re drinking for self-medication, you should know that this problem affects many people in the US. Many people struggle with this disorder despite mental issues and stigmatization. It’s common to experience grief at some point in someone’s life, and many people in the US may go through traumatic experiences.
Other people may struggle with physical pain, career-related stress, anxiety, and depression. Alcohol is socially acceptable and easy to get, so many people may resort to consuming it to ease their troubles.
Self-medication can be a challenging experience because dependency occurs on different levels. While some kinds of treatment may seem to help overcome physical addiction, the individual may continue living with psychological and emotional issues.
Those struggling with alcohol addiction need individualized strategies according to their needs. Some people try to quit drinking without the help of a supervised treatment program, but this is ill-advised. At a rehab center, you can learn new ways of self-care, medication, and mental support.
Medications for Alcoholism
Although alcohol use prescription drugs may primarily focus on craving and physical dependency, they can also make a proper foundation for other forms of treatment. For example, Naltrexone suppresses the urges for drinking, so your body gradually adapts to staying without alcohol. On the other hand, Acamprosate can balance your brain’s chemicals that keep you drinking.
Topiramate and gabapentin can assist by reducing anxiety (plus other alcohol triggers) and decrease your interest in the substance.
While these drugs don’t eliminate the motivating issues for self-medication, they reduce the withdrawal effects, enabling you to focus on the underlying problems.
Mental and Emotional Support
You’ll need to have at least one support system when you want to overcome self-medicating with alcohol. A recovery coaching program can be useful as it involves an experienced person helping you. The coach may assist in the formulation of plans and ensuring you follow them.
Experts understand where to get the proper resources for each phase of treatment. Therefore, coping with trauma or changing a belief you have about yourself requires support and guidance from a professional.
If you can’t access a rehab center, choose a telehealth therapy program where you can meet via Skype with a doctor. However, you must still schedule a face-to-face meeting sooner rather than later.
New Self-Care Approaches
Those who cover problems through self-medication may find it challenging to deal with glaring challenges after quitting. Try practicing self-compassion, mindfulness, and positive thinking for the best results.
Self-medication may seem to be a working strategy, but this is only on the surface. It can cause severe damages to the victim, and the best way is to have plans that can work on a long-term basis.
Self-care is an ideal way to deal with pain and shift your focus to other important areas of your life.
Look to Northern Illinois Recovery Center for Help
Are you self-medicating with alcohol? The Northern Illinois Recovery Center is your trusted partner on the road to recovery. According to statistics, alcohol use disorders can ruin different areas of your life, but we’ll help you or a loved one receive the much-needed treatment. Contact us at 855.786.1978 to start your journey to sobriety.
Licensed Physician and Surgeon
Dr. Beth Dunlap, a board-certified addiction medicine and family medicine physician, and is the medical director at Northern Illinois Recovery Center. She is responsible for overseeing all the integrated medical services at both campuses. Beth completed medical school, residency, and fellowship at Northwestern University, where she continues to serve on the faculty as a member of the Department of Family and Community Medicine. She has extensive experience in addiction medicine at all levels of care, and her clinical interests include integrated primary care and addiction medicine, harm reduction, and medication-assisted treatment.
© 2023 Northern Illinois Recovery.