140.6 million Americans ages 12 and older consume alcohol, with more than half drinking at least on a monthly basis. Just under one out of every four people 12 and older binge drink regularly, while 16.7 million Americans meet the criteria for an alcohol abuse disorder. Alcohol plays a major role in American social life but is also prone to abuse. Abusing alcohol can lead to a physical dependency, which can result in potentially life-threatening detox symptoms if you try to stop drinking without help from an alcohol rehab center.

Long-term alcohol abuse can lead to damaging consequences, such as irreversible liver damage and alcohol-induced dementia. An alcohol rehab center can help you regain control of your life and learn how to manage your symptoms and achieve lasting sobriety.

Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant that causes your breathing and heart rate to slow down, making it very dangerous to mix alcohol with other substances. Ethanol, which is the active ingredient in alcohol that causes intoxication, is lethal in large amounts. Your liver is able to process about one serving of alcohol every hour and a half. Thus, binge drinking and alcohol abuse can lead to serious liver damage.

Another potential side effect of alcoholism and long-term alcohol abuse is that it can cause cognitive and neurological problems, like memory loss, nerve damage, and dementia. Since alcoholism leads to significant neurotransmitter imbalances, drinking can worsen your mental health. If you have a co-occurring condition, alcoholism can cause your mental health to decline rapidly.

During addiction, you have to increase your drinking as your tolerance increases constantly. This can become costly to your bank account, relationships, and health. Spending the majority of your time drinking causes you to neglect responsibility making drinking the focus of your life.

What an Alcohol Rehab Center Offers

An alcohol rehab center can help you throughout your recovery journey and can offer:

• Medically supervised detox services
• Evidence-based therapies
• Holistic treatments
• Family therapy
• Dual diagnosis programs
• Aftercare and alumni programs

An inpatient alcohol rehab center allows your friends and family members to visit during your stay. At the same time, it provides the highest level of care possible for alcoholism. A residential alcohol rehab center is also an excellent option if you are physically dependent on alcohol, as withdrawal symptoms can make it hard to remain sober. Since detox symptoms will stop if you continue drinking, an alcohol rehab center can limit the severity of your symptoms and make it easier to begin your recovery.

An outpatient alcohol rehab center can provide additional support during early recovery. With options like intensive outpatient programs, it allows you to continue working or going to school during treatment.

Finding the Best Alcohol Rehab Center Today

Alcoholism can lead to serious and damaging consequences, such as legal problems, relationship conflicts, and medical problems. The best way to improve your chances of maintaining lifelong sobriety is to reach out as soon as possible. Early treatment is the best way to beat alcoholism. Call us today at 1.713.528.3709 to find out more about our alcohol rehab center.