The Alcoholism Support Center

 

Every person is unique, but when you face a challenge like alcoholism (alcohol addiction), you are never alone. Countless men and women have faced exactly the same problem and have survived and thrived.

The following guide is designed to help you navigate your journey with the best information and resources that helped other survivors when they faced the same challenge.

TSC has scoured the Web to gather together links to the very best alcohol addiction resources: articles, blogs, forums, and tools that can help you make better decisions and take action to overcome the range of physical, emotional, and other challenges you're facing now.

As you’ll see, we always welcome your ideas and suggestions to make this alcoholism guide even more helpful to survivors like you.

 

JUST FOUND OUT

Survivors Say: Best Resources for Alcoholism

• Alcoholics Anonymous
• National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
  
• Al-Anon/Alateen (for family and friends of alcoholics)

The Big Picture

Alcoholism, also known as alcohol dependence, is a disease that includes the following four symptoms:

• Craving--A strong need, or urge, to drink.
• Loss of control--Not being able to stop drinking once drinking has begun.
• Physical dependence--Withdrawal symptoms, such as nausea, sweating, shakiness, and anxiety after stopping drinking.
• Tolerance--The need to drink greater amounts of alcohol to get "high."

Not sure whether you have a problem with alcohol? Read this brochure (PDF) from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA):

Faces of Change: Do I have a problem with alcohol or drugs?

These quizzes from SAMHSA can also help you understand if you are dependent on alcohol or not:

Alcohol - Online Tests

Your Alcoholism

If you want to cut down on your drinking, read this brochure from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism:

Tips for Cutting Down on Drinking

If you're ready for professional help, this guide (PDF) helps explain how treatment works:

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration -- Alcohol and Drug Treatment: How It Works, and How It Can Help You

Questions to Ask Your Doctor

• What treatments are available and which do you recommend?
• What are some lifestyle changes I can make to improve my health?
• Are my medical problems related to alcohol addiction?
• How does alcohol addiction rehabilitation/treatment work and how long does it take?
• Will my health insurance cover the cost of treatment?

Your World

Once you start recovery you may sometimes feel overwhelmed my emotions, from regret and sadness for the things you did while intoxicated to anger and frustration that you can't drink anymore. Alcoholism brings up a wide range of deep feelings and it's worth taking the time to explore these, as they are likely to be at least partly related to why you are dependent. It may help to hear stories from others who have successfully beat alcoholism:

About.com: Alcoholism - Personal Recovery Stories

Some find it helpful to follow a 12-step program:

12step.org

Or you may want to talk anonymously online with others who are going through what you are, or who've been through it:

eAAchat.org

How Do I Explain Alcohol Addiction to My Family and Friends?

In spite of the awareness of alcoholism, it isn't always easy to help those closest to you understand this disease and what treatment will entail. You can share one of the general sites in this guide with them, but they may also benefit from reading this About.com article:

Alcoholism: Support for Family and Friends

Alcoholism Myths

• About.com: Top Myths About Drinking Alcohol

Information and Recommended Links for Survivors

If you're ready to consider or begin treatment for your alcohol dependency, these sources offer a good introduction to what to expect and how to get the most out of treatment:

• Mayoclinic.com: Alcoholism - Treatments & Drugs
• Revolutionhealth.com: Alcohol Abuse and Dependence

Types of Treatment

Residential treatment programs

Residential detox and rehabilitation, in which you'll go through a program of withdrawal from alcohol and receive psychotherapy (individually and/or in a group), is the most common approach to recovering from alcohol addiction:

Addictionsearch.com: What are the Different Kinds of Alcohol and Drug Rehab?

Sometimes an out-patient alcohol addiction rehabilitation program will work as well, especially for those whose alcohol addiction is less severe.

Treatment Side Effects

When you go through the detox process your body will crave alcohol, causing a range of withdrawal symptoms:

About.com: Getting Treatment for Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms

You may be put on a drug like Naltrexone, which has been shown to help reduce the frequency and amount of drinking and make a relapse less likely. Here's more on pharmaceutical drugs used to help treat alcoholism, from the American Council on Alcoholism:

Pharmaceutical Treatment

No side effects from treatment, though, compare to those from alcoholism itself. This page, from The Canyon, a treatment center, sums them up:

Alcoholism Side Effects

Holistic Treatments

Drug-free approaches to treating alcohol addiction are becoming more popular; these therapies focus on healing body, mind and spirit and include making lifestyle changes like eating better and exercising regularly. Here's a guide to some options you may want to consider trying:

Howstuffworks.com: Alternative Medicines for Alcoholism and Drug Addiction

Creating a Support Circle

• Set up your TSC survivor profile.
• Join support groups of other survivors or start your own.
• Interact with other groups and survivors and provide updates on your recovery.

Insurance, Work & Money Matters

Insurance – Not all health insurance providers cover treatment for alcohol addiction. Here's an article from Betty Ford Center President and CEO, John Schwarzlose explaining what you can do to fight for fairness:

Alcohol and Drug Rehabilitation

Work – Do you know your rights when it comes to your job if you have an addiction to alcohol? Find out here:

SAMHSA: Know Your Rights

Money Matters – How much does alcohol addiction treatment cost? That varies, and there's little in the way of a definitive guide to answer this, but you can simply ask a treatment center you're considering how much they charge to find out. This article, from Alcoholismresources.com, offers a rough guideline as well:

Alcohol Rehab - Paying For It

Health-care Providers Who Can Help

• Look for a physician who's been certified by the American Society of Addiction Medicine: ASAM: Certification

Resources to Find Alcoholism Treatment

• Recoveryconnection.org
• Addictionsearch.com
• AddictionCareOptions.com

Books Survivors Recommend

• Beyond the Influence: Understanding and Defeating Alcoholism by Katherine Ketcham, William F. Asbury, Mel Schulstad and Arthur P. Ciaramicoli
• Courage to Change: Personal Conversation About Alcoholism with Dennis Wholey by Dennis Wholey
• Staying Sober: A Guide for Relapse Prevention by Terence T. Gorski and Merlene Miller
• Under the Influence: A Guide to the Myths and Realities of Alcoholism by James Robert Milam

Communicating with Your Health-care Providers

• Stay true to your treatment plan and never lie to your doctor.
• Talk openly with your family so they know exactly how best to support you.
• If you feel yourself slipping or the urge to drink becomes too much to bear, immediately contact your doctor.

Dealing With Alcoholism: Information for Co-Survivors

How to Help

• Connect with other co-survivors.
• Share your personal journey as a co-survivor and what has helped you.
• Support your survivor in the ways he/she finds most useful.

What to Say

• "This isn't your fault."
• "I'll help you get through this."
• "Let's talk to a treatment professional so you can start the recovery process."

What Not to Say

• "I knew this was going to happen."
• "Just stop drinking."
• "You shouldn't be so weak."

Things You Can Do for a Survivor Today and Every Day

• Offer support by phone or email.
• Do all you can to help them maintain their sobriety.
• Listen.

How to Build a Support Network

• Set up a TSC co-survivor profile.
• Start a support group for your friend or family member.
• Provide updates and stay in regular touch with the support group.

Alcohol addiction causes intense emotional ups and downs. At times you may feel overwhelmed by guilt, shame, or embarrassment. Other times you may feel furious and lash out in irritability, anger, and anxiety. It's all normal and part of your recovery process - something you need to go through to come out the other side, to a life free of alcohol addiction. Joining an in-person group like AA or an online social networking group like this one may help:

Beatingaddiction.com: Alcohol and Alcoholism Support Group 

Recovery from alcoholism is an ongoing process, so be sure you set yourself up to succeed, with plenty of emotional support. Keep in touch, too, with your doctors, ask for help when you need it, and take advantage of supportive groups. While your struggle with alcohol may be lifelong, getting help and following your treatment program's relapse prevention plan will make it far more likely you'll put this addiction behind you for good.

It can help a lot now to read and hear others' real-world tales of recovery. Check out these blogs:

• A is for Addiction
• Alcoholism: A Life Sentence

The Best Ways to Thrive in Recovery

• Confront your emotions instead of hiding them
• Accept help when you need it
• Fight against relapse, but understand that it does occur and it doesn't mean that you are weak
• Stick with the relapse prevention plan you've been prescribed
• Connect with other survivors of alcohol addiction

Giving Back

Now that you're a survivor of alcoholism, do you know there are thousands of people who could use your help and knowledge as they start their own journey sobriety? Become a Survivor Mentor on TSC and help those who need it most. You were once in their shoes and with your guidance they can leave alcoholism behind as well. Here are ways you give back:

• Become a Survivor Mentor on TSC
• Increase alcohol addiction awareness
• Promote alcohol addiction research
• Share your recovery experiences with others

Unchecked alcoholism can result in a host of health problems (liver disease, osteoporosis, and more) that can, in the worst case, lead to death. If alcohol addiction isn't treated and it's accompanied by abuse of drugs (prescription, OTC, or illegal drugs) and the individual drives while intoxicated, the chances for serious health problems or even a fatality also climb.

But if you've gotten treatment and had a relapse (you started drinking again), know that this is not uncommon. Here's some advice to prevent a relapse from happening: 

About.com: Alcoholism - Relapse Prevention