Hope Against Alcoholism in St. Paul
St. Paul, the capital and second most populous city of Minnesota, is home to roughly 300,000 people. Combined with Minneapolis, it forms the “Twin Cities” metropolitan area, which is home to 3.5 million people. It is the 16th largest metropolitan area in the country.
Despite the saintly name, St. Paul suffers, as many large cities do, with alcoholism. In fact, according to a study by the Drug Abuse Dialogues in 2013, 44.2 percent of admission to treatment programs were for alcohol. Consider how many more people are suffering, not seeking treatment for their alcohol abuse.
At A Better Today, we are dedicated to providing top quality and confidential care for those struggling with alcohol abuse. Our doctors and staff are committed to helping people overcome their dependency while educating clients and families alike about addiction. Knowledge is power, and we’re happy to arm you for the fight.
How to Identify Alcohol Abuse
Whether in yourself or someone you care about, there are telltale signs to watch for that could indicate a substance abuse problem. It’s important to be aware of these signs because alcohol is a legal substance and very easy to get ahold of. Alcohol is a part of every culture across the globe and has been around for centuries. There’s nothing inherently evil about it, but like anything, too much can be a problem.
One of the first signs of alcohol abuse is hiding one’s drinking from others, or lying about how much or how often one drinks. This could happen for any number of reasons, whether someone simply doesn’t want to “deal with” people mentioning it or experiencing feelings of guilt or shame. Regardless, it’s cause for concern.
Developing a tolerance is often viewed as a positive among those who drink regularly. Being able to “hold your liquor ” is often praised in social circles, but in reality tolerance is one of the warning signs of a developing dependency, which can lead to addiction.
Everyone knows at least one person who has drank to the point of blacking out. This happens when a person simply drinks way too much, but may also be a sign that this person is unable to stop drinking once they start. Look for them to finish an entire case of beer or bottle of wine once it’s opened. That’s a good indicator that there’s a problem.
Having a drink to relax is pretty normal and nothing to be concerned about, especially after a particularly hard day. However, if a person needs that drink to relax and can’t do so without it, that’s a pretty major warning sign. It means that person has become dependent on the alcohol.
Concern is definitely warranted when a person begins to let their drinking cause problems in their relationships and responsibilities. When alcohol use strains relationships between friends and family or begins to interfere with work, it’s a sign that l has become more important than those relationships
What A Better Today Can Do to Help
Here at A Better Today, we recognize that no two people are the same and, therefore, no two people are affected by substance abuse the same way. Substance abuse is, a disease that affects the brain and we treat it that way. Since every person is different we tailor each client’s treatment program to suit their individual needs.
Our therapists have master’s level or higher education with specialization in co-occurring disorders and addiction counseling. Our caring and compassionate staff are highly trained and many have a background of overcoming addiction themselves, making them qualified to guide others struggling with substance abuse. After all, there’s no better guide out of a dark maze than someone who’s found the way out.
Using industry-leading, fact-based research and techniques, we provide our clients with lifelong solutions to help them lead a long, healthy, and happy life in recovery. Our methods have been proven time and time again to help those struggling with substance abuse.
One of the most powerful programs we offer is cognitive behavioral therapy, which focuses on promoting positive thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes toward one’s self. This positive self-image helps rebuild confidence and self-esteem, helping a person adopt healthy coping mechanisms through the program.
We also offer individual and group therapy sessions. Group therapy is valuable as it helps redevelop communication skills without the use of alcohol and allows feedback from peers who are also in recovery going through the same struggle. Individual therapy allows for one-one-one interaction with a therapist.
In addition to individual and group therapy, we also offer family therapy sessions. Substance abuse of any kind can tear families apart and this is where family therapy comes into play. Here, families can repair damages, heal wounds, and reopen channels of communication that may have been closed off during the abuse.
A Better Today also offers access to sober living facilities. Sober living is transitional housing for those who have completed their rehab program but don’t yet feel ready to get back out on their own. In these facilities, clients will live with others in recovery while they practice the skills and coping mechanisms learned in treatment in a safe, structured environment while still being out in the real world.
These are just a few of the treatment options offered at A Better Today and each person will have their treatment program tailored to suit their specific needs. We pride ourselves on providing the absolute best care available and treating each individual person based on who they are and what they need because there is no such thing as a “one-size-fits-all” treatment. Your treatment is as unique as you are.
Paying for Treatment & Getting There Afterward
Going into rehab can be stressful enough without having to worry about how to pay for it. It’s no secret that treatment isn’t cheap, but the cost may not be as prohibitive as you think. Studies in recent years have changed the medical world’s perspective on substance abuse.
What this means is that substance abuse is now recognized as a genuine disease that affects the brain and the medical industry now treats it as such. Therefore, healthcare insurance providers now provide coverage for rehabilitation and treatment. At A Better Today, we accept most insurance plans and will work with your specific coverage to determine your treatment options.
Once that’s settled, it’s time to determine where to go for treatment. While it can be tempting to stay local, it is strongly recommended to travel elsewhere for substance abuse treatment. This is a good idea for a number of reasons.
Getting out of one’s comfort zone is never easy and can often be frightening, especially when faced with as much change as treatment will bring. However, as with most things in life, leaving one’s comfort zone is necessary to experience new things.
Being surrounded by the same people, places, and things can actually make treatment more difficult. Remaining in the old environment can make it easier to fall back into old habits and can trigger memories of the abuse, making it difficult to remain focused on recovery.
Traveling for treatment puts the client in a whole new environment full of new sights, people, and ideas– an ideal setting for making a new beginning. By moving away from familiar distractions, a person can focus completely on their recovery and work towards a long, healthy, and happy life free from alcohol.
A Better Today is committed to helping people reach their goals of sobriety and is able to equip them with the tools and skills necessary to make those goals a reality. If you or somebody you know is suffering from alcohol abuse, don’t wait for the situation to get worse.
Alcohol abuse is a progressive disease. This means that it will not get better by itself. The longer it remains untreated, the worse it will get. Don’t let yourself become a statistic. Pick up the phone and call (520) 288-8484 today. You have the strength to make a change and we can help.
