Seeking to Write a New Story from Durham, North Carolina
Every city has a history and Durham is no exception. It was one of the major sit-in sites during the Civil Rights movement and the area was stage to several battles in the Civil War. A major battle consuming North Carolina and the rest of the country to this day is alcoholism. When people seek healing from alcoholism, they have to address their history and must reconcile the past in order to move forward.
Alcoholism has a long and complicated history. People have abused alcohol for ages. Unfortunately, throughout history, people have been shamed and ridiculed for their alcoholism. While it’s true that people who abuse alcohol often cause great harm to themselves and others, the correct response is not right to shame them. Shame isn’t an effective motivator for change.
Alcoholism is a disease. People who suffer from it need treatment. Unfortunately, one of the primary means of dealing with alcoholics happens to be punitive. Punishing someone for a disease is backwards. Someone afflicted with alcoholism will not recover behind bars. Institutionalization does not rehabilitate as once believed.
Alcohol is the second leading cause of preventable death in the United States. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 88,000 people die each year from excessive alcohol use. Instead of getting the treatment that they need, people often wind up in jail cells or dead.
People gravitate towards alcohol for a number of reasons. Alcohol is a depressant that acts like a stimulant. It relaxes the body and produces feelings of euphoria at the same time. It’s a stimulant without the manic energy associated with stimulants. For many, it’s the best of both worlds. Unfortunately, a lot of people make the mistake of seeking alcohol out to escape. They look for it to be a fire escape from their problems, but using alcohol as an escape is a bad idea. In many cases people who abuse alcohol end up making their lives and others much worse.
However, there are several treatment centers working to make sure that people don’t end up behind bars or in a grave. A Better Today (ABT) is a treatment center serving as a beacon of light for those stumbling through the darkness of alcoholism. Alcoholism doesn’t have to be your end, with A Better Today you can start again.
Treatment at A Better Today
Every company has core principles that serve to distinguish it from others. Two of the core principles that define ABT are individuality and community. Every patient who walks through our doors is treated as an individual. We know that each person has their own path in recovery, and we tailor our treatment programs accordingly. That said, the best way to treat the individual is through the community. Though people may fall into alcoholism because of trauma inflicted by community, creating positive community environments can go a long way in healing people.
When a client first arrives at ABT, they undergo a medical examination. The examination covers medical and drug history for the ABT team to determine the most effective program for treatment. It’s important that the client answer all the questions truthfully to ensure that their treatment is tailored is specifically to them. After the medical examination, the client will be ready for a medically supervised withdrawal process to cleanse their body of alcohol. Having a medically supervised withdrawal is important because of the dangers associated with alcohol detoxification. Some of the more common withdrawal symptoms include shaking, insomnia, vomiting and diarrhea. In extreme cases, the symptoms can include hallucinations and tremors. All of these symptoms can be mitigated by medications administered by the ABT team.
Alcohol is a depressant and thus, it relaxes the body. When someone abuses alcohol for a significant period of time, their body adapts to the presence of alcohol. Eliminating alcohol from a person’s body will send it into a shock. As such, withdrawal symptoms reflect a body in shock. The medications provided by ABT work to alleviate the shock and calm the body. The timetable for completing detox depends on the person, however it shouldn’t take longer than 14 days.
Following detox, the client is ready to begin the mental portion of treatment. ABT applies several therapy approaches to meet people where they are at in recovery. Some of the key therapy approaches employed by ABT are cognitive behavioral, group, individual, family, art and music therapy. We offer a wide variety of therapeutic plans because, we believe, every client is unique and will respond differently to each one. Two of the more prominent approaches that exemplify the core values of ABT are; group and individual therapy.
Individual therapy involves a weekly, private therapy sessions with a therapist who has a Master’s Degree in addiction counseling and co-occurring disorders. These sessions are meant to help the client develop positive coping skills and deal with the various emotions that come to the forefront during rehab. The therapist will help the client understand their feelings. Many clients have co-occurring disorders that coincide with their addiction. People who have co-occurring disorders are afflicted by alcoholism and mental health issues.
Moreover, in individual therapy, the client will get a chance to face their disorders, if they have one, and come up with ways to deal with it effectively. ABT also offers life coaches to its clients as part of the individual therapy package. Life coaches help the clients develop an after care plan to keep them on the path of sobriety after treatment.
Group therapy helps the client redevelop social skills and learn from the experiences of others in treatment. When people abuse alcohol other areas of their life fall to the wayside, more specifically, their social life. They may have initially drank to feel closer to people or be more like themselves, but abuse over time ruins relationships and destroys social skills. Group therapy often encourages people to re-adapt to social environments in a healthy way rather than excluding themselves or bolstering their sense of self with alcohol, the client learns how to engage others as a person, rebuilding self-esteem and in turn, gaining back the identity they lost during addiction. The group therapy environment at ABT is encouraging. We create a setting that doesn’t reflect the shame or abuse of the outside world toward those who abuse alcohol, since there is a heavy stigma tied to it. Another healing component of group therapy is the motivation it brings to those involved. Rehab is difficult, but with the encouragement and support of other their peers, it can be a lot easier on the client to realize they aren’t alone in their path to sobriety.
Another component of ABT is family therapy. We know that addiction afflicts everybody involved, not just the person struggling with alcohol abuse but the family as well. In addition, we also know that it’s important to have the family involved in the process of healing the loved one. We will provide an open and non-threatening environment to help rebuild the unit that was destroyed by addiction.
Through these various rehabilitation methods, the client acquires the necessary tools to live a life, free from the grip of alcohol but, as with any disease, treatment doesn’t cure people of their addiction. There is no cure for addiction, however, having coping mechanisms can go a long way in helping people once they leave. ABT doesn’t have a set timetable for recovery that it applies to each person. We know that every person recovers on their own terms and we don’t push a set day for finishing.
Once the client has completed treatment, they have the option of going back home or transition into a sober living facility. ABT strongly suggests that clients go to a sober living facility in order to transition smoother into society. Going from rehab to the real world can be an intense change. That said, a sober living facility places the client in a facility with others who are working on their sobriety. Even though a client leaves the ABT facility, they will always be a part of the family. ABT provides alumni programs to help keep people connected to the company and those whom they attended in-patient treatment with.
Intervention and Traveling for Treatment
If your loved one is slipping down the dangerous slope of alcoholism, it’s never too early to get them help. One of the most effective ways to help your loved one is by setting up an intervention. An intervention involves the loved ones coming together and airing their concerns. It is important that the environment is positive, encouraging but, also, honest. ABT suggests that families hire an intervention specialist to help administer the intervention. A specialist is trained in conflict management and psychology. Though ABT doesn’t provide specialists, the staff can connect your family with the resources to find one.
Once your loved one decides to get treatment, you should encourage them to travel for treatment. Traveling for treatment removes them from the environment that led to their abuse. It also helps the person in recovery begin a new life in a new place.
One of the more overblown presumptions about treatment is that it is too expensive. However, ABT offers both scholarships and flexible payment options to help mitigate the costs. ABT accepts most insurance plans, which generally can cover the treatment cost of a portion or, sometimes, the entire treatment plan. Healing doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg. It only requires time, patience and determination. You can start your journey of recovery today. You can start now.
