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Alcohol is among the most dangerous, widely available substances. Due to its ready availability, most people don’t think of it as a drug. Instead, they believe it’s a harmless product. So, is alcohol a drug, and is there a way out of an alcohol addiction?
What is a Drug in the First Place?
To help clients in rehab understand the dangers of alcohol abuse, it’s useful to discuss the makeup of a drug. Generally speaking, drugs change something about the way you feel. Stimulants turn you from a tired, sluggish person into someone with boundless energy, rambling speech, and a thirst for action. Depressants, like alcohol, help you to relax your body and mind to the point of numbness.
The problem arises when you come down from the high. You’ll feel just a little worse off than you did before. The stimulant leaves you exhausted but agitated. The alcohol consumption may result in a hangover, dry mouth, tiredness, and upset stomach. So by this explanation, is alcohol a drug?
Is Alcohol a Drug?
When factoring in the definition of a drug, it’s clear that alcohol fits the bill. Since it initially helps you feel good, you try to recreate the feeling the next time you drink. The more often you use alcohol, the more you have to drink to reach the results you’re looking for but there’s a steep price to pay.
What the Drug Does to You
Alcohol consumption interferes with the presence of B vitamins in the body. These nutrients play a pivotal role in helping you deal with stress. When the depressant interrupts your vitamin B balance, it causes stress. You then reach for a drink to mellow out and numb this sensation.
Before long, alcohol becomes your method of de-stressing. Your body forms a dependence on the drug that only a detoxification process can uproot. Getting professional help for detox is a must when dealing with alcohol dependence or addiction. Severe withdrawal symptoms include seizures and delirium tremens (DTs).
Rehab Breaks the Psychological Addiction to Alcohol
Is alcohol a drug that’s ruining your life? You don’t have to resign yourself to a life with an alcohol use disorder forever. Dependence happens at varying rates, but it often affects those with a predisposition. Once you complete detox, a seamless transition to rehab is a fundamental element of healing. Treatment options include:
- Cognitive behavioral talk therapy — Helps you to get to the root of the reasons for using alcohol in the first place
- Holistic treatments — Focus on your body’s return to health with nutritional counseling and fitness therapy
- 12 Step meetings — Provide a group therapy platform that offers support and relapse prevention strategies
- Family counseling — Helps those closest to you understand how to assist you during and after rehab
- Aftercare program — Helps you when you graduate from the rehab program and return to your home and job
