The term alcoholic is comically thrown around in our society too often but in reality it can truly be a devastating disease. True alcoholics continue to drink even when their health, work, or family is being harmed. Alcoholics easily lose control when drinking and can become very nasty and hostile people while drunk, even undergoing complete character transformations due to their alcohol abuse. It is unclear what leads to someone becoming an alcoholic directly, but just as in most drug addictions the causes are most likely relative to the individual. People that binge drink on a regular basis or feel a physical need for alcohol are most certainly alcoholics and they should consult help immediately. Those who feel that they are not dependent on alcohol but still abuse it, have built up a tolerance to normal servings of alcohol, or engage in abusive behavior when drunk should also seek out detoxification or rehabilitation resources.

You might ask if there is a standard treatment for being an alcoholic. Yes, alcoholism can be treated. Seabrook House has alcoholic treatment programs that use both counseling and medications to help a person stop drinking. Treatment with Seabrook has helped many people to stop drinking and rebuild their lives. Three oral medications–disulfiram (Antabuse®), naltrexone (Depade®, ReVia®), and acamprosate (Campral®)–are currently approved to treat alcohol dependence. In addition, an injectable, long-acting form of naltrexone (Vivitrol®) is available. These medications have been shown to help people with dependence reduce their drinking, avoid relapse to heavy drinking, and achieve and maintain abstinence. Naltrexone acts in the brain to reduce craving for alcohol after someone has stopped drinking. Acamprosate is thought to work by reducing symptoms that follow lengthy abstinence, such as anxiety and insomnia. Disulfiram discourages drinking by making the person taking it feel sick after drinking alcohol. Alcoholism is a disease, treatment works, and Seabrook House has tailored programs at its New Jersey and Pennsylvania locations for detox as well as full rehabilitation and addiction counseling.  Get the help you deserve now whether you are an adult, teen, or loved one of an addict who requires intervention for their alcohol abuse.