Alcohol abuse is a pattern of drinking that interferes with your life and can cause physical, social, or legal problems. It is a health problem that can lead to cirrhosis of the liver and other serious diseases.

Alcohol misuse can be prevented by recognizing the symptoms of drinking too much and talking with your doctor or other health care professional. Medications and other treatments may also be needed.

Behavioral therapy

Behavioral therapy can help you develop new coping skills and learn to deal with stressful situations without drinking or using drugs. This type of treatment also helps you overcome a negative thought pattern that could be contributing to your alcohol abuse.

During sessions, a behavioral therapist might use techniques from psychoanalysis, cognitive behavioral therapy, and relational therapy. They may also use behavior modification strategies such as progressive muscle relaxation and aversion therapy.

The therapist can also teach you a variety of ways to cope with triggers, which are situations that can trigger cravings throughout the day. Triggers can include family conflicts, social events and financial worries.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a type of talk therapy that uses specific exercises to help people in recovery improve their coping skills, manage their emotions and develop healthy habits. Research shows that CBT is more effective for treating addiction than other therapies and its effects are longer lasting.

Medications

Medications are used as part of treatment for alcohol abuse to help you stop drinking, reduce withdrawal symptoms and sustain recovery. They may be prescribed by your doctor.

A doctor who specializes in treating substance use disorders can prescribe the right medications for you. They come in many different dosage forms, including tablets, capsules, liquids, and patches.

Medication is not a cure for AUD or OUD, but it relieves the withdrawal symptoms and psychological cravings that cause chemical imbalances in your body. The medication does not substitute for therapy, but it helps you feel better and stay sober long enough to complete treatment.

Alcohol misuse is a serious health problem that can harm your liver, heart, stomach, and nervous system. It can also increase your risk of cancer and certain birth defects. People who drink regularly or excessively can also damage their bones and blood. They may have trouble making new bone (osteoporosis) and have a low platelet count, which can lead to bleeding.

Residential treatment

Residential treatment centers offer a variety of therapeutic services to clients. These can include medically-supervised detoxification, counseling, a family program, and 12-step or other support groups.

Residential care provides a structured environment for patients to heal from alcohol abuse. It also helps them become more self-reliant and better able to handle stress.

Depending on their needs, people may stay at a residential treatment center for 30 days or longer. This allows them to focus on recovery without distractions.

In addition, residential programs tend to have a more extensive assessment process and diagnostic tools. This helps patients get a better diagnosis and develop a personalized treatment plan.

Residential treatment is an intensive level of care with a staff member available around the clock to support and monitor patients. This 24-hour support and distance from triggering places, situations, and people can be extremely beneficial for a patient’s recovery. It also allows patients to build a trusting therapeutic relationship with their therapists, which is important for long-term sobriety.

Support groups

Support groups can be a vital part of addiction treatment and aftercare. They allow peers to hold each other accountable for their recovery. They also give you the opportunity to develop coping skills and strategies for dealing with stress and other triggers.

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) are the most popular types of groups for people seeking help with addiction. These programs use a twelve-step approach to encourage participants to kick their addiction and avoid relapse.

SMART Recovery is another popular option for addiction recovery. They use motivational enhancement therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy to help people achieve sobriety.

Women for Sobriety (WFS) offers a support group for recovering women to share their experiences and find peer support. They also hold online forums and chats for women in recovery.

Peer-based mutual-help organizations are free, non-professional organizations that focus on socially-supportive communication and exchange between people with substance use disorders. These groups are often an important addition to primary treatment and can promote changes in a person’s brain that may reduce their risk of relapse.