Alcohol is one of the most dangerous substances used by Americans and when it comes to finding alcohol treatment and AA meetings, Indianapolis rehabs can help.
If you or a loved one is dealing with some sort of alcohol problem, you may have searched for national or local support for your problem. However, finding the best treatment available to you can be difficult. Luckily, there are a few things that you can be aware of and look for to help you make the best decision for your specific situation
Before we take a look at how you can go about finding an alcohol rehab and how to find AA meetings nearby, let’s take a look at what you will be getting treated for. Alcoholism is a serious and debilitating problem and if it is not taken seriously and acted upon, it can lead to a number of different problems.
Let’s take a look at the problems associated with excessive alcohol use.
The Dangers of Alcohol
Alcohol is a drug. Not only that, it is the second-most used drug behind only tobacco and is one of the most deadly. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, an estimated 88,000 Americans die each year from alcohol-related causes. This means that alcohol is the third-leading cause of death behind tobacco and poor diet and physical inactivity.
Alcohol is a drug that affects nearly every organ in the body and can lead to numerous health consequences including liver failure and cancer. And these are just the direct consequences of alcohol. There are a number of indirect problems associated with alcohol use. Drunk driving is a primary example of this.
Brain
There are many different effects that alcohol will have on the body. The brain is one organ that is most affected by alcohol. In fact, in one 10,000-person study conducted by the University of Oxford found that people who drank and underwent brain imaging were found to have shrinkage in the hippocampus, the brain area associated with memory and reasoning. Those who drank an equivalent of for or more drinks a day had almost six times the risk of hippocampal shrinkage compared to those didn’t drink.
Heart
Along with the brain, the heart is one area that experiences a number of problems and symptoms. Some of the common issues associated with alcohol use and the heart is cardiomyopathy, stroke, irregular heart beat, and high blood pressure.
Liver
The liver is also one of the most affected organs in the body. Alcohol can lead to a variety of problems and inflammations. However, one of the most problematic is liver disease and cirrhosis. Essentially, cirrhosis is the result of chronic liver damage and is the scarring of the liver. It causes poor liver function and, in some people, it can lead to multiorgan liver failure which can prove to be fatal.
Cancer
Along with these major organ problems that can occur from alcohol, cancer is also a possibility for those who drink excessively. Alcohol is a known carcinogen. When you drink alcohol, your body breaks it down and creates acetaldehyde, a substance that can damage the DNA in the body and cause cancer. The use of alcohol is known to increase nearly all types of cancer including oral cancer, lung cancer, liver cancer, breast cancer, and more.
Drunk Driving
As mentioned before, drunk driving is one of the indirect consequences of alcohol use. Alcohol use reduces a person’s thought process, reasoning, and muscle coordination. Unfortunately, drunk driving is something that can affect anyone, not just the people using alcohol. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration every day almost 30 people in the country die in drunk driving crashes. While drunk driving deaths have decreased in the recent past, they still cause the death of more than 10,000 individuals each year. In 2017, there were 10,874 deaths from drunk driving crashes.
Overall, alcohol is a major issue that can lead to numerous health consequences and is something that is used widely throughout the country.
Alcohol In Indiana
We know that alcohol use is a problem nationwide, but how does it impact specific states, such as Indiana. Alcohol is the most frequently used substance in the state of Indiana, according to government data.
With that said, Indiana’s binge drinking and alcohol use rate is similar to that of the national level. This is true across all age groups.
According to data from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 17.8 percent of adults binge drank in 2011 while nearly 20 percent of high school students reported the same.
It should be noted that the alcohol mortality rate is much lower among Indiana citizens compared to the national rate. With that said, it does not mean that it is not a problem in the state. Despite the lower than average mortality rate, there is still progress to be made and alcohol treatment is always an option.
Obviously, alcohol use can lead to a number of different problems and affect people both directly though health-related problems and indirectly through things like drunk driving. Overall, excessive alcohol use is a serious issue across the country and for those who are dealing with these problems, it is important that alcohol treatment is something that is prioritized.
However, some people may recognize that they or their loved one has a serious problem with alcohol but may not know exactly how to get help or what to look for when seeking treatment.
Finding Alcohol Treatment
If you or your loved one is suffering from an alcohol use disorder, finding alcohol treatment can be a difficult thing to do. And if you have begun the process of finding the perfect alcohol rehab, you may not know exactly where to begin or how you should be looking.
One of the standard methods of alcohol treatment is group therapy. There is mounting evidence that shows that group therapy is extremely helpful and can improve people’s ability to overcome whatever issues they may be facing.
Group counseling and individual therapy are incredibly important for drug and alcohol recovery. They can help patients learn about addiction and develop strategies that they can use to avoid urges and cravings that may lead to relapse. Group therapy can be especially useful because it allows patients to learn from other people who have been in or are still in similar situations. Group therapy also lets patients see the recovery process of others which can be motivational.
Group therapy and evidence-based forms of individual therapy such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, are signs that a treatment center is doing something right. When looking about what services are offered it is also important to look into the credentials of the facility and the staff to make sure that the staff is qualified and the facility is licensed to provide the services it offers. These licenses and credentials legitimize the facilities and ensure that they can properly care for their patients.
Along with making sure the facility offers the proper services, includes evidence-based treatment, and is properly licensed, you should also ensure that the location that you are looking into will evaluate each case on an patient-to-patient basis and provides an individualized care plan.
Addiction is different for everyone and there is no silver bullet for recovery. With that said, the best thing that you can do when it comes to treatment is to make sure that the recovery center that you are looking into will offer you or your loved one an individual treatment plan that is specific to their problems and their needs.
Along with standard alcohol treatment through a recovery facility, there are a number of organizations that are in place to provide people with the care and support that they need to overcome addiction. These are generally used following actual treatment at a facility.
One of the most well-known and common organizations that help with alcohol abuse is alcoholics anonymous.
What Is Alcoholics Anonymous?
According to the organization, Alcoholics Anonymous is “a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problems and help others to recover from alcoholism.”
“The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking.”
Overall, Alcoholics Anonymous is a helpful resource and tool that can be used for people who are dealing with or have dealt with alcohol abuse in the past, conquer and overcome their addiction.
Alcoholics Anonymous is something that has been proven to be effective in helping people achieve the long-term sobriety that they are seeking. With that said, it has been found to be most effective when used as an outpatient method of treatment rather than a primary option.
It should be noted that there is a faith-based aspect to alcoholics anonymous, however the program will accept anyone.
Narcotics Anonymous
There are also Narcotics Anonymous meetings available to help people who are suffering from other forms of substance abuse not related to alcohol.
According to the organization, NA is “a nonprofit fellowship of men and women for whom drugs had become a major problem.”
Overall, this organization is for broader drug problems and can help people in the same way that Alcoholics Anonymous helps people.
AA Meetings: Indianapolis
Alcoholics Anonymous is an international organization that has membership all across the country. Because of this, you can find AA meetings in nearly every city in the United States, including Indianapolis.
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) are two of the biggest group counseling organizations in the country. And while you may feel a bit weird seeking them out, this is due to the stigma against substance abuse and mental health.
There is a lot of positive things that can be said about AA and NA Meetings. Indianapolis and Indiana in general is one location that has a number of treatment options in place to help Hoosiers today.
AA can be incredibly helpful for people with an alcohol addiction. However, as noted before, this type of assistance should be used in collaboration and as a part of an outpatient program. It is recommended that patients still seek out an inpatient, or residential, treatment program to help them.
Inpatient alcohol rehabs can provide patients with access to a comprehensive recovery plan and a path forward to help them with their respective addictions. During inpatient treatment, patients will work with clinicians to learn more about addiction and develop strategies that they can implement to help with their long-term sobriety.
Benefits Of Support Groups
Essentially, AA meetings are a form of support groups that are meant to help patients overcome addiction and learn more about what addiction is and how you can overcome the problem.
Support groups can be helpful in that it puts you around like-minded people who may be dealing with similar scenarios and problems that you are dealing with. Addiction is a major problem and many people who are newly sober or are dealing with substance abuse issues may feel lonely or isolated from everyone. This is where support groups can help.
During these sessions, participants will meet in a group with others who are in recovery and will share their experiences and offer mutual encouragement. These meetings are held at least once a week, but can occur more often.
Support and mutual help groups like AA meetings offer patients a number of benefits. Not only do can AA meetings help patients feel less alone and more social, they can help improve their knowledge about addiction and learn different methods and strategies that they can use to reduce cravings and increase chances of achieving long-term sobriety.
Effectiveness of Alcoholics Anonymous
There have been studies and reports that have looked into the efficacy of Alcoholics Anonymous to determine if it is worth it. While there is more evidence that needs to be gathered, one 2009 article found that the evidence for AA effectiveness is strong. It found that abstinence rates were approximately twice as high among those who attend AA. Similarly, higher levels of attendance were related to higher rates of abstinence.
Treatment With AA Meetings
It should be noted that the most effective way to help someone with a drug or alcohol abuse problem is a combination of treatment and support groups such as AA or NA. These support groups can provide something that treatment cannot, and vice versa. Patients need treatment to not only safely overcome the withdrawal symptoms of associated with early sobriety that can be dangerous and even life-threatening.
Along with going through medical detox, patients will also prepare and go through certain evidence-based treatment methods and psychotherapies such as cognitive behavioral therapy to help them learn more about addiction and develop strategies that they can use to help deal with urges and cravings that they will inevitably deal with.
Following inpatient treatment characterized by these forms of therapies, patients will be pointed toward an outpatient program that lets patients continue their treatment plan while living independently and dealing with treatment independently. During this time, it is a good idea for patients to also participate in some sort of support or mutual help groups like AA or NA meetings.
These types of meetings can help patients with the problems that they are facing. As mentioned before, many people early in recovery, and throughout the recovery process, can feel isolated. However, these types of groups can help patients feel less lonely and can help improve the way that patients feel about their specific situation.
Know that we know that AA is most effective when used alongside treatment, you may be wondering where you can find a reliable treatment center to help you. Let’s take a look at one treatment facility that can help you or your loved one.
Getting Help
If you are looking for an alcohol rehab near you or an outpatient facility, there are a number of local and national organizations that are in place to help. Landmark Recovery is a drug and alcohol rehab treatment facility that is here to help as many patients as possible.
At Landmark, we have licensed clinicians on staff to help patients with whatever substance abuse problems that they may be dealing with. At Landmark, we offer comprehensive care programs that looks at each patient’s individual situation. We offer evidence-based care programs including cognitive-behavioral therapy and medication-assisted treatment administration.
Finding a good addiction recovery center can be hard, but here at Landmark we are dedicated to providing our patients with the highest quality care possible and to being a solution to the drug and alcohol problem that leads to the deaths of thousands of Hoosiers each year.
Landmark Recovery has a new state-of-the-art facility located in Carmel, Indiana that is there to help as many Hoosiers as possible. Along with inpatient services, Landmark offers patients access to an intensive outpatient plan and can help you find AA meetings. Indianapolis If you are looking for drug or alcohol treatment at our Indiana rehab center for you or your loved one, please visit our website and reach out to our admissions team today.
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