Alcohol Use Disorder
Doctors are always coming up with new names for one thing or the other. What we grew up calling alcoholism, some call alcohol addiction. Now, the proper term when addressing alcoholism is Alcohol Use Disorder. People often search for different treatment options for AUD, let’s discuss alcohol detox in Yavapai County, AZ.
Risky behavior such as drinking too much alcohol can be an indicator of a medical condition now known as alcohol use disorder. It is a chronic disease that changes your brain. There are approximately 16 million people residing in the U.S. that have been documented to have this disorder.
Alcohol can be consumed responsibly and leave mild effects. Becoming educated on the facts about alcohol can help you drink responsibly.
Quick Facts About Alcohol:
- Over 216 million Americans have at least experimented or tried alcohol.
- Around 28 % of all road or traffic accidents resulting in loss of life involve alcohol.
- 1 standard-sized drink can remain in your bloodstream for around an hour.
- Drinking alcohol is more popular than using tobacco, marijuana or any illicit drug. Around a fourth of Americans use alcohol for the first time before the age of 18.
- 136.7 million people ages 12 + drink alcohol in the US.
- 2.3 million adolescences ages 12 to 17 consume alcohol.
- 65.3 million Americans 12 + also binge drink.
- How Many People Experience Alcoholism?
Alcohol addiction holds a spot for being one of the most common kinds of substance abuse in the US. The proper name or medical term for addiction is Substance use disorder, so alcohol use disorder means alcoholism. Alcohol use disorder affects approximately five percent of Americans every year.
Alcoholics cannot be defined by the number of drinks they consume every day. Medical specialists diagnose this condition with criteria that measure behavioral and physical changes that alcohol causes. There are some kinds of alcoholics who consume over 12 beers daily, and then there are some people that can consume that much without ever developing an alcohol addiction or use disorder.
The majority of alcoholics die due to long-term health complications caused by abusing alcohol, complications like heart problems, liver disease or cancer.
Alcohol Withdrawal Timeline of Symptoms
During detox, you will experience what’s called alcohol withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms can transpire as soon as 2 hrs after your last alcoholic beverage. Normally, symptoms peak around the first 24 – 48 hours. It’s during this time that you will experience uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms include:
- Tremors
- Sweating
- Insomnia
- Fever
- Rapid heartbeat
- Changes in blood pressure
Some people may only experience only a few withdrawal symptoms. But other abusers might suffer symptoms on a more severe side of the scale. One example is that you could experience something called delirium tremens. This is one of the most severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms.
Long-term effects include:
- High blood pressure
- Cirrhosis
- Pancreatitis
- Stomach problems
- Cancer
- Heart problems
- Permanent memory loss
- Brain damage
When abusing alcohol your risks increase of:
- Drowning
- Homicide
- Suicide
- Car accidents
AUD can affect the people around you, too. Your drinking disorder will more than likely damage relationships with family, friends and loved ones due to lashing out, neglect, violence, and abuse. Pregnant women are risk experiencing a miscarriage. If a woman carries to term, the baby will probably have fetal alcohol syndrome and an increased risk of dying due to SIDS.
Alcohol is quite literally one of the most popularly consumed substances worldwide. For this reason, it’s also often abused. Luckily, there are facilities out there that help people get sober and stay sober. But one of the things you encounter on the long road to recovery is first going through detox. Detoxification from alcohol or any substance isn’t pleasant but needed.
Why Should You Get Treatment in Yavapai County?
Yavapai County, AZ is home to quite a number of alcohol rehab and detox centers. With the spike in addiction cases over the years, more facilities and organizations have risen up in an effort to fight against this disease.
There are two main types of treatment centers out there.
Inpatient or Residential treatment within Yavapai County, AZ involves 24-hr medically supervised care while in a live-in facility. All treatment services, as well as behavioral therapy and medical, are included at this one location.
Outpatient treatment programs in Yavapai County, AZ offer flexibility in treatment. This is helpful for people who are not able to stop their regular lives, due to something school or work-related. Outpatient treatment may require meeting at the clinic a few times each week. These meetings typically last a couple of hours at a time.
There are also programs available in Yavapai County, AZ that offer sort of a combination of these two approaches: they have the Inpatient aspect available for medical, or partial hospitalization if needed, and then more rigorous outpatient programs involving follow-up at outpatient clinics.
Life After Detox
Going through a treatment program and successfully detoxing should make anyone proud. However, it’s not the end of the battle. In fact, detox is just the first step. Next, you will have to stay sober and on your road to recovery. Here is where counseling and therapy come into play. You will be taught the skills, tactics, and techniques to avoid triggers and sidestep relapse.
That’s why finding the right program and facility is vital. It should be well rounded and offer the education you need to stay safe, clean and sober. Yavapai County has a lot to offer when you’re looking to turn your alcohol use disorder around and experience a life of recovery. Contact us today to learn more!
