Alcohol Rehab:
How our therapy can help your recovery from addiction
Getting help with your drinking, or the drinking of a friend or family member, can seem like a big step. But it doesn’t have to be a frightening prospect.
Our highly-qualified team have years of experience of providing effective therapeutic support and alcohol rehabilitation to people with a history of alcohol misuse.
We’ve compiled this guide to help you understand the risks of alcohol dependency and harmful and hazardous drinking, and to show you how Parkland Place can help.
What is alcohol addiction?
Alcohol addiction and excessive drinking cause serious health problems, and often contribute to social issues such as unemployment, family breakdown, domestic abuse and homelessness.
If someone loses control over their drinking or has an excessive desire to drink, it’s known as dependent drinking (or alcoholism).
Dependent drinking usually affects a person’s quality of life and relationships, but they may not always find it easy to see or accept this.
Severely dependent drinkers are often able to tolerate very high levels of alcohol in amounts that would dangerously affect or even kill some people.
But even people who are not dependent drinkers can put their health and wellbeing, career, relationships and quality of life at risk if they regularly drink to harmful and hazardous levels.
Am I drinking too much?
You could be misusing alcohol if:
- you feel you should cut down on your drinking
- other people have been criticising your drinking
- you feel guilty or bad about your drinking
- you need a drink first thing in the morning to steady your nerves or get rid of a hangover
Latest government guidelines advise both men and woman not to drink more than 14 units per week on a regular basis, and to spread these units out over 3 or more days.
Someone you know may be misusing alcohol if:
- they regularly exceed the latest government guidelines
- they’re sometimes unable to remember what happened the night before because of their drinking
- they fail to do what was expected of them as a result of their drinking – for example, missing an appointment or work because of being drunk or hungover
Risks of alcohol misuse
Short-term
The short-term risks of alcohol misuse include:
- accidents and injuries requiring hospital treatment, such as a head injury
- violent behaviour and being a victim of violence
- unprotected sex that could potentially lead to unplanned pregnancy or sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
- loss of personal possessions, such as wallets, keys or mobile phones
- alcohol poisoning– this may lead to vomiting, seizures (fits) and falling unconscious
People who binge drink (drink heavily over a short period of time) are more likely to behave recklessly and are at greater risk of being in an accident.
Long-term
Persistent alcohol misuse increases your risk of a number of serious health conditions, including:
Dependent drinkers frequently experience physical and psychological withdrawal symptoms if they suddenly cut down or stop drinking, including:
- hand tremors – “the shakes”
- sweating
- seeing things that aren’t real (visual hallucinations)
- depression
- anxiety
- difficulty sleeping (insomnia)
These symptoms often lead to “relief drinking” to avoid withdrawal symptoms.
Getting help for alcohol misuse
If you’re concerned about your drinking or the drinking of a friend or family member, a good first step is to visit your GP. They will be able to discuss the services and treatments available.
Rehab for alcohol misuse
How alcohol misuse is treated depends on how much alcohol a person is drinking. Treatment options include:
- counselling– including self-help groups and talking therapies, such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
- medication
- detoxification – this involves a nurse or doctor supporting you to safely stop drinking; this can be done by helping you slowly cut down over time or by giving you medicines to prevent withdrawal symptoms.
Your treatment at Parkland Place
Parkland Place offers unrivalled therapy for people with experience of alcohol addiction, drug addiction, gambling addiction and other harmful behavioural conditions – in the comfort of a stunning, 16-bed mansion and gardens near the coast in beautiful North Wales. The house is situated amidst farmland owned by the National Trust, and offers a welcoming and comfortable haven for your journey of recovery.
Our therapeutic programme is tailored to the needs of each of our guests, and is delivered by friendly, expert staff. This truly bespoke approach allows us to address the social and psychological needs underpinning your addiction, and support you as you make key lifestyle changes.
Guests at Parkland Place are required to be, and to remain, abstinent during their stay with us. Many of our guests require structured medical detoxification before beginning their recovery journey. We offer no-fuss access to our own dedicated detox clinic at Salus Withnell Hall – including transfers – to ensure a seamless therapeutic experience.
