When many alcoholics are at their worst, they don’t realize it. They are drinking heavily and it is impacting their life without their knowledge. They might be underperforming at work, there could be tensions with loved ones and even physical signs are showing – but the alcoholic doesn’t know.
Many consider themselves to be “functioning” alcoholics. They see they can hold down their job, attend their kids’ sporting events or make enough money to fund their addiction.
But this is rarely the case. They might be OK now, but soon they will fall victim to their addiction. It could be at night when they drink alone or it could be in weeks. They could start missing those important events and missing work. They might start to experience financial trouble. They might even find themselves in trouble with the law.
That is when they hit rock bottom and need help for their drinking.
How Many Are Alcoholics?
An estimated 30 million people struggle with an alcohol use disorder in the U.S. So, alcoholism is far more common than many people realize, impacting about 10% of the total population. According to a federal survey, about 825,000 reported heavy alcohol use in the past month.
So don’t feel you have to start your road to sobriety alone!
Hitting Rock Bottom
Make no mistake, every alcoholic hits “rock bottom.” They have to hit a point where their life feels so out of control that they know they need help. It’s only possible to start a true life of sobriety once we hit our breaking point.
But everybody’s breaking point is different. For some, it is when a spouse or a partner threatens to leave because of our drinking. For others, it is when our children notice our habits. For others, it is when they are arrested for DUI or other crimes. Then some hit rock bottom when they lose their job because of their drinking.
Hitting rock bottom can be scary, but it’s a necessary step in getting help for drinking.
Treatment Options
Once you are ready for treatment and to break the cycle of your addiction to alcohol, there are many treatment options. One is using a 12-step program, such as Alcoholics Anonymous. These programs can help you understand better why you turned to drinking and give you a support system as you start to live a sober life.
There are also rehab options to help you stop drinking. Those include inpatient and outpatient programs. Inpatient clients live at the facility while they receive care, while outpatients leave at the end of the day and return home. Both sets receive counseling and therapy. It will address your drinking and any underlying causes. It will help you get started on the road to recovery and give you the tools to avoid stressors in the world.
Get Help Today
If you are ready to end your destructive cycle of addiction, reach out to our staff at Country Road recovery today. Our counselors can talk to you about your drinking and help you determine he best treatment option. You can live a clean, sober life and break the cycle!
