Alcohol Addiction & Rehabilitation

Am I An Alcoholic?

Alcoholism slips in you from the backdoor, from one glass every once in a while, to a few glass per day. There are a series of signals that should alert you to the habituation and dependence process.

• Do you look forward to the time of the day when you will start drinking?
• Are you looking forward to your husband leaving so that you can start drinking as you wish?
• Are you starting to drink earlier and earlier in the day?
• Do you start your day with alcohol?
• Are you hiding your habit from some people?
• Do you tend to socialize with other people who drink alcohol?
• Do you feel like you would like to stop and you cannot?
• Do you feel that you cannot stop drinking when you start?

“Most people don’t drink alcohol, the alcohol drinks them.”– Vimalananda

Alcohol Abuse

The effects of alcohol abuse on the body are well known. Anyone who has been hung over has experienced the results of toxic accumulation as a result of drinking. When the drinking becomes consistent people often feel the need to cleanse.

Alcohol Detoxification

Most alcohol detoxification centers offering this service will advocate a 12-step program. While we are not opposed to following the 12 steps for those who are already engaged with it, we are advocating a different philosophy.

Alcohol Addiction – Disease or Learned Behavior Pattern

At Hawaii Naturopathic Retreat Center we do not believe that alcohol addiction is an incurable disease. We believe that alcohol addiction is a learned behavior pattern. Our program provides the opportunity to understand your stress coping mechanisms and learn new skills.

• We encourage empowerment versus victimization.
• We believe that when people are properly detox they can make positive choices for their lives.
• We believe in freedom of choice and that people can choose to not be a victim of alcohol.

Successful Recovery

Alcohol addiction is not as simple as “to drink or not to drink.” Successful recovery involves –

• good eating habits,
• proper sleep, and
• adaptive responses to life’s stresses.

We do not just help you detoxify from alcohol, we empower you to live a life that is balanced and independent. You can feel great without any substance at all!

Alcohol

Alcohol abuse and dependence is a neglected cause of morbidity and mortality. For instance, nearly 14 million Americans meet diagnostic criteria for alcohol use disorders, and more than 100,000 U.S. deaths are caused by excessive alcohol consumption each year. Direct and indirect causes of death include drunk driving, cirrhosis of the liver, falls, cancer, and stroke.

Every person in recovery faces challenges. Often, these challenges involve handling the cues or “triggers” that, over time, become associated with their drinking behavior. Certain individuals, activities, places, moods, or feelings can be cues that provoke a pattern of drinking. For example, many people use alcohol to calm down when they feel upset. Others may drink to excess when attending sports events. What triggers may be linked to your drinking?

By recognizing your own triggers and patterns, you can start to devise ways to better cope when confronted with them. Some triggers may be obvious – and avoidable – like certain friends or activities. Other triggers may not be so avoidable. You might recognize that when you’re frustrated at work or put into a new social situation, drinking has been your response. In this case, you must develop different ways to respond to these triggers or ways to cope before the situation occurs. This is where working with your counselors, support groups, and friends and family can really help.

By keeping control of your behavior, you’re sticking to your commitment to stay alcohol-free. Once you’ve achieved success dealing with a high-risk situation, you can build on it to face the next one. This confidence can grow to an expectation of being able to cope, a sense of mastery, and self-control.

HAWAII NATURAL DRUG REHABILITATION                                       & RAW DETOXIFICATION CENTER