Can I Cure Myself of Alcoholism?

If you are struggling with alcoholism, you may have come to the realization that you need to stop drinking. In order to accomplish that goal, you know that professional detox and treatment will give you the tools and support you need to find lasting sobriety. Despite the many effective treatment options that are available to you, you may be very hesitant to seek professional help.

You may not seek treatment due to perceived stigma of alcoholics, or treatment itself may be too expensive for you to manage. In those instances, you may feel the only option you have is to “cure” yourself of your alcoholism. While quitting “cold turkey” is an appealing option, can you cure yourself of your alcoholism in this manner? Additionally, are you putting your health in danger by trying to self-detox?

Last January 2019, the US Center for Disease Control reveals that middle-aged adults comprise 43% of the total number of deaths from alcohol poisoning. In 2011, 29,001 Alcohol-Induced Deaths were recorded. What’s more, drunk driving also increases the risk of a car crash which can lead to death, damage to property or criminal and civil liability.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse considers alcoholism as a disease that changes your brain structure and how it works. The changes make it hard for you to control your drinking habit. This explains why many alcoholics and their loved ones search for solutions to an almost impossible quest of breaking the cycle of substance abuse. Many of them complain about having a very bad time coping with the alcoholism and its effects; plus it’s too hard to stop.

The frustration starts when a loved who is not educated enough about the nature of alcohol addiction starts convincing you to quit. They often think they could stop you by grounding you, having you arrested, throwing you on the street or waiting for you to hit rock bottom till you say, “I want to quit now!” But the alcoholism epidemic is sweeping nations, killing many people and converting the once happy, kind, loving, smart and beautiful individuals into fearful, lying, insensitive and helpless loners.

The alcoholism has so much control on alcoholics that they end up choosing the drink over their career, family, and everything that used to matter very much to them. All they care about is getting drunk up to the point where their loved ones get so tired of getting their hopes up.

While curing alcoholism all by yourself sounds difficult to achieve, all alcoholics need to be motivated to start walking on the road to recovery. They have to realize that alcohol is already making serious problems to their relationships, career/studies, social standing and their future. Sometimes, they just wake up one day realizing that they don’t want alcohol anymore and they will do anything to get back on track. The bottom-line is that they have to figure it out so that they will be open to different recovery strategies.

Despite your strong determination to quit alcohol, it’s difficult to do it when you are still with people who play major roles on your substance abuse or there’s an unresolved past conflict or mental conditions that get in your way. They can be anything that holds you back or anyone who condone your addiction, abuse you or supply alcohol.

Motivation is a starting point of recovery but you don’t have to stay there. Otherwise, when motivation fades (which usually happens when withdrawal sets in or you are having a difficult situation that drains you emotionally) you may go back to substance abuse.

Treatment centers like Hawaii Island Recovery can give you a lot of support. It helps you discover the reasons behind your addiction, guides you in facing your past and gives you the tools you need to live your present and prepare for a sober life in the future. You might get medical support for your withdrawal and medications for a medical condition and co-occurring mental disorders. The setting is amazingly peaceful, the staff are warm and accommodating and the alcoholism treatment specialists will do everything to see you well and happy again!

There isn’t one fit cure for all alcoholics. That’s why Hawaii Island Recovery uses the individualized treatment approach to address alcohol addiction and the underlying problems. These include depression, fear of being left alone, abuse and other emotional baggage they have been carrying for years.

Perhaps you are on wits end and nearly giving up on yourself or your loved one with an addiction. The drugs may have already taken out the best things in your life including your happiness, peace of mind and good health and it’s threatening to snatch your future. But, remember that there is hope. Even if you are still having send thoughts on attending a treatment program, the mere act of coming here would be enough. HIR will give you the reasons to desire your recovery.

At Hawaii Island Recovery, you have the luxury of living in an island paradise where you are far away from alcohol and drugs. You don’t have to be afraid that you can’t make it without your daily drink. There is a strong support recovery team and addiction specialists to make sure that your medical and psychological needs are met and that your life will not be at risk while you go through the treatment process.

The answer is, “No”. But, that’s not the end of it. You can do something about it. Get in the right treatment facility that will address all the issues behind your alcoholism and give you the emotional support you need especially during withdrawal episodes. HIR does these and we will also open your mind to the reality that there is hope for you.

When you consume alcohol, it enters the brain and increases the production of both dopamine and GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid). Dopamine is considered the brain’s natural “feel good” neurotransmitter, and it affects how you feel pleasure as well as regulating motivation, sleep functions and memory. GABA is involved in controlling how you handle stress in the brain. When GABA levels increase, the central nervous system becomes depressed. As a result, your breathing slows along with your heart rate. Additionally, your blood pressure also drops.

As you consume more and more alcohol, your brain relies on alcohol in order to function normally. Once you become dependent then addicted to alcohol, both dopamine and GABA activity is altered. The result is the onset of uncomfortable and even dangerous withdrawal symptoms when you cease drinking.

If you decide to quit drinking in the hopes of curing yourself, alcohol withdrawal symptoms usually start approximately 8 hours after your last drink. These withdrawal symptoms will usually reach their peak 2-3 days after your last drink and can include the following:

Since your electrolyte level with dramatically drop, you are at greater risk of suffering a heart attack. Coma and death could also occur.

No matter how to try to quit alcohol, the first step is having the motivation to quit. You need to realize that alcohol is already making serious problems to your relationships, career/studies, social standing and their future. You may wake up one day realizing that you don’t want alcohol anymore and will do anything to get back on track. Ultimately, you need to have the motivation to be open to different recovery strategies.

Dr. John Hibscher, the clinical psychologist and director of Hawaii Island Recovery says,

Dr. Hibscher was referring to the causes and triggers of drug addiction, behavioral addiction, and alcoholism. And, the existing psychological disorders (anxiety, depression, bipolar, etc.) and dual disorder (drug addiction or alcoholism and psychological disorder). He adds, “We can do that here because we have specially trained therapists that are able to do cognitive behavioral therapy and evidence-based therapy…We also have a very special therapy- the dolphin therapy”. The wild dolphins would come near you and you can swim with them. The experience usually helps our clients realize things about themselves.

Despite your strong determination to quit alcohol, it’s difficult to do it when you are still with people who play major roles on your substance abuse or there’s an unresolved past conflict or mental conditions that get in your way. They can be anything that holds you back or anyone who condone your addiction, abuse you or supply alcohol.

Motivation is a starting point of recovery, but you don’t have to stay there. Otherwise, when motivation fades (which usually happens when withdrawal sets in or you are having a difficult situation that drains you emotionally) you may go back to substance abuse.

Treatment centers like Hawaii Island Recovery can give you a lot of support. It helps you discover the reasons behind your addiction, guides you in facing your past and gives you the tools you need to live your present and prepare for a sober life in the future. You might get medical support for your withdrawal and medications for a medical condition and co-occurring mental disorders. The setting is amazingly peaceful, the staff are warm and accommodating and the alcoholism treatment specialists will do everything to see you well and happy again!

There isn’t one fit cure for all alcoholics. That’s why Hawaii Island Recovery uses the individualized treatment approach to address alcohol addiction and the underlying problems. These include depression, fear of being left alone, abuse and other emotional baggage they have been carrying for years.

Perhaps you are on wits end and nearly giving up on yourself or your loved one with an addiction. The drugs may have already taken out the best things in your life including your happiness, peace of mind and good health and it’s threatening to snatch your future. But, remember that there is hope. Even if you are still having send thoughts on attending a treatment program, the mere act of coming here would be enough. HIR will give you the reasons to desire your recovery.