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Common Myths and Misconceptions about Alcoholism

Alcohol addiction is a serious affliction that affects your entire life. When a person becomes dependent upon alcohol, that person’s reasoning is impaired and they may make terrible mistakes, such as driving while drunk. Unfortunately, the physical dependence on alcohol that accompanies the condition makes it nearly impossible to simply stop drinking. Seeking help from a rehabilitation facility is critical to helping a person with an addiction see the flaws in their thinking and begin making a healthy recovery. Some common myths about alcoholism include:

Drinking Isn’t a Real Addiction

Because drinking is legal and socially acceptable, many people feel that alcohol is not the same as other drugs. However, alcohol addiction is just as real as any other drug addiction. Alcohol negatively affects the body and creates a physical dependency. Individuals who attempt to stop drinking on their own experience physical and mental withdrawal symptoms associated with all types of drug addiction.

Not Drinking Every Day Means You’re Not an Alcoholic

It can be difficult to recognize alcohol addiction because drinking does not need to occur every day in order for it to happen. Many people labor under the misconception that if they don’t drink every day, they cannot possibly be addicted. The truth is that an alcohol problem needs to be viewed as a whole. If drinking affects your work, your social life, or your family relations, then it is a problem and you need to seek help for rehabilitation.

Drinking Only Affects the Person Addicted

It can be difficult for alcoholics to see how their drinking affects their family, friends, and coworkers. They feel that no one has the right to tell them to seek rehabilitation and often resist attempts to help. A rehabilitation program or counselor can help them see how their problem affects all those around them and make them more open to the decision to quit.

Don’t let misconceptions about alcoholism affect you or your loved one’s decision to seek help. Astoria Pointe and The Rosebriar rehabilitation programs are here to help with the process of addiction recovery. Call us today at (503) 298-4393 or visit our website to find out how you can get help today.

A Guide to Improving Your Self-Esteem After a Rehabilitation Program

Completing your rehabilitation program marks a big step towards recovery from addiction. Once you have left your rehab facility, however, it’s just as important to maintain a positive outlook on life. Taking slow, small steps will help you rebuild your self-esteem. 

Go Easy on Yourself

One of the most important things to remember after your rehabilitation program is that you will make mistakes. This is all right, but it’s also not an excuse to spiral back into addiction. Give yourself a break and acknowledge that you may feel worried or depressed from time to time. It’s important that you learn to manage stress positively and turn to friends, family, and counselors to help you through difficult times. Concentrate on addiction recovery as a long-term goal, rather than trying to live each day perfectly.

Take Note of Your Successes

While you shouldn’t dwell on failure, remember that successes are worth celebrating. Simply graduating from your rehabilitation program is a big achievement! Don’t let your recognition of success end there; take a moment to stop each day and consider the things you’ve done right. Remember times of positive progress and use them to reaffirm your faith in yourself. Feel free to share these times with family and friends, as they will be happy to celebrate with you every step of the way toward recovery.

Keep Active and Occupied

While you shouldn’t eradicate downtime from your schedule, keeping yourself occupied can help minimize the desire to lapse back into drug or alcohol use. Scheduling 30-60 minutes of exercise a day strengthens your body and leaves you feeling great. Try joining a club, sports group, or other activity to meet new friends and replace drug use with positive social interactions. Branch out to new people, make new friends, and enjoy time with your old friends.

Rebuilding self-esteem is an essential part of the rehabilitation process. Astoria Pointe is here to help you with every step along the road to recovery. To find out more about our rehabilitation center for men, call us today at (503) 298-4393. 

Learn More About What Astoria Pointe and The Rosebriar Offer

Recovering from addiction takes time, effort, and guidance. These resources can help you understand why 12-step programs are effective forms of treatment and learn more about dual diagnosis:

• Are you thinking of joining a 12-step program? Read this article from Rehab-International.org to learn more about the benefits of the 12-step model.
• Learn more about what joining a 12-step group can do for you with this short article from DrugAlcoholAddictionRecovery.com.
• Many drug addicts also suffer from mental illness. Learn more about dual diagnosis at this page from Mental Health America.
• This article from the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance examines dual diagnosis in the context of depression and bipolar disorder.
• This page from the National Alliance on Mental Illness provides information on the frequency and treatment of dual diagnosis.

Do you or a loved one need help overcoming addiction? Astoria Pointe and The Rosebriar are live-in drug and alcohol treatment facilities that serve Oregon and Washington residents. Call us today at (503) 298-4393 to begin your recovery.

Download this iPhone App for Access to Helpful Support and Advice during Your Recovery

Though visiting a treatment facility is an excellent way to begin your drug and alcohol rehabilitation, you can’t stay there forever. After you leave the treatment facility, a 12-step program can help you receive continuing support.

The Today’s Step: Recovery app can provide you with inspirational materials, exercises, and advice that will help you focus on your recovery in small ways. Incorporating this encouragement tool into your everyday life can help you achieve your recovery goals.

This app can be an excellent follow-up to your treatment at Astoria Pointe or The Rosebriar. We provide substance abuse rehabilitation and dual diagnosis treatment for residents in Washington, Oregon, and elsewhere in the Northwest. Call us today at (503) 298-4393 to begin the path to recovery.