Start a new life without alcohol

Taking the step to leave alcohol consumption behind literally changes your life for the better, and it may even be the best decision you have ever made. It will improve your physical and mental health and help you regain a sense of freedom, because it allows you to make decisions without alcohol always being the main focus.

It may seem like a difficult and lengthy process, and in moments of weakness you may feel that staying sober is mission impossible because you need to drink. However, it is possible to overcome alcohol addiction and the spiral of drinking that prevents you from living a normal life. At CCAdicciones we know this because our detox centre is number one nationwide, with an 86% recovery rate.

Why quit alcohol?

Taking the initiative to stop drinking alcoholic beverages excessively and start a new life without alcohol will bring multiple benefits in different areas, whether physical, psychological or social. Your physical condition and mood improve if you stop drinking alcohol, as does your immune system, which provides greater protection against illness: stabilisation of liver and stomach biomarkers. Your sleep cycle and sleep quality are restored.

In terms of the psychological aspect, starting a new life without a substance controlling your day-to-day life. People with alcoholism often appear irritable and have sudden mood swings. It seriously harms the mental health of the person with the addiction and everyone around them. Conditions such as depression and anxiety can also worsen, as well as other mental illnesses.

Quitting drinking improves cognitive processes and information processing, especially those related to memory, concentration and attention. It will help you have a clearer mind, think more quickly and remember better.

Alcoholism treatment

At CCAdicciones we offer a specific treatment for alcoholism, so that people can live without drinking alcohol. Even if the person with the addiction is aware of it and wants to stop drinking alcohol, it is not advisable to do so abruptly because they may experience withdrawal syndrome. For this reason, even if you intend to quit alcohol, it is very important to choose the right approach.

Our detox method consists of 4 steps to follow, as follows:

• Detoxification. This is the first phase of inpatient treatment. In patients with an alcohol addiction, it is essential that they are monitored and have medical supervision because alcohol withdrawal syndrome can have harmful effects on the patient’s health.
• Breaking the habit. The aim of this second phase is to bring about a change in the consumer’s mindset. They will undergo therapies, both individual and group, to break away from toxic and harmful routines and habits.
• Rehabilitation. The purpose of rehabilitation is to assess the attitudes and aptitudes of the person with alcohol addiction that have been diminished throughout the addiction disorder. Physical and psychological abilities are worked on in order to rebuild them and gradually recover them. This process begins once detoxification has ended and continues once the patient returns to their environment.
• Reintegration. In the final phase, after going through the entire detox process, the patient must gradually resume their daily life in an organised way and return to the point they were at before their addiction. They will begin outpatient treatment without admission. At CCAdicciones we have different centres throughout Spain. Professionals support the patient and their family to guide them through the process of returning to routine.

How does alcohol affect the body?

Although it can be difficult socially to perceive its real danger, excessive alcohol consumption can cause damage to the body. The main health problems are as follows:

• Gastritis
• Liver fibrosis
• Alcoholic cirrhosis. Healthy liver tissue is replaced by scar tissue, which over time makes it impossible for it to function properly.
• High blood pressure. Blood vessels have high blood pressure and can be damaged.
• Increased blood pressure, arrhythmias and cardiomyopathy.

In addition, alcohol abuse can encourage the use of other drugs. However, besides harming the consumer’s health, alcoholism is a disease that also affects other areas related to the consumer’s life, such as:

1. Psychological aspect. Addiction disorders affect the physical level, but also the mental level. Psychologically, it causes emotional instability and mental health problems, such as depression.
2. Social level causes problems in the family and among friends, if their closest circle reproaches their attitude and is against their consumption. The atmosphere becomes tense and arguments are constant.
3. Work performance decreases. It can lead to problems at work due to alcohol dependence and the person’s condition. They may even be dismissed. This factor, together with the financial cost of continually buying alcohol, can cause financial problems.

Risk factors for alcoholism

Three main factors can be identified that contribute to developing an alcohol addiction because they increase the risk.

First, individual vulnerability. Belonging to an environment with family members who are addicted increases the chances of developing a problem with drinking. Alcohol consumption becomes normalised and you may end up driven towards excessive consumption that leads to addiction. Using alcohol as an escape from problems is dangerous because it will help develop dependence on it, as it will be used as a way to relieve discomfort and avoid facing complicated personal situations.

Age of first use is a factor that directly affects the risk of developing an alcohol addiction disorder. The earlier you start drinking alcoholic beverages, the greater the chances of developing dependence on alcohol. For this reason, it is so important that minors do not start drinking alcohol early, because it increases the chances of developing alcohol dependence in the future, in adult life.

Finally, the amount of alcohol consumed. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there is no amount that is considered safe, and drinking less does not guarantee that you are not dependent.

There is a way out

Alcohol addiction requires a detox treatment supervised by a medical team. CCAdicciones is a detox and addiction recovery centre with a therapeutic detox clinic offering all the comforts. It provides therapies, activities and facilities to ensure the wellbeing of our patients.

Get in touch with us if you need help or more information to start a new life without alcohol. Regaining control, leaving an addiction behind and starting over is possible with CCAdicciones.