Curing the Disease by Alcohol Rehabilitation

Alcoholism and drug addiction are highly prevalent in modern society. Research shows that approximately 10% of the world’s population has some kind of substance addiction. Today, alcoholism is recognised by leading medical groups like the American Medical Association and the World Health Organisation as a disease having overwhelming consequences on all aspects of the abuser’s life – mental, emotional, spiritual, physical and financial. Unlike physical malformations which can be corrected easily and inexpensively by cosmetic surgery, liposuction, dental beautification or contact lenses, addiction to alcohol or drugs have certain uniquely recognizable challenges. Specifics may vary with individuals, but the patterns and signs can be predicted. The problem is always rooted deeply inside the patient and not as a result of any external pressures.

This makes alcohol rehabilitation fairly unique among treatments. Recent studies have recognized a genetic factor in alcoholism. Specific neuro-transmitters in the brain have been isolated by researchers and are believed to be related to the tendency towards substance abuse. Addiction is a progressive disease and an alcoholic or drug addict requires growing amounts of the substance to reach the same high, because the body will develop a tolerance towards the drug or the alcohol. Additionally, substance abuse affects and can destroy the whole family, spouse, children and parents. They suffer the same negativities as the addict without ever indulging in the problem substance. And it is incurable although completely treatable. A recovering alcoholic can never take a drink and hope to continue maintaining control over his or her problem.