Just as the development of alcoholism, recovery does not happen overnight and can take anywhere from months to even years for the process to be fully completed, without the risk of relapse.

Acknowledging the Problem

Before any addict can begin treatment, they have to fully admit to the issue they are having and understand the dangers they expose themselves and they closed ones to.

At first, the addict may try to hide the usage of alcohol, or find excuses for their behavior. For instance, they can blame it on the stress because of work, or personal life, or they can say it’s common to use alcohol to relax. They may also become defensive when confronted with facts that may point to addiction and resent advice regarding treatment. Trying to force an addict into a rehabilitation program may seem like an option, studies show that without the addict’s full will to commit to the treatment, the results are rarely positive.

After fully admitting they have an issue, addicts may seek help from the people they feel close to, like friends or family, before fully committing to professional treatment. During this stage, it is very important for the addict not to feel they are being judged or pressured to seek help, but instead, they should be helped to make a recovery plan and stick to it. Examining their lifestyle, setting small goals and starting to research treatment facilities and programs that best suit their particular problem are some of the first steps addicts should follow when committing to changing their dangerous habits.

Seeking Help

At the beginning of this stage, the person has already determined the type of treatment they want to involve in, and because no person is the same, there are various types of programs they can choose from, from rehabilitation clinics, to group or individual therapy. The most effective programs are the ones that combine behavioral treatments with medication and mutual-support group meetings.

The first part of the rehabilitation process is probably the hardest one, commonly knowns as withdrawal. While some people experience mild withdrawal outcomes, other alcohol rehab patients experience both physical symptoms, like tremors, nausea,  excessive sweating and fever, and mental ones, for example, insomnia episodes, anxiety and restlessness. The importance of undergoing withdrawal in a medically assisted facility is extremely important, because on some occasions patients may experience seizures or delirium tremens within the first 2 to 5 days of withdrawal.

The next step is commonly called Early Treatment and represents the begging of treatment administration. Patients are taught how to identify triggers and cope with the cravings. In therapy, they are taught to express their feelings during treatment and improve their self-esteem

The Middle-Stage Treatment focuses on maintaining abstinence, while the patient feels it becomes easier to focus on their daily life and make decisions. They begin to feel much more stable, engage more in different types of therapy, like motivational enhancement therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy and even family therapy.

The danger is not over yet, as this is the stage where people may begin to experience relapse symptoms. 

Avoiding Relapse

When in therapy, addiction counselors teach individuals how to identify behavior patterns, places and things that may trigger a relapse. They learn coping skills to develop an addiction-free lifestyle, are taught to find other ways of having fun without the use of alcohol and avoid substituting their addiction with another one, which is the most common way people overcome addiction and may sometimes be even more dangerous than the first one. After any form of relapse, patients are encouraged to go back to the first stages of treatment, which can be often demoralizing and the help of friends and family is crucial in case of relapse, to help them overcome the feelings of disappointment they may experience.

Although relapse triggers are different from one person to another, based on their life experience and the way they came in contact with alcohol, the most common ones are:

• Negative emotions like frustration, fear, anger, guilt, loneliness, anxiety, depression


• Exposure to alcohol


• Social pressure


• Places or people associated with alcohol usage


• Positive emotions or events

Studies have shown that relapse rates for alcohol users are higher than for those who experienced drug abuse. Relapse dangers usually appear after three months of treatment and may take even up to five years to learn how to overcome them, which is when the follow-up counseling usually reaches an end.

Achieving Sobriety

After successfully completing treatment and overcoming any relapse episodes, the former addict finds it more and more easy to establish healthy relationships, resolve personal issues and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Many addiction experts argue that addiction is a chronic disease and never goes away completely and addicts should continue to attend group therapy meetings, even if they feel there is no potential danger of returning to old habits.

A particular challenge addicts experience is getting their social life back together, as they may become afraid that social gatherings may trigger a relapse. Being mentally prepared for questions regarding their condition and even preparing some answers may help. Also, being in charge of their own drink is an effective tip, to avoid questions or uncomfortable situations like having to turn down a glass of wine or dangerous situations, when people don’t realize how threatening the smallest amount of alcohol can be, even after years of sobriety.

A few tips counselors give for maintaining sobriety include developing a schedule and sticking to it, developing new and healthy relationships, getting involved in physical activities, like going to the gym, running, hiking or taking yoga classes, making a change in nutrition, picking up new hobbies and investing in old ones.

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