Are you ready to quit drinking? If you or someone you love suffers from alcohol addiction, that question may have come up many times before, only to end in disappointment. Alcoholism does not discriminate; it can happen to anyone, regardless of age, gender, race, or socioeconomic status. If your relationship with alcohol has become unhealthy—from binge drinking to alcohol abuse and beyond—the following information about alcohol addiction will help you understand the dangers of your behaviour and point you toward the path of recovery.

Why are People Addicted to Alcohol?

There are several reasons people develop an alcohol addiction. First, alcohol contains addictive substances that can make it hard to stop drinking once you start. These substances include chemicals called GABA and glutamate, as well as sugar (or more accurately: calories). Second, many people enjoy the way alcohol makes them feel: some describe feeling relaxed and calm; others say they experience a kind of euphoria or high that is hard to replicate with other drugs. A third reason why some people get addicted to alcohol relates to its legal status in most developed countries.

Is There Any Help?

The scary thing about alcohol addiction is that it doesn’t just hurt you. It hurts your family, friends, co-workers and employers. If you have a problem with drinking, you should know there are rehab programs in place to help people like you kick their bad habits for good.

Thankfully, there are addiction centres such as drug rehab facilities and alcohol rehab programs today.

Private Rehab Treatment

Many people who suffer from alcohol addiction believe that treatment isn’t a viable option for them, but going to rehab is far less intimidating than it seems. Once an individual accepts that they need help, either on their own or through encouragement from loved ones, they can begin to receive the support they need to achieve sobriety. With assistance from trained professionals and peers who understand what they’re going through, most addicts are able to make a successful recovery in a relatively short amount of time. In some cases, rehab even helps patients recover so quickly that it saves them from years—or decades—of potential substance abuse.

What is Recovery Like?

Recovery is like walking through a dark and scary forest. You don’t know what dangers lie around each corner, but you’re feeling your way around carefully, knowing that with every step you’re getting closer to something better. Once you reach that bright light at the end of your journey, it will be worth it. It always is.