5 Reasons to Combine Alcohol Detox with Counseling at Rehab

Alcohol detox programs are highly effective at helping you overcome physical dependency on alcohol. But what if your drinking problem was triggered by reasons such as stress and depression? Alcohol detox can help you stop drinking, but won’t necessarily help you overcome psychological causes of addiction.

Many alcohol detox centers offer counseling as part of treatment for overcoming alcohol abuse. Counseling can help you recognize triggers and behaviors that lead to drinking so you can avoid relapse following treatment. Call our 24/7 confidential helpline at 800-481-6965 (Who Answers?) to speak with an addiction counselor about nearby alcohol detox centers that also treat mental causes of addiction.

Here are five reasons to combine alcohol detox with counseling so you can successfully achieve sobriety for life.

1. Learn Better Ways to Manage Stress

Counseling teaches you how to manage stress using methods that are far healthier than drinking. Exercise, yoga and sleep therapy are all examples of healthy ways to manage stress that won’t negatively impact your health or overall livelihood. Addiction counselors will even help you learn how to eliminate stressors from your life, or make changes to your life as needed to reduce stress.

2. Meet New Friends

You can make friendships in rehab that will last a lifetime.

Counseling at alcohol rehab is often conducted in group settings so you can benefit from hearing stories, tips, and tricks from other recovering addicts about how to avoid relapse and stay sober. The people you meet at rehab can become your lifelong friends, especially after you’ve all successfully overcome alcohol abuse alongside one another. This is helpful when you leave rehab, and need to stop hanging out with old friends and negative influences who encouraged you to drink.

3. Overcome Co-Occurring Disorders

Many who suffer from alcohol abuse also suffer from mental health disorders that may have influenced them to drink. For example, those with bipolar disorder or post-traumatic stress disorder often turn to alcohol as a way to mask certain symptoms, such as depression. But combining counseling with alcohol detox allows you to address these co-occurring disorders so you can overcome alcohol abuse as a whole.

4. Discover New, Fun Hobbies

After you finish alcohol detox, you may not know how to fill your spare time now that you’re no longer drinking. For instance, you may stop going to bars and spending time with old drinking buddies to lower your risk for relapse. But counseling can help you identify new, fun hobbies and interests that replace drinking, and that productively consume your time following detox.

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5. Overcome Past Trauma and Memories

After you’ve achieved sobriety, you may start remembering things you did or said while drinking that you’re not proud of, or that make you feel ashamed. This is normal, and a healthy part of overcoming alcohol abuse. Counseling helps you confront and overcome negative memories and past traumatic experiences so you can learn from your mistakes, and move forward toward achieving a happier, more fulfilling life free of alcohol.

If you’re suffering from alcohol abuse, understand that you’re not alone, and that help is available and nearby. Call our 24/7 confidential helpline at 800-481-6965 (Who Answers?) to learn more about nearby alcohol rehab centers that combine alcohol detox with counseling and therapy.