Futures Recovery Healthcare Teaches Community About Alcohol Use Disorder

Tequesta, FL based Futures Recovery Healthcare recently published a new blog post in which they shed light on Alcohol Use Disorder, its diagnosis and treatment. As an organization that specializes in helping people take their lives back and return to society as sober individuals with promising futures, the state-licensed, Joint Commission accredited behavioral healthcare provider is always keen to raise awareness of the dangers of alcohol abuse.

“Alcohol Use Disorder develops when an individual forms an unhealthy pattern of alcohol consumption,” the post explains, “which is commonly known as alcohol abuse. Alcohol abuse is a condition where an individual consumes too much alcohol at a particular occasion and, as a result, tends to do or say things that they would not do otherwise. The critical point to the condition of alcohol abuse is that the abusers are not physically dependent on alcohol and can usually survive for an extended time without alcohol.”

The key difference, according to Futures Recovery Healthcare, is when the individual in question discovers that they cannot get through the day without turning to alcohol. This dependence is the threshold which healthcare providers will use to ascertain whether the addiction has transformed into a chronic, relapsing brain disease that needs medical intervention for recovery. However, the clinic is also quick to clarify that both conditions, alcohol abuse and Alcohol Use Disorder, can cause an individual’s mental and physical health to deteriorate. This warrants the need for professional help, even if the condition does not appear to be too serious.

One of the most important steps in seeking treatment for Alcohol Abuse Disorder is to have the condition diagnosed by a healthcare provider. Futures Recovery Healthcare states that those who suffer from this condition should make it their first priority to seek a professional opinion from a doctor in the field. As they cannot accurately diagnose themselves, such individuals are advised that their doctor will run certain tests to determine the seriousness of a patient’s condition. The clinic states, “Simply conveying that you have an alcohol addiction will not suffice to start the treatment. The doctor will diagnose your condition first and then refer you to the relevant professionals to help with your recovery process.”

Fortunately, this stage tends not to be too taxing to undergo. The doctor, according to Futures Recovery Healthcare, will begin by having a frank conversation regarding the patient’s drinking habit, associated disorders and their overall health as a preliminary step to diagnosing their condition. This may even lead to the doctor asking permission to speak with the patient’s friends or family, as their input can be incredibly helpful in forming an accurate picture of the patient’s condition, particularly as those who abuse alcohol tend to underestimate their status. Following this, the doctor will ask the patient to complete a psychological evaluation that will explore the latter’s symptoms, behaviors and thoughts. Finally, The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders fifth-edition will be used on the patient.

According to Futures Recovery Healthcare, these are the typical steps that are taken to diagnose the presence of any issues with alcohol but, “it is entirely reasonable for healthcare facilities to follow different procedures or to follow the above with a few other procedures.”

Once a diagnosis is made and the doctor comes to the conclusions that their patient has an Alcohol Use Disorder, they will be referred to a suitable treatment program. This can include a detox program, psychological counseling or therapies, medication that makes drinking less enjoyable by generating feelings of nausea and headaches and so on. One of the most important aspects of this stage, however, is that the patient will receive ongoing support once they complete a program—this is vital to ensure that they can stay sober, manage relapses and come to terms with the change in lifestyle. Support of this nature may include medical and psychological care, and it is provided by many groups that strive to help people deal with alcohol abuse.

Futures Recovery Healthcare understands that their community will have many questions regarding the subject. As a result, they encourage those concerned about Alcohol Abuse Disorder to get in touch with Deja Gilbert of Futures Recovery Healthcare or another member of their team to follow up on any inquiries. More information can also be found on the clinic’s website, including resources on detox programs, alcohol withdrawal treatment and more.