Alcohol Addiction Treatment Program in Bakersfield

Recognize the Signs of Alcohol Dependence

It can be easy to rationalize how much you’re drinking, but alcohol dependence leaves behind telltale signs. People who become addicted to alcohol spend a lot of time planning their drinking binges. They may go to great lengths to ensure that there is always alcohol available. They may also hide their drinking from family and friends. Some even go so far as to hide the bottles of alcohol around the house or conceal them inside other containers.

Many alcoholics find themselves unable to stop drinking despite their best efforts. They may wake up in the morning and announce, “Today’s the day I’m going to stop drinking!” only to find themselves pouring a drink an hour later. Others can stop drinking for short periods of time, but when they resume drinking, they find themselves drinking more heavily than ever before.

As their drinking increases, many people find themselves drinking in the morning to offset the after effects of last evening’s binge. These “morning drinks” stop the shaking hands and queasy feelings, but are a definite sign of a serious alcohol dependence.

Seek Professional Help

If you find yourself drinking in the morning to stop shaking, blacking out or otherwise showing the signs of alcohol dependence, it’s important to receive professional help to stop drinking. As your body becomes dependent on alcohol, many changes occur throughout your brain and body chemistry. Your body adapts to the amount of alcohol you’re drinking. Withdrawing it too quickly can cause a rebound effect in blood pressure that can be detrimental to your health. Medications, given under a doctor’s supervision, can counteract any negative effects of alcohol withdrawal. One such treatment is Naltrexone, which is one of the most effective alcohol medications available. It works to block the pleasure effects of alcohol and diminish cravings for alcohol. To learn more about Naltrexone and how it can help you overcome alcohol addiction, click here.

Other medications can be given to make you feel better during alcohol withdrawal. These medicines can help you sleep, since insomnia is often an aftereffect of alcohol withdrawal. They can also help regulate your blood pressure, heart rate and other systems as your body adapts to the lack of alcohol.

When you stop drinking, you may feel cravings for alcohol. Synergy Recovery Services offers medical alcohol treatment that includes medicine to help stop cravings as well as counseling for alcohol addiction. We find that this synergetic combination helps people more effectively than medicine or counseling alone. The medicine will help stop your cravings while you undergo outpatient counseling and classes to help you understand how to manage your disease.

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Alcohol Addiction Treatment at Synergy Recovery Services

There are many alcohol addiction treatment resources in Bakersfield, but only one offers a comprehensive and personalized medical approach to alcohol dependence. Synergy Recovery Services offers alcohol addiction treatment in Bakersfield that has helped many people overcome problems with alcohol.

One of the many benefits of receiving alcohol addiction treatment at Synergy Recovery Services is our location. Unlike other alcohol treatment centers, we offer a spa-like, professional office. Because our center offers both aesthetic and medical treatments for several conditions, your privacy is always maintained. No one needs to know that you are receiving alcohol addiction treatment when you visit us.

What can you expect at Synergy Recovery Services? First and foremost, we treat you with professional courtesy and respect. We believe that alcohol addiction is a medical condition and should be treated as such. You will see a medical doctor with special certification and training in addiction medicine. Dr. Trobisch is certified by the American Board of Addiction Medicine, and offers medical management of alcohol and drug addiction.

We offer several treatment options for alcohol addiction. All treatment is offered in our Bakersfield office on an outpatient basis. You’ll come to the office during business hours, and return home each evening. You may choose to participate in:

• PHP (Partial Hospitalization Program) — This is our most aggressive form of treatment for alcohol dependence. It’s a five-day, six-hour-a-day program in which you receive medical management of your symptoms as well as group counseling and classes. It’s helpful for people who have tried to quit alcohol on their own but haven’t been successful, or for people who are having trouble with both alcohol and drugs.

• IOP (Intensive Outpatient Program) — IOP is our most popular program, and has helped many people successfully manage their addiction to alcohol. The IOP program is also an outpatient program. You’ll come to our center three days a week, for three hours at a time. During your time with us, you will attend group counseling and classes to help you understand how addition affects your body and how to cope with its effects. Many insurance plans cover IOP, and about 80 percent of our clients prefer this program.

• Individual Counseling — In addition to the programs listed above, we offer individual counseling for alcohol addiction. Staff members are trained in addiction counseling and have many years of experience helping people overcome their addiction to drugs and alcohol. Individual counseling is part of both IOP and PHP programs. After you complete your initial program, you’ll return once or twice a month for follow-up visits with a counselor. These sessions are private and can help you maintain your recovery.

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Medical Addiction Treatment in Bakersfield

In addition to the counseling methods listed above, Synergy Recovery Services also offers medical management for addiction. Various medications prescribed and administered by Dr. Trobisch can help you overcome both the symptoms of withdrawal and the cravings for alcohol.

Is Alcohol Addiction a Big Problem?

At Synergy Recovery Services, we see many clients and patients who are alcohol dependent. Alcohol dependence is one of the most common addictions. According to the National Council on Drug and Alcohol Dependence, one in 12 people are addicted to alcohol, which is about 17.6 million people. Alcohol is the third-leading “lifestyle” cause of death, meaning it’s a preventable disease attributed to lifestyle choices, rather than accidents, genetic or environmental factors.

How Much Is Too Much?

The line between social drinking and alcohol abuse is often blurred, especially because alcohol affects individuals differently. Size, weight, age and genetics all make it difficult to pinpoint an exact amount that leads to dependence.

The Center for Disease Control defines “moderate” drinking as one glass of beer, wine or hard liquor per day for women, and two for men. Generally speaking, a standard drink under this definition is 12 ounces of beer, 8 ounces of malt liquor, 5 ounces of wine, or a 1.5 ounce shot of hard liquor.

Although some people think that wine or beer is safer than hard liquor, your body doesn’t care where it gets alcohol from. Wine does provide some antioxidants, but you can obtain similar health benefits from grape juice or cranberry juice. The amount of alcohol in a serving defines its effects, with higher proof alcoholic beverages producing stronger effects without having to drink the same amount.

Using the standard levels listed above, heavy drinking is defined by the CDC as 8 or more drinks for women per week, or 12 or more for men per week. Alcohol abuse often begins when heavy drinking turns into problem drinking. People who abuse alcohol find that even heavy drinking isn’t enough. The more they drink, however, the more problems they have. Heavy drinking and alcohol abuse can lead to:

• Dangerous drinking situations, such as drinking and driving or operating heavy machinery
• Problems at work, home or school due to drinking
• Legal problems due to drinking

Alcoholism or alcohol dependence is when problem drinking or alcohol abuse becomes chronic. Alcoholics find their cravings for alcohol are so strong that they can’t resist or moderate their drinking even when it becomes a problem. They may need a drink in the morning to keep away shakiness or queasiness.

Who Is at Risk for Alcohol Problems?

Anyone can be at risk for alcohol problems. Alcohol addiction doesn’t discriminate by gender, race or economic status. However, you may have an increased risk of becoming addicted to alcohol if someone in your family is addicted to drugs or alcohol. The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence states that genetics makes up about 50 percent of an individual’s risk of alcoholism.

Family and social circumstances also increase your risk of becoming dependent on alcohol. If everyone in your social circles drinks heavily, you may take up the habit simply to fit in. But over time, this can lead to dependence.

Additional risk factors for developing alcohol or drug problems include anxiety and depression. Some people begin drinking to soothe anxious feelings. Social anxiety often leads people to overindulge at parties, for example, which can then turn into a drinking habit. Some people have underlying depression or anxiety that when treated, helps them heal from alcohol abuse as well.

Even though researchers know a lot about alcoholism, there are still many unanswered questions about this disease. Regardless of your family history, genetics or social status, if you are having a problem controlling your drinking, or if you think your drinking is controlling you, it’s time to seek help.

How Does Drinking Affect Your Health?

Alcohol is a drug that affects every part of your body. Long-term alcohol abuse can lead to many problems, including liver damage, hypertension, heart disease, depression and even dementia. When you drink alcohol, it enters your bloodstream directly from the stomach and small intestine. It then travels to your central nervous system and brain. Eventually, chronic alcoholism can affect the cerebellum, the part of the brain that controls movement and coordination. Alcohol also affects parts of the brain related to mood, speech and more.

Your liver is responsible for clearing your body of toxins. Alcohol is actually a toxin, and the liver must use its resources to neutralize and remove alcohol from the body. Chronic alcohol abuse can damage the liver and cause liver disease.

Short-Term Effects of Drinking

There are also short-term effects of drinking that can be unpleasant and dangerous. After one drink, most people find their inhibitions lessening. They may also feel happy, relaxed and more talkative than usual. But as the alcohol levels in the bloodstream increase, you may find yourself becoming sleepier. Some people develop headaches, stomach aches, ulcers, diarrhea and other gastrointestinal issues.

The more alcohol you drink, the more your judgment is impaired. Your reaction time slows, which is why drinking and driving is such a dangerous mix. Not only is your reaction time and driving ability compromised, but you may not even be aware of the problem.

Too much alcohol in the bloodstream can also lead to blackouts, coma and unconsciousness. If you have passed out from drinking, you should think seriously about seeking treatment for an alcohol problem. Binge drinking, weekend drinking and heavy drinking on occasion can be as problematic to your health and well-being as someone who drinks a lot regularly.

Make an Appointment Today

Don’t let alcohol continue to harm your health or wellbeing. If you think you have a problem with alcohol, please call us today. We provide alcohol addiction treatment in our comfortable, spa-like setting in Bakersfield.

If you or a loved one has a problem with alcohol, contact Synergy Recovery Services today. We are open Monday through Friday and will be happy to answer any of your questions regarding alcohol addiction treatment at our Bakersfield center. Please call us at 661-878-9930.

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