Rehabilitation for alcohol abuse can be a long and arduous process of healing and without the right support, may not be easy to deal with.

Alcoholism is a disorder that is responsible for many deaths in South Africa each year. The progression of this disorder may take years to acquire and thus, may not be easily healed as the habitual processes of alcoholism tend to ingrain themselves into the persons “way of life”.

When someone stops drinking, their body may go into shock and frequently they find that they have to go back to drinking in order to deal with this. However, when in a rehab treatment facility geared for alcoholics, they are provided specialist care of medical professionals who can help them go through the process and keep them safe while their bodies begin to heal. Rehabilitation uses detoxing as its first step and for those undergoing the process, it is just one small piece of the holistic health puzzle.

Part of the rehabilitation is also going into therapy to treat the behaviours that cause addiction. Those who are in rehab will find that they need individual therapy and group therapy to help them deal with their personal and social issues. Addiction then requires cognitive-behavioural therapy to help the individual cope, and this is an important part of the process.

Rehabilitation also involves physical activities, such as meditation and yoga, and these can be used in conjunction with the other forms of therapy to help patients mend their bodies and minds. Some rehab facilities will even have a life skills coach who will help patients learn how to take care of themselves and their needs without relying on alcohol and if they are not taught these skills, they risk relapse.

So what is alcohol rehabilitation? It is a form of treatment for alcoholism that takes the whole individual into account, from their physical to their mental needs and helps them find balance in their lives without needing to rely on alcohol. This is something that everyone struggling with addiction should experience and they need the services of a treatment centre in order to live a better life.