Rehab Counselling Centre Releases Alcoholism Research to Raise Public Awareness

In an attempt to raise public awareness of the factors concerning alcoholism, UK Rehab Centre Group Trust the Process provide an insight into the world of alcohol addiction to help people understand the illness.

Luton, Bedfordshire (PRWEB) April 25, 2008 -- In an attempt to raise public awareness of the factors concerning alcoholism, UK Rehab Centre Group Trust the Process provide an insight into the world of alcohol addiction to help people understand the illness.

Alcoholism

Alcoholism is now widely regarded as a disease which affects people mentally, physically and spiritually. Many people enjoy drinking socially, and sometimes drink too much, but when their drinking habits become abnormal and they start to behave repeatedly out of character, there is a strong possibility that alcoholism is beginning to set in. Some people show some signs of dependency on alcohol but that does not necessarily mean that they are alcoholic; they drink more alcohol than the level that is regarded as safe, for example, but still function perfectly well and do not experience any mental and physical consequences of drinking above the recommended limits.

Alcoholism, however, becomes apparent when the individual begins to avoid life issues, when they are unable to control their drinking when most people normally do, and when their alcohol use affects their family life, their work, their friendships, their finances etc. Alcohol becomes the primary focus in life for the alcoholic, for some people much quicker than others, and it begins to have a very damaging effect on both the individual with the addiction and their relatives, friends, colleagues and community.

Alcohol addiction

Alcohol addiction is not something that people can simply 'shake off' and get on with their lives. It affects the individual and the people around them and often leads to many problems both for the addict and their families. Alcohol addiction has an effect on the user's health, both physical and mental, and can often lead to the individual being unable to function on a day-to-day basis. Due to the social stigma that is attached to alcohol addiction, the user may well try to conceal the amount that they are consuming from other people, either whilst drinking alone or by concealing how much they are drinking whilst socialising with others.

There are many health problems associated with alcohol addiction as the human body is unable to cope with constant and heavy amounts of alcohol. In small doses alcohol is regarded as harmless, sometimes even beneficial (we have all heard of the 'hot toddie' which is supposed to work wonders for a cold and that red wine in small quantities is good for the heart). In large and continuous doses, however, alcohol can be very damaging to the organs of the body, and people suffering with alcohol addiction are without doubt putting themselves at risk of severe illness and hospitalisation.

Eventually the individual suffering from alcohol addiction will need intensive help if they are to overcome their problem. In addiction treatment clinics, usually the person suffering with alcohol addiction will experience fear at the thought of having to give up alcohol altogether. It requires the person to readjust to every life situation and relationship which once was managed, or mismanaged, by using alcohol as a mood-altering drug. Addition treatment clinics help people to stop drinking by providing medically supervised detoxification programmes, to wean them off alcohol, whilst providing intensive counselling to address the faulty cognitive processes which need to change in order to ensure the alcoholic stays stopped.

Alcohol Counselling

Alcohol counselling is a very effective way of helping an individual with their problem of addiction. Many counsellors have personal experience of addiction and therefore can offer both empathy and professional support to the sufferer with their illness. People who are in recovery from alcoholism are usually very eager to help other people who are suffering with the effects of their alcohol consumption, and some decide that they would like to train to a professional standard to enable themselves to do this in the workplace.

An 'introduction to counselling' course is normally the first place to begin an education in counselling. This may be followed by a certificate course, which gives a general 'feel' for counselling and involves the basic requirements expected of a counsellor, following the code of ethics provided by the counselling body. The next level of training is the Diploma in Counselling which is normally a two year course, during which the trainee will begin to see clients in a one-to-one setting. Usually these courses deliver training for generic counselling, and with this it is often possible for the trainee to find employment in the alcohol addiction field to help those in alcohol rehabilitation.

Specific addiction courses are available in the UK, but normally require that the counsellor has a diploma-level qualification should they wish to enrol. Individuals who hold the diploma in counselling have a choice to work in the addiction field or not, and should they wish to do so, their personal history of problematic drinking is very often equally as important as the academic qualification.

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