An alcohol abuse intervention is one of the most common types of interventions performed by professional interventionists. Most alcoholics are stubborn and difficult to deal with, and because alcohol is legal, it is much harder for an alcoholic to view their alcohol use as problematic. An alcohol intervention is difficult to perform without the help of a professional interventionist. However, this is only the first step. Professional interventionists will help a family locate the best possible treatment options, and if the family has TRICARE health insurance, it will help provide more options.
Interventionists Helping Alcoholics
When the family organizes a family alcohol intervention, it is not to focus on how much or how little a person is drinking, but rather the negative behaviors and impact caused by drinking. The average alcoholic is in denial about their drinking and believes that there is no problem. Unfortunately, some of the characteristics include selfishness, being stubborn, and not taking accountability for any actions. Like anyone else addicted to drugs, they tend to blame other people for what is happening. Without intervention, these problems become progressively worse.
Professional intervention groups focus on helping the alcoholic but also the entire group or family involved. The family and anyone close to the alcoholic is the foundation in helping them maintain their sobriety when they complete treatment. It is not easy to decide to perform an alcohol intervention, but it is necessary to save a person’s life. An alcoholic will swear up and down that they can stop drinking at any time. Unfortunately, there are family members and even friends that will believe them. Even if an alcoholic stops drinking for any length of time, there are still deep-seated issues that need to be addressed. A certified interventionist helps the family and alcoholic begin to address these issues on the road to rehabilitation.
When to Seek Alcohol Intervention and Access TRICARE Rehab Centers
There is never a wrong time to seek alcohol intervention; unfortunately, many families wait too long. There is a common misconception that an alcoholic must reach rock bottom—there is no rock bottom because alcoholics will continue to drink despite the consequences. An alcohol intervention is best done when the family notices the indicators, and any effort made to get help fails. Alcohol addiction becomes progressively worse, and it does not get better with time. There are varying levels of detox and treatment designed to help a person at any stage of alcoholism.
Families with TRICARE health insurance has a variety of options to choose from. When searching for treatment, a professional interventionist will help the family locate suitable options, which includes a program covered by TRICARE. Some of the services covered by TRICARE include inpatient treatment or intensive outpatient programs. Both options have benefits; residential drug rehab is a good choice because more is provided, and this is the better option for someone struggling with alcohol addiction. Partial hospitalization programs are also covered by TRICARE, which is important for the initial detox before counseling. Overall, an alcohol inpatient rehab should help a person physically, mentally, and even spiritually if the opportunity is there.
The Scope of Alcohol Addiction in America
According to U.S. death certificate data, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism found that nearly one million people died from alcohol-related causes between 1999 and 2017. The number of times a death certificate mentioned alcohol more than doubled, and in 2017, 2.6% of all deaths were related to alcohol. The increase in the rates of alcohol-related deaths is consistent with the increased consumption, especially during 2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Per Nielson data regarding alcoholic beverage sales, it boomed by 55% in the third week of March 2020. Hard liquor sales were up 75%, wine sales increased 66%, and beer sales rose by 34%. According to the same research, online alcohol sales were up 243% over 2019. There is no slow down of Americans drinking alcohol, and unfortunately, many of the problems with addiction begin at an early age.
According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 86.3% of people aged 18 and older reported that they drink alcohol at some point in their lifetime in 2018. Approximately 25.4% of people aged 18 and older reported that they engaged in binge drinking in the past month. In 2018, over 400,000 youth aged 12 to 17 had an alcohol use disorder, and over 14.4 million adults aged 18 and over had an alcohol use disorder. An estimated 88,000 Americans die from alcohol-related causes annually, making alcohol the third leading preventable cause of deaths in the United States.
The Benefit of Alcohol Inpatient Rehab
Alcohol rehabilitation is unique to each person with what they experience and what occurs after. The rehabilitation process is not easy, but residential alcohol treatment is the best choice. Someone who has battled alcohol addiction for many years requires a distraction-free location where they focus on treatment. Inpatient alcohol treatment programs offer this and provide the necessary length of time to manage all aspects of alcohol addiction.
Short-term alcohol inpatient treatment is brief but intensive and helps with a smooth transition to aftercare or further rehabilitation. Long-term alcohol inpatient services can help a person for three to six months or longer, but this is different for each program. It is not an easy road out, but with the help of a professional interventionist, medical detox or withdrawal management, and residential rehabilitation, alcoholics become completely rehabilitated.
Sources:
https://tricare.mil/CoveredServices/IsItCovered/SubstanceUseDisorderTreatment
https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/alcohol-related-deaths-increasing-united-states
https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/brochures-and-fact-sheets/alcohol-facts-and-statistics
https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/349635/nielsen-data-says-alcoholic-beverage-sales-through.html
