In the United States, there are multiple debates surrounding addiction. Overall, alcoholism is a national crisis. Therefore, you might wonder is alcoholism a disease. By understanding alcoholism as a disease, many struggling users are more optimistic about rehabilitation. Let’s explore how alcoholism affects millions of Americans, and the steps to seeking the proper addiction treatment.
Is Alcoholism a Disease?
Is Alcoholism a Disease?
The NIAAA is an organization for researching alcoholism. Alongside NIDA, both entities spend their time and resources studying addiction. Both entities define a disease as a chronic and progressive illness that affects a specific organ with diagnosable symptoms. Recently, using modern technology like fMRI brain scans, we’re able to conclude that addiction is, in fact, a disease.
Studies show that an individual with an alcohol addiction has brain functioning much different than the average person’s. This is because addiction takes over the brain’s mental pathways responsible for pleasure. In order to survive, we need pleasure-seeking habits. This is what tells us to eat, sleep, and reproduce. However, those struggling with alcoholism have a dysfunctional prefrontal cortex, the area which houses the brain’s reward system.
This area of the brain’s additional responsibilities also explain the problematic behaviors of someone with alcoholism. These responsibilities include:
- Emotional regulation
- Impulse control
- Self-awareness
- Logical decision making
Can You Treat Alcoholism?
Fortunately, treatment has become much better over the years because of the additional studies surrounding addiction. Since we have an understanding of how addiction affects the brain, there are new treatment methods that focus on correcting problematic behaviors and thought processes. High-quality treatment centers successfully employ these methods with a full grasp of the disease’s many effects.
Treatment for Alcoholism
Driftwood Recovery is an addiction recovery center in Driftwood, Texas. We’re here to help you overcome your alcoholism with our comprehensive, evidence-based treatment methods, and 12 Step programs. Our goal is to provide you with the necessary tools to create a strong foundation for recovery and continued success. We offer the following levels of care to ensure that your courageous decision to seek treatment is the right one:
Our facility is located on 85 acres of beautiful ranch land in a tranquil environment ideal for lasting recovery. To renew your life for the better, call us today at 866-426-4694.