Alcohol Addiction Treatment on St Simons Islands, Georgia

For most, moderate alcohol use is not harmful. However, nearly 17.6 million adults in the United States are alcoholics or have alcohol problems, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). Alcoholism is a disease with four main features:

• Craving: a strong need to drink
• Loss of control: not being able to stop drinking once you’ve begun
• Tolerance: the need to drink greater amounts of alcohol in order to feel desired effects
• Physical dependence: withdrawal symptoms, such as nausea, sweating or shakiness after stopping drinking

Alcoholism carries many serious dangers. Heavy drinking can increase the risk of certain cancers. It can cause damage to the liver, brain and other organs. It can cause birth defects. It increases the risk of death from car crashes and other injuries, as well as the risk of homicide and suicide.

There are typically two patterns of drinking: early and late-onset. Early patterns of alcohol addiction are characterized by heavy drinking in childhood or adolescence. This can be due to a variety of factors, including peer pressure, unmonitored exposure to substances and history of addiction within the family.

More often, people develop a drinking problem later in life, during adulthood. This can be due to major life changes, like shifts in employment, failing health or the death of a loved one. Since adults have more access to alcohol, it’s easier to form a late-onset drinking pattern. 

It’s important to note that not everyone who drinks regularly has a drinking problem, and not all problem drinkers drink every day. There are specific signs of alcohol addiction that you should look out for, including: 

• Drinking as your only response to calm your nerves, forget your worries or reduce depression.
• Gulping down drinks.
• Frequently having more than one drink a day – A standard drink is one 12-ounce bottle or can of beer or a wine cooler, one 5-ounce glass of wine or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits.
• Only ever binging when you do drink – meaning consuming more than five drinks in any one sitting. 
• Lying about or trying to hide drinking habits from loved ones.
• Hurting yourself, or someone else, while drinking. This could include drinking until “blacking out” on a regular basis.
• Needing more and more alcohol to feel relief.
• Feeling irritable, resentful or unreasonable when not drinking.
• Having serious medical or financial issues caused by excessive drinking.

If you suspect that you or someone you love is showing signs of alcohol addiction, there are ways that you can help them. 

• Practice Open Communication: The first step in helping someone with alcohol addiction is expressing your concern. You can do this one on one or in a group, depending on which you think would be most effective. It’s important to note that someone in active addiction may be more defensive or volatile and to not take this personally when you approach the subject. 
• Establish Boundaries: Boundaries are important for protecting yourself and your loved one while managing addiction. Boundaries provide structure, and when crossed, communicate clearly what behavior won’t be tolerated. What boundaries are right for you and your family will vary, but it’s important to stick to them. 
• Discuss Treatment: Treatment can be an incredible resource for addiction. It can give a structured, medically-monitored environment to experience detox in, while providing both group and individual therapy for those using substances to address their mental health. 

St. Simons-By-The-Sea offers adolescent substance abuse treatment, as well as adult dual diagnosis treatment for those struggling with substance and mental health. Both of these programs are designed to help break the cycle of addiction and improve quality of life.

During our Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment program your child receives services from mental health professionals who understand that addiction affects teens differently. We combine evidence-based therapies with personalized support to help them push past challenges and develop the resilience needed for long-term recovery. Our approach includes:

• Medical detoxification
• Frequent check-ins
• The 12-step approach to addiction
• Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)
• Recreational therapy
• Group therapy
• Discharge planning

These steps help your child not only overcome addiction, but to learn more about themselves to help prevent future relapses. Our program is for teens ages 12 to 17 who have substance use disorder.

Our adult dual-diagnosis-treatment program is tailored for people over the age of 18 who are stuck in the cycle of substance use disorder to treat underlying mental health issues or have developed mental health issues as a result of prolonged substance abuse. St. Simons understands that substance use disorder can have a more pronounced affect on adults, who may have children or careers affected by substance use disorder or may have experienced more severe consequences than those struggling with addiction in adolescence. 

Our adult program is structured like our adolescent program, using therapy, the 12-step approach and discharge planning in order to set you up for success post-treatment.

Our admissions representatives are available anytime, day or night, to perform a confidential intake assessment at no cost to you. Walk-ins are welcome, but we encourage individuals needing help, their loved one or their healthcare provider to call us first at 1-800-821-7224.