Are alcohol rehabs different from drug rehabs? Specifically, many have wondered whether alcohol addiction, or alcoholism, and drug addiction can be treated in much the same way or if they require separate treatments. In other words, what’s the difference between alcohol rehabs and drug rehabs?
Alcoholism vs. Drug Addiction
Alcohol dependence—more widely known as alcoholism—is essentially the original addiction. It was by studying alcoholism that we came to learn so much about drug addiction and even behavioral addictions to a degree. Our history of alcohol consumption dates back thousands of years, including periods in time when people were discouraged from drinking anything except alcohol.
The past century or so saw a shift in perceptions of alcohol consumption. In particular, people began noticing that there was a point at which the drinking of alcohol can go too far; moreover, when there are more and more people exhibiting problematic drinking behavior, it will have a more prominent effect on society at large.
In fact, Prohibition occurred when people realized that excessive drinking behavior conflicted with American values and had a negative effect on society. However, aside from the Prohibition era, alcohol has remained a legal mind-altering substance. On the other hands, the drugs to which people can become addicted—opium, heroin, cocaine, crystal methamphetamine, MDMA and ecstasy, marijuana in most states, and so on—are illegal, requiring users to buy them on the street.
As such, alcohol consumption is widely seen as being more socially acceptable, especially when many alcoholics are able to keep most of the worst effects of their drinking private; by comparison, the use of illicit drugs is not as socially acceptable.
Different Risks with Different Addictions?
In terms of the physiological processes that underscore chemical dependency, alcoholism and drug addiction overlap in a number of ways. For instance, the consumption of alcohol causes disturbances in the natural production and functioning of neurochemicals in the brain; more specifically, alcohol increases the production and stimulation of inhibitory neurotransmitters, which causes a decrease in one’s cognitive functioning and accounts for some of the symptoms of alcohol intoxication, including lethargy and clumsiness.
Additionally, alcohol increases the amount of dopamine in the brain, accounting for the reinforcement and feelings of pleasure as dopamine plays an important role in the brain’s reward and pleasure circuits. Similarly, many illicit drugs affect similar areas and functions in the brain, causing spikes in feel-good neurotransmitters that cause comparable feelings of pleasure and reinforcement.
Depending on the type of drug—stimulant or depressant—its use can either result in an increase in excitatory neurotransmitters as with cocaine use or inhibitory neurotransmitters as with alcohol and opiate use.
Despite the underlying similarities between alcoholism and drug addiction, the risks that are associated with each type of substance abuse can differ significantly. In fact, alcohol addiction is widely considered to be one of the most difficult and dangerous forms of chemical dependency as detoxification from alcohol can sometimes be incredibly dangerous or even fatal; only benzodiazepine addiction is similarly dangerous, though less so.
Moreover, individuals who suffer from severe alcohol are at risk of serious conditions such as alcoholic hallucinosis and delirium tremens, which require continuous monitoring and supervision as well as the use of medications in order to stabilize individuals who are trying to detox and overcome alcoholism.
There’s also a condition known as “wet brain,” which occurs due to alcohol being toxic to the brain and long-term alcoholism being linked to extensive brain damage. Wet brain is estimated to be fatal in approximately 20 percent of cases with 75 percent of cases suffering from permanent, irreparable brain damage that causes a degeneration in motor coordination, deterioration of vision, and manifests symptoms comparable to dementia.
Alcohol Rehabs and Drug Rehabs: What’s the Difference?
If both alcoholism and drug addiction required the same types of treatments in all cases, there would not be the distinction between alcohol rehabs and drug rehabs that we see today. However, the reality is that those who suffer from alcoholism are at risk of a number of serious, potentially fatal conditions that don’t develop as a result of drug addiction.
Alcohol rehabs exist so that those who suffer from alcoholism can overcome and receive treatment for the disease in a facility that’s specifically prepared and equipped to handle the serious conditions that alcoholism can cause.
Beat Your Alcohol or Drug Addiction with Drug Treatment Center Finder
Whether a person is suffering from alcoholism or drug addiction, there are treatments and therapies available with which one can regain the physical and psychological health that’s been lost. However, finding the right program for one’s particular needs can be difficult and stressful. That’s where we come in. At Drug Treatment Center Finder, we make it our business to find the best, most effective programs for those who need them.
If you or someone you love would benefit from a free consultation and assessment, call Drug Treatment Center Finder at 855-619-8070. Our recovery specialists are available day or night, ready to help you or your loved one begin the journey back to a life of lasting health and happiness.